The Complete Golfer

[Acropo]

Just a bit of fun to wile away the long months from now till the Accenture Match Play -

What bits of well-known golfers, when put together, would make the perfect player? A few suggestions...

1. Swing - Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Ernie Els
2. Power - Walter Hagan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods
3. Approach shot accuracy - Bernhard Langer, Tiger
4. General accuracy - Tom Watson, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey
4. Putting - Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Severiano Ballesteros
5. Course management - Gary Player, Tom Watson
6. Fighting/competitive spirit - Gary Player, Tiger (special mention for Rocco Mediate and Y E Yang!)
7. Recovery - Seve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia, Tiger
8. Charisma - Ballesteros, Tiger, Arnold Palmer
9. On-course conduct - Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Darren Clarke
10. Eye-catching clothing - a tie between Doug Sanders (his clothes are in colour even in the black-and-white 'Shell's Wonderful World of Golf' series!) and, naturally, Ian Poulter.

Any other ideas and/or comments? As I came up with the idea, I've allowed myself up to three in each category. everyone else should try and keep it to two!!

Have fun y'all!

[Parker0065]

First off I think you could put Jack and Tiger in nearly all of the categories!

But here's a few changes that I would make to your list:

3. Approach shot accuracy - Bernhard Langer, Tiger, Nicklaus
(Jack won a whole lot for someone with a average chipping/sand game by tour standards. He won because he hit a lot of greens and made a lot of putts)!

4. Putting - Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Ben Crenshaw , Tiger
(I have to put Tiger in for putting. Putting and Chipping are the only categories that I think he is probably better than Nicklaus at,,,IMO! I dumped Seve and added Crenshaw. Seve was great but a bit streaky. You can't have a list of great putters and not have Crenshaw on it,,It would defy reality)!

6. Fighting/competitive spirit - Gary Player, Tiger, Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino, Watson, Hogan,,,,,etc.
(I could go on and on with guy's from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Those guy's had to make money the old fashion way,,,They Earned It! Back then if you missed a cut you may not be eating much that week.)

9. On-course conduct - Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Darren Clarke, Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino, Watson, Hogan,,,,,etc.
(Here again I gotta add a bunch of the guy's from the 50's, 60's 70's. I guess it's just a sign of the times. It didn't use to be OK to drop F-Bombs on the course back then. Not saying there weren't hot heads back then, it just wasn't accepted as it is today. Today they just say well it's because he wants to win so bad,,,,doesn't everyone,,lol!)

Added a new category:
11. Cockiest Golfer ever - Johnny Miller
(Crown him the king, Miller is the undisputed champion! Back in the day when he was on tour he would flip his collars up like he was James Dean or something. I love the way every hard breaking downhill 10 footer in the US Open is a "Easy Putt" as described by Miller. Sure Johnny, it's a real easy putt from the booth,,,lol!)!

[Silzildrummer]

Totally agree. I can't stand his commentary sometimes.

[FHopper]

Adding a category as well, I would give anything to hang with either of these golfers.
Has the most fun playing:
Padraig Harrington
Christina Kim

[Acropo]

First off I think you could put Jack and Tiger in nearly all of the categories!

You're probably right but that would make it boring and predictable! They are outstanding in all categories - otherwise they wouldn't have been as great as they are. But some golfers have been even better in one or two areas, though not overall.

That's the idea, anyway!

3. Approach shot accuracy - Bernhard Langer, Tiger,

Yes, he did, but Langer's length and angle accuracy was legendary - just as well, 'cos he got the yips twice, I believe!

4. Putting - Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson,

Accept Crenshaw - he was an oversight on my part. Tiger probably is better than Jack at chipping but not sure about the putting, especially this year...

6. Fighting/competitive spirit - Gary Player, Tiger,

Yes, you can go on and on...which is why I stopped early!

9. On-course conduct - Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Darren Clarke,

Yes, I think that covers it!

Added a new category:

Add to that category - Rory Sabbatini, from what I've heard. (Poulter accepted he'd stuck his foot in his gob with his talk of 'No. 2' - Sabbs opened his mouth even more when challenged...

Adding a category as well, I would give anything to hang with either of these golfers.

Also Ian Woosnam, who enjoys a beer or two after a round; Phil Mickelson, who is said to have a very sharp wit; Paula Creamer (is an explanation required?); Lee Trevino (every film I have ever seen of him, the crowd around is laughing - though the stories are he wasn't as much fun off course)

[Yukari]

Phil in the putting category??? Last couple of tournaments, he has been good. But in general, he sucks at putting--relatively speaking. He seems to miss more 4 or 5 footers than someone with a comparable talent.

[FHopper]

YES! Trevino! Everyone seems aware of the barriers blacks faced but I think Trevino was a really important breakthrough player in his own right, both socio-economic and "racial". He was and still is super cool.
My favorite anecdote was that he used to hustle Gringos on the golf course playing them with nothing more than a coke bottle. Priceless!

[zrlaegel]

Just a bit of fun to wile away the long months from now till the Accenture Match Play -

only current players PGA/Champions, and ill probably get some heat for it

1. Swing - dustin johnson, couples 2. Power - Bubba watson 3. Approach shot accuracy - Tiger 4. General accuracy - tiger 4. Putting - camilo 5. Course management - tiger, phil 6. Fighting/competitive spirit - anthony kim 7. Recovery - phil mickelson, sergio 8. Charisma - Lee Trevino 9. On-course conduct - Padraig Harrington 10. Eye-catching clothing - Ian Poulter.

[wedge player]

1. Swing - hogan
2. Power - jamie sladowski
3. Approach shot accuracy - Tiger
4. General accuracy - corey pavin
4. Putting - stricker
5. Course management - tiger
6. Fighting/competitive spirit - tiger
7. Recovery - phil mickelson
8. Charisma - Lee Trevino
9. On-course conduct - Padraig Harrington
10. Eye-catching clothing - Ian Poulter

[BigDave]

Just my personal preference but I hate Poulter's clothing. I'd put Payne Stewart in this category instead.

Also, the perfect golfer would spend a lot of time interacting with and signing autographs for fan (especially kids) like Phil Mickelson.

I'd also nominate Fred Couples in the swing category. That beautiful fluid swing makes it look easy.