Let's debate - top 5 ball strikers who have won a major

[Shilgy]

VJ has to be at least mentioned. He won 3 majors during TW prime. He literally never made a putt over 8 feet. Think about that.

It's difficult to think about stats that are not true. :)

[wfrogge1]

Trevino

Tiger

Hogan

Bubba

Jack

[AUTIGER07]

Hogan

Watson

Nicklaus

Woods

Miller

[Golfnutgalen]

I have to inject Byron Nelson here. He was the only guy from his era that could hit a ball dead straight. His scoring record stood until Tiger beat it. He beat both Hogan and Snead head to head in playoffs. Never lost to either one in playoffs. But he is always overlooked because he quit to ranch. Golf was a means to an end for him not an end in itself. And let's not forget the machine built to test golf equipment and balls was named after him...

 

Byron Nelson won 5 majors and finished 2nd 6 times through 1947. During that same time frame Ben Hogan won once and finished 2nd twice. Sam Snead won twice and finished 2nd 4 times. People like to discredit his 18 win season, but even ignoring those regular wins his major record is remarkable.

 

Back to 1945, his scoring average of 68.33 was stupid good. I mean he won 18 times and finished 2nd an additional 7 times and his worst finish was 9th! In the 30 events he played Snead won 6 and Hogan 2. Hogan also won 3 other times that year without Nelson in the field and played in 18 events total, Snead played in 28 events.

 

The lowest scoring average outside of that historic 1945 season was Snead's 69.23 in 1950 followed very closely by Hogan's 69.30 in 1948 and Snead's again in 69.37 in 1947. Those numbers themselves were not equaled or beaten until Tiger Woods in 2000 which I believe leaves little room for doubt that golf courses were easier in those WWII years. Still, Nelson's numbers are about a full stroke lower than the others! The closest anyone got to those numbers between 1945 and 1996 was Lee Trevino's 69.73 in 1980. After that Fred Couples was only marginally lower in 1996 (69.71) and Tiger in 1999 got closer still (69.56) finally beating it in 2000 (68.17). To be fair Dustin Johnson had a ridiculous scoring average of 68.54 last year which would be 3rd on the list all time. Of course that's with no adjustments, so take it with a grain of salt.

[Nard_S]

Tiger: By statistics alone might be greatest ever

Hogan: Said that he never read yardages or cared all that much about them, how good is that?

3.......

4........

5.......

IDK.

[Dave230]

Since you call it tee-to-green, McIlroy is one of the best drivers of the ball of all time and has been one of the best players in his era despite not being able to putt to even a decent level for a lot of it. I remember in 2011 Masters first three days, he didn't even putt that well but blitzed the course to -12 and a four shot lead.

 

I saw a stat that said McIlroy is more than 4 strokes gained on the field up to the green this week at Sawgrass, well ahead of the rest.

 

Ball-strikers you tend to think of iron players and McIlroy can't compare with some as an iron player but if you're counting the whole package until the green then he's up there.

[Night train]

I’ve been watching golf for over 50 years, never got to see Snead in his prime.........but Tom Weiskopf was incredible, power and grace all in one package. McIlroy is up there with some of the games best.

[isaacbm]

Hogan (cause come on, HOGAN!)

Trevino (Only guy Hogan said hit it better than he did)

Nelson (Iron Byron anyone?)

Faldo ( Ever try to hit the 2 yard fade with a two iron 185 yards That lands soft? Hit 18 greens in majors 3 times!)

Rory ( absolutely maxes out his driver better than anyone in the history of the game. Top 10 iron player in history too )

 

Honourable mentions to Tiger for his irons and Nicklaus was tough to leave out...

 

Maybe Nicklaus was #1? Lol

 

Watson would be Around 25 th for me. He was a grinder. Notorious for being a terrible ball striker through his prime. People were always shocked that he got it done so often considering how poorly he hit it.

[Aaronwilson_95]

I’d put bubba Watson in that group as well

[gators78]

I wouldn't put him in the top 5 overall, but David Graham did win the US Open at Merion hitting all 14 fairways and 18 greens on Sunday, that may be one of the better ballstriking rounds for a final round in a major.

[3jacker]

This needs a precise definition of "ballstriking."

Do you mean who hits the golf ball the purest, most frequently? Or one who has the best stats (fairways and greens hit). The 2 are very different. Under the first definition, I'd go with:

 

1. Sam Snead (only because #2 said it and who am I to argue)

2. Hogan

3. Trevino (interchangeable with #2 above)

4. Miller (it was short-lived but remarkable)

5. Nicklaus (just cause he won so many and hit it so much BETTER -higher/farther, soft long irons)

 

I'll give Bubba Watson an honorable mention because he knows how to do things with a golf ball no one else can do. Like a Chi Chi on roids - and with a modern ball, no less... it's remarkable.

Left Norman off because though he was a great driver and iron player, when he missed it was ugly. Tiger because he's a terrible driver (for his record).

 

Under the 2nd definition... eh, I'll pass. That's just stats and those bore me.

[DavePelz4]

I'm stuck between Ben Curtis, YE Yang or Shaun Micheel.

[Forged4ever]

Wait a second....

 

Did I see someone NOT include Sam in that list???????

 

Seriously?????

 

WTF??????

 

Please bear in mind that he had the SAME SWING FOR OVER SIX DECADES and he won in FIVE OF THOSE DECADES!!!!

 

In 1972, 1973 AND 1974, Sam went T4, T9 & T3 at the age of SIXTY, SIXTY-ONE & SIXTY-TWO YEARS OF AGE IN THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP!!

 

A T3 two years prior to gettin his Medicare card in THE Deepest Major on Earth!!!

 

What’d he do, strike it with his feet???

 

At the age of SIXTY-FIVE, he took a T54 IN THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

 

AT SIXTY-FRIGGIN-FIVE YEARS OF AGE!!!

 

That’s HALF A CENTURY+ OF WORLD CLASS BALL STRIKIN!!!

 

THREE CONSECUTIVE TOP-10’s IN HIS SIXTIES!!!

 

I’m gonna stop there, lol???

 

Oh yea, the other four....

 

~ Jack

~ Tiger

~ Tom

~ benny boy

 

Lee Trevino???!

 

Look at his Augusta track record!!

 

He couldn’t have challenged there if he cheated!!

 

He’s MAYBE Top-15, but Top-5??

 

A Top-5 should be able to Play ANY Track on earth and at least challenge!!

 

ANGC ate his pot moanin & groanin a** alive!!

 

Augusta OWNED Buck!!

 

I Looooove this place, lol??

 

Stay well Gents?

RP

 

 

[hurley999s]

I went through 2 pages and not one mention of Fred Couples? Fred F’n Couples!

[Forged4ever]

> @"Holy Moses" said:

> NevinW wrote:

>

>

>

> Ball strikers:

>

>

>

> 1. Hogan

>

> 2. Miller

>

> 3. Woods

>

> 4. Nicklaus

>

> 5. Trevino

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> I don't see how you can take any of those guys out of the top 5.

 

Very easily, lol?

 

Stay well Brother?

 

My Best,

RP

 

 

[Warrick]

Maybe not top 5 all time, but if referring to pure ball strikers that have won a major, Sergio. If he could putt, easily a handful of majors.

[bodhi555]

Seriously, 2 pages in and no mention of Seve? Your Jacks and Tigers could hit the ball well sure, but could they do it from halfway up a tree or under a bush? I don't think so :smiley:

 

 

[Holy Moses]

> @bodhi555 said:

> Seriously, 2 pages in and no mention of Seve? Your Jacks and Tigers could hit the ball well sure, but could they do it from halfway up a tree or under a bush? I don't think so :smiley:

>

>

Seve hit the ball halfway up a tree or under a bush because his hit or miss ball striking put him in that place

[tgard227]

I think Pelz said Trevino had the lowest margin of error on iron shots that he measured which is a hell of a compliment to go along with Hogan.I'd probably say 1 Trevino, 2 Hogan, 3 Snead, 4 Nicklaus and 5 Woods.

Sub out Faldo for Woods if you like because Tigers nemisis always was the driver.

[WidespreadPanic]

Dufner

 

Well, maybe, definitely not, but the way he hit it when he won atOak Hill even a 22hc hack would’ve been able to make putts.

[Forged4ever]

Seve?????

 

Nobody who ever Played the game had a short game like Seve cept Paul Runyan.

 

The reason that Seve had to become a magician? with his short game was cuz he put the ball everywhere, anywhere and all places in between~

 

Most the time his swing SUCKED and he couldn’t hit the ball on the same spot three times in a row, and I’m bein generous, as 50-60% of the time, it was twice in a row?

 

Oh yea, regarding Sergio, it wasn’t his putter that held him back at all!!

 

It was his mind & mental game, or lack of it?

 

He had the golf IQ of a moron on the back nine on Sundays.

 

As always, just my .03 worth

 

Cheers?

RP

 

 

[Forged4ever]

Again, the only thing that I’ll say about Buck is that his swing limitations prevented him from EVER challenging at one of the most challenging tracks on earth!!

 

An All-Timer has no such shortcoming!!

 

Sam sureTF didn’t

 

Jack didn’t

 

Tiger didn’t

 

Tom didn’t

 

Ole benny boy didn’t

 

Golf Digest poll put him in the top-5?????

 

Seriously???

 

Paleeeeeze?????

 

He had the “lowest margin of error on iron shots???”

 

What, ANGC didn’t count??????

 

You wanna ignore that glaring deficiency in his ball striking and swing, go for it, lmao

 

His mid/low traj right/left flight couldn’t get it done at Augusta.

 

He couldn’t even focus on the golf course and the tournament cuz of all his mental baggage and you’re tellin me that he could’ve gone against his natural under pressure swing for 72 holes??!??

 

Really??????

 

???????

 

You can put him right in front of Seve???!!

 

Leave it to GD to invent another worthless category to measure rank another worthless statistic???!!!

 

Stay well Gents?

RP

 

 

[bladehunter]

> @tiderider said:

> norman above hogan? ... 2 majors to 9? ...

 

Moe Norman ? Yes. Greg ? Lol.

 

 

[3jacker]

Trevino's ballstrking was more than enough to win at Augusta. That's just a tired old myth/excuse, even when Lee says it. If Zach Johnson can win on that course in 2007, Lee could definitely handle it in the 60s/70s. His problems with that venue go far deeper that his ball flight.

 

 

[Forged4ever]

> @3jacker said:

> Trevino's ballstrking was more than enough to win at Augusta. That's just a tired old myth/excuse, even when Lee says it. If Zach Johnson can win on that course in 2007, Lee could definitely handle it in the 60s/70s. His problems with that venue go far deeper that his ball flight.

>

>

 

I love when myths are borne out by factual outcomes?, and the individual involved can rationalize their shortcomings & those pi** poor outcomes???!!!

 

I also agree on his problems goin deeper than his preferred traj and ball flight, lolol

 

He never could leave em at the gate, lol

 

Sam couldn’t stand the place, the arrogance of the members and then the arrogance of a few of the Champions.

 

Ya know how Sam handled it???

 

He won their d*** tournament!!

 

Again!!!

 

And Again!!!

 

The he did what he wanted at their Champions’ Dinner!!

 

Myth, huh???

 

Okey dokey then??

 

And please don’t drop the benny quote on me, lmao

 

Next you’re gonna drop Jack’s about Tiger being “the best,” lolol(Maddie talked to the man personally and there was much more to that quote than what was printed).

 

Hogan loved Trevino cuz he was one of the few guys who came from a poorer more disfunctional background than ole benny boy. THAT greatly influenced anything that came out of his mouth regarding Buckster?

 

Just as his personal feelings influenced his comments regarding Sam.

 

Regardless, have a great season?

 

My Best,

RP

 

 

[3jacker]

Yeah, myth. Okey dokey then.

 

[freeze16172002]

nicklaus

woods

hogan

player

hagen

The first four won all four majors which proves their ball striking was good on any course and different conditions.

Hagen won 11 majors but The Masters was after his prime, so in his time he won all professional majors and no doubt would have won the masters if was started before 1934

[bodhi555]

> @Forged4ever said:

> Seve?????

>

> Nobody who ever Played the game had a short game like Seve cept Paul Runyan.

>

> The reason that Seve had to become a magician? with his short game was cuz he put the ball everywhere, anywhere and all places in between~

>

> Most the time his swing SUCKED and he couldn’t hit the ball on the same spot three times in a row, and I’m bein generous, as 50-60% of the time, it was twice in a row?

 

My post was slightly tongue-in-cheek, however I do think there are different types of awesome ballstriking - there's hitting it straight from the fairway or a perfect lie, and there's creating something from nothing to get yourself out of a tight spot. Seve was unsurpassed in that area, and given the number of majors he came back with (including 2 at Augusta, so if you're counting Trevino out because he never won there, then....), he can't have been too shabby at the more conventional stuff as well.

 

He was also brilliant at winding up his opponents in Ryder Cups ;)

 

A more conventional ballstriker from the same generation I'd suggest is oor Sandy. One of the most natural talents ever to pick up a golf club, he was lethal with a 1 iron and who can forget that bunker shot on the 18th at Augusta? I still remember the quote from Seve - if everyone played to the best of their natural ability Sandy would win followed by Seve. Shame he tried to fix problems he didn't have an lost all form, then Leadbetter finished him off for good.

 

 

[gvogel]

> @freeze16172002 said:

> nicklaus

> woods

> hogan

> player

> hagen

> The first four won all four majors which proves their ball striking was good on any course and different conditions.

> Hagen won 11 majors but The Masters was after his prime, so in his time he won all professional majors and no doubt would have won the masters if was started before 1934

 

Hagen wasn't a ball striker, but man could he score. Hagen be more like Seve.

[gvogel]

> @Forged4ever said:

> Wait a second....

>

> Did I see someone NOT include Sam in that list???????

>

> Seriously?????

>

> WTF??????

>

> Please bear in mind that he had the SAME SWING FOR OVER SIX DECADES and he won in FIVE OF THOSE DECADES!!!!

>

> In 1972, 1973 AND 1974, Sam went T4, T9 & T3 at the age of SIXTY, SIXTY-ONE & SIXTY-TWO YEARS OF AGE IN THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP!!

>

> A T3 two years prior to gettin his Medicare card in THE Deepest Major on Earth!!!

>

> What’d he do, strike it with his feet???

>

> At the age of SIXTY-FIVE, he took a T54 IN THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

>

> AT SIXTY-FRIGGIN-FIVE YEARS OF AGE!!!

>

> That’s HALF A CENTURY+ OF WORLD CLASS BALL STRIKIN!!!

>

> THREE CONSECUTIVE TOP-10’s IN HIS SIXTIES!!!

>

> I’m gonna stop there, lol???

>

> Oh yea, the other four....

>

> ~ Jack

> ~ Tiger

> ~ Tom

> ~ benny boy

>

> Lee Trevino???!

>

> Look at his Augusta track record!!

>

> He couldn’t have challenged there if he cheated!!

>

> He’s MAYBE Top-15, but Top-5??

>

> A Top-5 should be able to Play ANY Track on earth and at least challenge!!

>

> ANGC ate his pot moanin & groanin a** alive!!

>

> Augusta OWNED Buck!!

>

> I Looooove this place, lol??

>

> Stay well Gents?

> RP

>

>

 

You make a great case for Sam, and I like your list. But I would remove Tom and add Byron.

When Tom was winning majors, he did it more with his wedge and putter than his driver and irons. His ball striking improved later in life when he toned down the reverse C and tried to come over the top a little - kind of like Sam did.