What will Tiger's legacy be?

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Ole_Tom_Morris

As far as steroids there is no reason to suppose Tiger took any.   His buffed look mighta come by natural means only.   (Course I said that about Floyd and Lance. :( )

If we second guess the value/harm of gym work to golfers, I think Keegan Bradley is the best target right now. New England nerd-type who played great then found weights.

Tiger has never done steroids. His body/look is completely natural, and achieved through the maturity of muscle from a lifetime of training. As he got older, he put on mor muscle slowly, that is completely natural. See my pic of myself in the Keegan Bradley thread. That is from low doses of healthy (Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone) steroids, and I am a monster compared to any Tour golfer. Tigers body is a combination of great genetics, and an intense weight training program mixed with an excellent diet. Hard work, nothing more. Its hard for lazy people to believe that others are capable of the hard work it requires to get into the shape a guy like Tiger is in.

As far as Bradley, again, his slump has nothing to do with weights. The guy put on maybe 15 pounds, and is no less flexible (look at his past and current swings) then he was before. His game is in the dumps because of his head, not his body.

To me, Tigers legacy will be that of the greatest golfer of all time, in an era where the competition has been much, much better than any previous generation before now. At the beginning of Tigers career, the best players, barring one or two, would not make the top 50 today. Nicklaus did not have near the level of competition that Tiger does, and yes i've watched lots of his rounds. Nicklaus had one or two guys who could play at that level at any given time. Tiger is up against at least 30 every week who can play at that level. Golf is more than Majors, and 7 wins in 2 seasons (with this season only half finished) shows just how dominant he is.

Tiger will win more majors, and once he does, it will be just like before, he will lose that weekend nerve because he's done it, and will go back to winning 20% of the majors he plays in.

It amazes me that people talk like Tigers career is over. He has 10 years of Major winning golf in him, as long as he stays in shape, and I cant see him ever letting himself and his body go to hell.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

and I cant see him ever letting himself and his body go to hell.

But the number of surgeries &/or injuries to joints would suggest it may be beyond his control.

This is a much bigger concern to me than believing that he has lost the mental toughness to win majors.

I think the 8 months he had off golf after breaking his leg had a lot more to do with his loss of form rather than "the scandal".

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

History shows that wining majors after you turn 40 is extremely hard. Tiger is getting close to that age. I couldn't fathom Tiger catching Jack. If he wins 2 more majors I would be surprised.

As for the poll, whether people think Tiger is the greatest of all time or not, I would have to believe that most are already asking, "What could have been?"

Whether it was coincidental or not, he just hasn't been the same since the scandal. 40 years from now, I don't think that'll be his legacy. By then, it'll just be a question of whether he or Jack was the best...

If you haven't noticed, Tiger is not the average golfer. He was basically out of the game for a year, took a year to hone a new swing and is once again the dominant golfer in the world. He's not quite what he once was but if he does not hit the flag on 15 at The Masters, he probably wins that tournament. Also, golfers now are much more fit than in the past. I think Phil will win 1 or 2 more majors and he's in his 40's now and in his best physical shape in years save for his rheumatism.

I don't know if Woods will win 5 more majors to pass Jack but I expect at least 1 more Masters and probably at least 1 Open Championship.

[boil3rmak3r]

If you haven't noticed, Tiger is not the average golfer. He was basically out of the game for a year, took a year to hone a new swing and is once again the dominant golfer in the world. He's not quite what he once was but if he does not hit the flag on 15 at The Masters, he probably wins that tournament. Also, golfers now are much more fit than in the past. I think Phil will win 1 or 2 more majors and he's in his 40's now and in his best physical shape in years save for his rheumatism. I don't know if Woods will win 5 more majors to pass Jack but I expect at least 1 more Masters and probably at least 1 Open Championship.

I know. If anybody is going to show that age isn't as big a deal as it used to be, Tiger seems poised to be the person. To be honest, though, I'd be more surprised if he won 4 more majors than I would be if he never won another one...

[TourSpoon]

Tiger's legacy will be that he took the game to a new level on so many different levels. Arnold brought the game to new heights in the age of television, and Tiger brought it to the world. His mental approach, physical training, will to win along with his global branding has elevated the Touring Professional to the elitism of sport. As far a majors go, he is far from done. Jack won the Masters at age 46, Tom Watson almost won the British at 59! Tiger has a lot in front of him and he will put it together on the big stage again.

I am not a Tiger fanboy by any means, and I recognize that when he is on both physically and mentally he is unbeatable, unless he beats himself. With four wins this year he is far from over. He is not the guy he may have been a few years ago, but he is hardly done winning.

[mvarley84]

Tiger changed the game of golf. He turned it from a gentleman's game into a true sport played by athletes. I was 11 or 12 when Tiger hit the big show...I already golfed, but I know a bunch of my friends ran out to find clubs because they wanted to be the next Tiger. Every day you were guaranteed to see someone on the course rockin a red nike golf shirt and black hat...every day.

He's done more for the game than just win a bunch of majors.

[scrilla]

Obviously his legacy grows if he is able to win some more tournaments and Majors. However, his legacy has pretty much already been cemented. It goes beyond the countless wins and money list rankings. Tiger really brought excitement about golf to the younger generation (myself included being only 19). If it wasn't for Tiger, I know myself, and many other similary aged people would probably not have gained much interest in golf. He was, and is, such a polarizing sports figure, that it realy brought attention to a sport that many young folks, including myslef onece thought  of as "an old man's game".

[wolfsburg2]

This new BS with every  Sports talk, Golf Channel, ESPN  dope worrying about someone's LEGACY is a waste of time. THey did it with Lebron, Kobe, Tiger, Mickelson, Eli, Peyton, Tom Brady you name it.

HOW LEBRON PLAYS IN GAME 3 WILL FOREVER IMPACT HIS LEGACY!!!!!

Tigger's Saturday in Augusta will impact his legacy!!!!

Come on man. Let the guy be great. We have forever to worry about how great he was. To speculate on that today or try to play up the importance of nano-seconds for ratings is dull.

[Ernest Jones]

Tiger's legacy will be causing Brandel Chamblee to spontaneously combust.

[tomvk77]

come on guys. your a hater or a fan.

But what Tiger did to the game off golf is beyond limits.

I could ask my dad who Jack Nicklaus is, he wouldn't know

but who is Tiger Woods he would know.

Not to speak about what Tiger did to the other PGA Pro's.

He shows up being fit and trained well, and going to the gym.

He scared the hell out off the other pro's. And what's happened

all players now a days are in a much better shape, by training.

So basically Tiger put the game to a higher level, something nobody else

has or will achieve.

It's way to early to count him out. And i think nowadays the whole field is much better

than back in time off nicklaus. So for that Tiger gets more credits also.

Just try youtube and tiger signature shots and just look at it. every shot you see

is just one nobody else even tries to hit. That is just pure skill and total control

off the body. There is no nicklaus, scott, mickelson or watson who can do them.

[Shorty]

I quite like the poem above.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Shorty

I quite like the poem above.

It didn't even rhyme.

[TJBam]

Tiger always and forever the greatest and most game-changing athlete to walk the long lawns

[newtogolf]

Tiger will be up there with Hogan, Arnie and Jack.  As for how he's remembered, much of that will be decided by what he does after his professional career is over on the PGA Tour.  Jack and Arnie have given back a lot to the sport which makes them very highly regarded by golf fans and writers.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Tiger's legacy will be causing Brandel Chamblee to spontaneously combust.

That begs the philosophical question: can anything cause something to spontaneously combust?

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by iacas

That begs the philosophical question: can anything cause something to spontaneously combust?

Yes, Tiger Woods can, and possibly Chuck Norris.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Yes, Tiger Woods can, and possibly Chuck Norris.

Steven Seagal taught Chuck Norris how to do it so don't forget about him.

[chriskzoo]

This answer will not be known for 20 years.  What if Tiger wins a major in his 50's like Watson almost did - even if he hadn't surpassed Jack at that point, he will have such a dominant overall win total over Jack, probably on the order of 50% more wins that I think there will be no question he is the best.