How Would Some of Golf's Former Greats Compete on Tour Today?

[Happy Dragon]

The athletes back in the day mainly played football, basketball, baseball, etc. The nerds, band geeks, violin concert-masters, wealthy wieners, and an occasional athlete concentrated on golf. Today, juniors who concentrate on golf come from a superior athletic pool.

Yes, I understand this is a generalization but I'm illustrating a pattern. Of course, there are exceptions and predictably, someone is going to respond with one.

[flanagan]

  Happy Dragon said:

The athletes back in the day mainly played football, basketball, baseball, etc. The nerds, band geeks, violin concert-masters, wealthy wieners, and an occasional athlete concentrated on golf. Today, juniors who concentrate on golf come from a superior athletic pool.

Predictably someone will respond because you generally don't have a clue what you are talking about, and this is no exception.

I'll start and stop with Jack Nicklaus, in terms of athletes. As for the nerds, band geeks, etc., that's just plain stupid.

[sean_miller]

  VOX said:

Reminds me of a question asked to Ted Williams in the mid 1970s. The interviewer asked him what he thought he would bat today using modern balls against modern pitchers. Ted said "probably around .350". The announcer was incredulous - "but you hit over .400 in your prime".

Is that a real quote? Was he suffering from Alzheimers or was he just that arrogant?

[Happy Dragon]

  flanagan said:

Predictably someone will respond because you generally don't have a clue what you are talking about, and this is no exception.

psst... check out the OP. Just delete your last post and I won't tell anyone.

Take it easy, sir. Getting so worked up... you'll give yourself a heart attack.

[flanagan]

Once again, you post things you can't even defend yourself.

Q.E.D.

[Happy Dragon]

  flanagan said:

Once again, you post things you can't even defend yourself.

I knew there was something about you I liked. Ending with Q.E.D., a strong math and Latin reference. What are you going to do now, prove the Pythagorean Theorem? I must have hit a nerve with "nerd."

It's OK, I'm a nerd too, just a more athletic one. I love you.

[soup]

The one big thing the previous generation would have to do is take their health and training more seriously. A lot of those guys were still around at Augusta in 1997 - guys that competed against Nicklaus and Watson in their primes - albeit they were in their early 40s and Tiger steamrolled them. Watching the 1997 Masters highlights is great comedy. You see all these guys - a Good 'Ol Boy network really - sort of laughing and haming it up during practice rounds and even into the first round. And then you see all of their eyes glaze over mid-way through Saturday and realize none of them can compete anymore.

That's the one big thing - they'd have to get in shape to keep up these days with the travel and other demands, which many of them would.

[Cussin hacker]

The talent pool today is much better than it was years ago. You had a small handfull then that on any given week could win. Today any number of players are good enough to win. My .02 anyway.

[shortstop20]

One thing that comes to mind for me is that they would have to be in better shape than they were during their prime. In today's US Open's especially, out of shape/weaker people ain't hitting it very far from that cow pasture they call the rough. Meanwhile Tiger hacks through it and hits it on the green.

Case in point(although not the US Open):

[Dub]

  uttexas said:

I believe Sam Snead would do well. Powerfully built with great flexibility (like Vijay), good short game, I see him using a belly putter well.

You nailed it. Snead is the very player that I'd love to see right now...in his prime.....pimped out with the latest and greats sticks/shafts/and balls.

He hit the ball so purely and powerfully......wow. No doubt he'd rock the belly or broomstick putter, too.

[Krosh]

Well Tom Watson almost won the open this year... And i doubt he's better today then 30 years ago :=) so really proves that a lot of the old times big would be as good or even better then most on the pga tour today.

[enduro]

  sean_miller said:

Is that a real quote? Was he suffering from Alzheimers or was he just that arrogant?

I think it's called sarcasm. You guys have dat up der, eh?

[sean_miller]

  enduro said:

I think it's called sarcasm. You guys have dat up der, eh?

I don't speak Michagese or Ontarian, but I understand what you're saying.

[Three Putt]

  Krosh said:

Well Tom Watson almost won the open this year... And i doubt he's better today then 30 years ago :=) so really proves that a lot of the old times big would be as good or even better then most on the pga tour today.

I agree...Tom Watson wrecked shop at The Open this year, damn I was wishing he would have won it. The "Handful of Golfers" that won back in the day, would win more often today, they were players and ball strikers, not robotic swing machines like today. Tiger would have his hands full with Jack, Tom W., Snead, Palmer, Hogan, Trevino, etc...

[Three Putt]

  iacas said:

I'm not sure Jack would have the short game necessary to compete. His putting was there, but your short game has to be out of this world to compete these days.

????????? Jack would adapt...but he would not need to adapt if both were playing at their prime. Tiger's habit of spraying drives would more than equal Jack's reported "lack of prowess" in the short game. Putting is equal, maybe a slight nod to Tiger. Please.....

[lobsterzilla]

  None said:

Is that a real quote? Was he suffering from Alzheimers or was he just that arrogant?

meh ... for one of the top 3 hitters to have ever walked the planet. He was just that confident. I'd have said the exact same thing.

oh and Tom Watson says .. sup?