Top ten golfers of all time!!

[elsandito]

This is what I've been saying....this topic doesn't lend itself well to a top ten list. You have 2 or 3 in an elite grouping and then 10 or 20 that you could debate belonging in the next grouping. If your tastes run to ball striking ability, maybe you like Norman. If you like clutch play you might lean toward Palmer. If majors are important to you, Player would make the list. If total tourny wins makes sense, you'd go for Snead. The most heavily favored criterion that you select, is what makes the order in the list subjective. 

[MSchott]

Great subjective topic. I tend to value majors highly which biases the list towards the last 50 years or so or maybe after the Bobby Jones era. But I reserve the right to make exceptions . But emotion is part of the decision making process too.

1) Nicklaus

2) Woods

3) Jones

4) Hogan

5) Snead

6) Player

7) Watson

8) Nelson

9) Trevino

10) Hagen

[turtleback]

How do you possibly have Hogan above Nicklaus and Woods?  Just want to know you reasoning?

Probably because he was just as dominant as Woods, short term, and way more dominant that Nicklaus ever was, short term, and not everyone thinks that the guy who lasts longer is necessarily better.  Nicklaus may have had the greatest overall career (arguable, but for the sake of argument . . .), but both Tiger and Hogan were better and more dominant golfers for "enough" years to overcome that, to many of us.

Take Jack's best years in order, Tiger's, and Ben's and line them up in match play.  Jack will start and stay behind for  a long time, as his best year's do not match up very well with the best years of Tiger and Ben.  He will catch Ben, but he won't catch Tiger.

It comes down to what you value.  I value sustained dominance, and so have Tiger at #1 and then Ben and Jack at #2a and #2b.  Anyone valuing longevity higher will have Jack at #1.  Unless they take into consideration strength of field.

 

 

 

[saevel25]

Probably because he was just as dominant as Woods, short term, and way more dominant that Nicklaus ever was, short term, and not everyone thinks that the guy who lasts longer is necessarily better. 

Yet against far less good competition.
 

It comes down to what you value.  I value sustained dominance, and so have Tiger at #1 and then Ben and Jack at #2a and #2b.  Anyone valuing longevity higher will have Jack at #1.  Unless they take into consideration strength of field.

Bingo
 

[newtogolf]

 

1. Woods

2. Nicklaus

3. Palmer

4. Hogan

5. Jones

6. Hagen

7. Player

8. Snead

9. Watson

10. Mickelson

[skydog]

This is what I've been saying....this topic doesn't lend itself well to a top ten list. You have 2 or 3 in an elite grouping and then 10 or 20 that you could debate belonging in the next grouping. If your tastes run to ball striking ability, maybe you like Norman. If you like clutch play you might lean toward Palmer. If majors are important to you, Player would make the list. If total tourny wins makes sense, you'd go for Snead. The most heavily favored criterion that you select, is what makes the order in the list subjective.

I think this is accurate. I do think it's fair to put Hogan safely in the third spot slightly behind the Jack/Tiger tandem. Beyond that I agree with you that there are a solid 10-15 guys that anyone can make a legitimate case as being the next best depending on what you value most.

Edited October 21, 2015 by skydog

[ygmondoux]

I'll go with mine.

1. Bobby Jones

2. Mickey Wright

3. Byron Nelson

4. Jack Nicklaus

5. Annika Sorenstam 

5. Tiger Woods

6. Sam Snead

7. Ben Hogan

8. Arnold Palmer

9. Trevino

10. Moe Norman (Can't put it out of the list even if he as never won and barely played on tour)

 

[elsandito]

Absolutely. I thank you for informing us of Moe Norman. What an outstanding golfer that is widely unknown. 

[mvmac]

Absolutely. I thank you for informing us of Moe Norman. What an outstanding golfer that is widely unknown. 

But definitely not on the top ten list.

[skydog]

Had to pull up wikipedia on Moe Norman...pretty interesting.

Off topic but caught me when reading about him: In 2005, Tiger said that Moe Norman and Ben Hogan are the only two golfers in history that have 'owned their swings' and he said that he wants to own his swing like they did. Ironic, considering from my view no one in the history of the game has given away (failed to own) their swing as much as Tiger has since 2005.

Edited October 21, 2015 by skydog

[saevel25]

Off topic but caught me when reading about him: In 2005, Tiger said that Moe Norman and Ben Hogan are the only two golfers in history that have 'owned their swings' and he said that he wants to own his swing like they did. Ironic, considering from my view no one in the history of the game has given away (failed to own) their swing as much as Tiger has since 2005.

Not really part of this discussion for this thread when it comes to about Tiger and his swing changes. There are a lot of other Tiger threads and that subject has been talked about before. 

As for owning their swing relating as a criteria for the top 10, it doesn't matter. You can own a crappy swing and you can own a great swing. 

Edited October 21, 2015 by saevel25

[skydog]

Not really part of this discussion for this thread when it comes to about Tiger and his swing changes. There are a lot of other Tiger threads and that subject has been talked about before. 
As for owning their swing relating as a criteria for the top 10, it doesn't matter. You can own a crappy swing and you can own a great swing. 

...Thanks. I said it was off topic, just that it came up when I was reading about Moe Norman.

[turtleback]

But definitely not on the top ten list.

Nor the top 1000.

[Sante TwoGloves]

Nor the top 1000.

Really? Who is on your top 1,000 list?  ☺

Edited October 23, 2015 by Sante TwoGloves

[turtleback]

Really? Who is on your top 1,000 list?  ☺

I do not have a top 1000 list.  But if I did Moe Norman would not be on it.  

[MSchott]

But definitely not on the top ten list.

Exactly. Moe Norman was one great ball striker but he had plenty of issues that kept him from being a great golfer. 

I'll go with mine.

1. Bobby Jones

2. Mickey Wright

3. Byron Nelson

4. Jack Nicklaus

5. Annika Sorenstam 

5. Tiger Woods

6. Sam Snead

7. Ben Hogan

8. Arnold Palmer

9. Trevino

10. Moe Norman (Can't put it out of the list even if he as never won and barely played on tour)

 

That's definitely an outside the box list. I completely disagree but it's an interesting list. 

[Gettin Better]

Top 10 golfers for me aren't the ones that WON the most .. but DID the most for the image of golf.

1) Sevé .... the best ever NATURAL golfer (nicer than the churned out modern automatons)

2) Greg Norman ... just real FUN to watch

3) Payne Stewart .. also fun to watch .. and his Plus Fours, check socks and cap 

4) Phil Mickelson .. forever the smiling GENTLEMAN player

5) Tom Watson .. a young golfers ROLE MODEL 

6) The Big Easy .. ever seen him fazed?? (I wanna be like him)

7) Jack Nicklaus .. do I need to explain this choice ..

8-10 ... Now I've got problems :)

 

[ncarlsongolf]

Top 10 golfers for me aren't the ones that WON the most .. but DID the most for the image of golf.

1) Sevé .... the best ever NATURAL golfer (nicer than the churned out modern automatons)

2) Greg Norman ... just real FUN to watch

3) Payne Stewart .. also fun to watch .. and his Plus Fours, check socks and cap 

4) Phil Mickelson .. forever the smiling GENTLEMAN player

5) Tom Watson .. a young golfers ROLE MODEL 

6) The Big Easy .. ever seen him fazed?? (I wanna be like him)

7) Jack Nicklaus .. do I need to explain this choice ..

8-10 ... Now I've got problems :)

 

If you are talking about who did the most for the image of golf, how do you not include Tiger Woods on that list?   I know he has a black mark near the end here.  But he has single handed changed how Golf as a whole is viewed by half the American population.  He has made the game a "cool" thing and changed the stigma attached to the game.  It is no longer for retired men only.  Not only for white men, its for women, minorities and kids in high school.  I think Tiger has done more than the rest of your Top 10 list when it comes to changing the image of the game.  You don't even have Arnold Palmer on the list either!!! He had such a cult following and still does to this day, he has touched more lives via golf than almost anyone.  I see what you were doing with your list but I think you are terrifically of the mark with the names on the list.