Who's the Most Talented Player on Tour?

[Fat Slice]

I think AK is just about to start a streak of wins that will define him as one of the most talented players out there. We shall see.

[Elvisliveson]

Tiger contends in the Masters after a 5 month layoff not because he is the most talented, but because of his practice regimine and his mental approach to the game. It has nothing to do with natural talent. This is not some superhuman accomplishment, finishing 4th in the Masters after not playing in a while. Ben Hogan after his accident would show up at the Masters after not playing all winter and win. One year he played in only 5 tournaments won 4 including the only 3 majors he played in. And Ben was far from the most talented guy on tour; he outworked and outthought everybody just like Tiger; it had nothing to do with natural talent.

[jamo]

Tiger contends in the Masters after a 5 month layoff not because he is the most talented, but because of his practice regiment and his mental approach to the game. It has nothing to do with natural talent. This is not some superhuman accomplishment, finishing 4th in the Masters after not playing in a while. Ben Hogan after his accident would show up at the Masters after not playing all winter and win. One year he played in only 5 tournaments won 4 including the only 3 majors he played in. And Ben was far from the most talented guy on tour; he outworked and outthought everybody just like Tiger; it had nothing to do with natural talent.

The fact that they were not playing is exactly my point, Tiger hasn't been practicing much. Just listen to everything he said during his press conferences last year. He said at the beginning of the year he could hardly hit balls, and he had a torn achilles on and off all year. At his first conference thins year (in Feb., at TPC Sawgrass) he said he wasn't even thinking about golf.

When he was laid off Hogan couldn't play, it wasn't physically possible. He did most of his hitting balls until his hands bled in his younger days. Look at what you said: "And Ben was far from the most talented guy on tour; he outworked and outthought everybody just like Tiger; it had nothing to do with natural talent." Nothing to do with natural talent? Really? He was smart and hardworking, yes, but he was very very talented. The fact is, Tiger hasn't practiced much (by his standards) in the last couple years, just look at his swing, it sucks (again, by his standards).

[Elvisliveson]

I don't know what you have been watching or reading, but Tiger himself said this week that it was all about practice not how many tournaments you play and he used Hogan as an example! He said he felt satisfied that he was working hard enough to win.

And stop being cute; I didn't say Hogan was not talented, just that he was far from the most talented player on tour. And, again, in the players own words, he acknowledged that and said that meant to him that he had to outwork and outhink the competition. Please read up on the matter, I'm not making stuff up. This is not a high school debate, you can't just pick up on phrase and use it to discount what was trying to be conveyed in the entire context of the post.

[uttexas]

The very best golfers are just about physically equal when it comes to ball striking and shot making capability, what separates the best is psychological. Tiger, Hogan, and Nicklaus had more natural mental talent than their competitors.

However, as the question is presented, I'd say Fred Couples has the most comfortable,natural looking golf swing/tempo on tour.

[authentic_golfer]

Some interesting thoughts here. (Great thread starter!) Seems everyone is separating physical talent from mental... Not sure that makes sense, considering golf is a famously mental-oriented game...

But to stick with the theme, I think folks are underestimating Tiger's physical prowess here. I'm not talking about his workout-enhanced physique, which he didn't have when he was winning all those US Amateurs and first few pro majors. He's a remarkable athlete -- the speed and fluidity of his hips through the hitting zone is outrageous. Don't forget the short game and putting, where he's got some gifts as well.

I could go on, but just put me in the Tiger-as-most-talented camp.

Sean

[senorchipotle]

lets not go with tiger. i personally think he wins because he works harder than everyone else and he is prolly smarter than they are too. hes also a beast mentally.

you have to go with tiger. there is NO other choice. tiger was tearing up courses at the age of 12, was a 10 handicap at age 8. yes, 8. three us amateurs, two junior amateurs, six junior world championships. i don't care what kind of work ethic you have or how much you practice, there are one in a million people, if that, who could do all that before they graduated from high school.

as far as the daly comment goes, do you really think he was serious? hell, he and john both know tiger's got more talent than he does. phil has a dedicated work ethic, and is still 10 majors behind tiger, with a 5 year head start on the tour. tiger and everybody else knows he's the best in virtually every part of the game.

[seanturner88]

Two words...Tiger Woods...no one in the world can pull the shots off like he does as consistently as he does!

[FX(TM)]

I know you said it's not about winning, but you don't become the world's number 1, and win as many competitions as Tiger does, without an immense amount of talent.

[sonicblue]

Agreed, Tiger is in a league all his own when it comes to figuring out how to plan a shot, pick a club and execute the shot. The measure of talent is the results. Some people, a la Daly, may be getting a whole hell of a lot out of what talent they do have, sans any additional work ethic, but when there's so much unfulfilled potential obvious, I believe that becomes measured as 'unfulfilled, and therefore fictional, talent.' That is, if you don't DO anything with the talent, is it really there?

I have to chime in on something else, too - there is no such thing as an 'imaginative' golfer. A golfer 'visualizes.' Imagination implies fiction, UNreality. We all can look at shots and visualize a hook around the trees, a flop over the bunker...but those are all restricted by course topology, gravity and the laws of physics. Our imagination is enormously constrained against the real possibilities. Aside from the first time he messed around in his yard and hit a wedge backwards, Phil is no more 'imaginative' than anyone else. Give any guy a 64° wedge, and of course, the first thing he'll think is, "gee, I bet I can hit this higher than my other clubs."

What a great golfer has, which is limited to the select hard-working, talented elite, is the complete confidence and trust in his skill to fulfill that visualization.

[mcfc_nick]

AK, Mcilroy and Adam Scott in my opinion

[jamo]

I don't know what you have been watching or reading, but Tiger himself said this week that it was all about practice not how many tournaments you play and he used Hogan as an example! He said he felt satisfied that he was working hard enough to win.

When did he say it was all about practice? He said "It's not about the championships, it's about how you live your life".

[jamo]

I don't know what you have been watching or reading, but Tiger himself said this week that it was all about practice not how many tournaments you play and he used Hogan as an example! He said he felt satisfied that he was working hard enough to win.

When did he say it was all about practice? He said "It's not about the championships, it's about how you live your life". But, maybe I missed it.

[Kevin04]

Daly, Woods, AK, Mcilroy are all great shouts.

For a lot of the Pros, when they hit their 40s - their Careers seem to wind down, e.g Monty but some are still just as good..
Surprised no one has mentioned some of the Older guys like Kenny Perry, MA Jimenez etc.

Perry, about a year and a half ago seemed like he was winning almost everything or there abouts, and at age 48 was fantastic.
Same with Jimenez, he started this season (Nov/Dec in Europe) not so great and missing a few cuts and probably had some doubters seeing if this was his decline, but he proped up and won in Dubai.

Fred Couples, seems to be the 'Old Tiger' of the Champions Tour, if that makes sense? He's too good, maybe?

These guys are all still playing good golf and all made the cut at the first Major of the year, with Freddie challenging for the title right up to the back 9 on the final day.

[Teklabz]

Other than those already mentioned, namely TWoods, AK, an Mickelson, I'll be the first to nominate Padraig Harrington to the list. Won 3 of the last 11 Majors from what they said during the Masters!

Yeah I know he missed the cut this year, I was heartbroken!

[colin007]

personally, i dont think tiger has maximized his potential. i dont think he gets the most out of his swing, cos you see other guys out there who are just as long, and who dont appear to be hitting with such a violent effort as tiger does. maybe there is a slight inefficiency to tigers swing so that he is swinging as hard as he can and yet is not significantly longer than the other long hitters?

[James_Black]

Other than those already mentioned, namely TWoods, AK, an Mickelson,

It isn't all natural talent though.

He fiddles with his swing too much, even winning 2 majors in 1 year wasn't good enough

[Teklabz]

It isn't all natural talent though.

Well of course it isn't purely natural talent, no one in professional golf got there purely on talent, they had to work hard, develop their game, etc. I agree he maybe messes with his swing too much though, but only he knows his reasoning and he probably thinks ultimately it will improve his game. There's always growing pains with trying something new/different!