What Was Jack Nicklaus' Ringer Score At The Masters?

EmperorPenguin · December 3, 2017

This is a topic pertinent to any 19th hole. My golf buddies and I were talking about Jack's Ringer score at the Masters. One of us said 53, another one said 48, another 43. We recall the accurate Ringer score to be cited from a TV commercial we saw on the Golf Channel. I specifically remembered that commercial from RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), showing Jack playing the Masters through the years, from young to age 46, scores being written on a scorecard, and Jack at the end presenting the scorecard with a smile on his face at the end. Do you guys remember that commercial? It was about maybe seven or so years ago. Unfortunately for us, not even Google can find that answer to what his Ringer score was, so maybe the community here at GolfWRX can find the answer.

For those who may not know, a Ringer score is a scorecard made of the best recorded scores of every hole played at a golf course. Does anyone know Jack's Ringer score at Augusta, and can provide a link to prove it?

SilverBullets · December 5, 2017

I found a post somewhere deep in a google search that said 48. That's the best I could do

raynorfan1 · December 6, 2017

Unfortunately for us, not even Google can find that answer to what his Ringer score was, so maybe the community here at GolfWRX can find the answer.

For those who may not know, a Ringer score is a scorecard made of the best recorded scores of every hole played at a golf course. Does anyone know Jack's Ringer score at Augusta, and can provide a link to prove it?

His Ringer score is 48.

I can only find hole-by-hole scores for Nicklaus for the years where he made the cut, which gives data for 148 of 162 total Masters rounds. The missing 14 rounds cannot have contributed to the ringer, because we know that he holds the record for career eagles at the Masters with 24 - and all are accounted for in my total below.

The 48 breaks down as:

1. 3 (Birdie) 12 times

2. 3 (Eagle) 3 times

3. 3 (Birdie) 11 times

4. 2 (Birdie) 9 times

5. 2 (Eagle) 2 times - both in 1995

6. 2 (Birdie) 22 times

7. 2 (Eagle) 1 time (1976)

8. 3 (Eagle) 2 times

9. 3 (Birdie) 16 times

10. 3 (Birdie) 14 times

11. 3 (Birdie) 11 times

12. 2 (Birdie) 23 times

13. 3 (Eagle) 6 times

14. 3 (Birdie) 24 times

15. 3 (Eagle) 10 times

16. 2 (Birdie) 23 times

17. 3 (Birdie) 18 times

18. 3 (Birdie) 14 times

All in all, it feels like it could be lower. 148 tries, and few "crazy" outcomes - no holes in one, no albatrosses, just two eagles on Par 4's. When you consider that the overall ringer (all competitors in history) is 30, 48 doesn't seem that low for the greatest player in history.

cdnglf · December 6, 2017

Unfortunately for us, not even Google can find that answer to what his Ringer score was, so maybe the community here at GolfWRX can find the answer.

For those who may not know, a Ringer score is a scorecard made of the best recorded scores of every hole played at a golf course. Does anyone know Jack's Ringer score at Augusta, and can provide a link to prove it?

His Ringer score is 48.

I can only find hole-by-hole scores for Nicklaus for the years where he made the cut, which gives data for 148 of 162 total Masters rounds. The missing 14 rounds cannot have contributed to the ringer, because we know that he holds the record for career eagles at the Masters with 24 - and all are accounted for in my total below.

The 48 breaks down as:

1. 3 (Birdie) 12 times
2. 3 (Eagle) 3 times
3. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
4. 2 (Birdie) 9 times
5. 2 (Eagle) 2 times - both in 1995
6. 2 (Birdie) 22 times
7. 2 (Eagle) 1 time (1976)
8. 3 (Eagle) 2 times
9. 3 (Birdie) 16 times
10. 3 (Birdie) 14 times
11. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
12. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
13. 3 (Eagle) 6 times
14. 3 (Birdie) 24 times
15. 3 (Eagle) 10 times
16. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
17. 3 (Birdie) 18 times
18. 3 (Birdie) 14 times

All in all, it feels like it could be lower. 148 tries, and few "crazy" outcomes - no holes in one, no albatrosses, just two eagles on Par 4's. When you consider that the overall ringer (all competitors in history) is 30, 48 doesn't seem that low for the greatest player in history.

Interesting! Thanks for putting in the effort to research this.

How do you get an overall ringer score of 30? Assuming every par 3 as been aced, every par 4 has been eagled, and every par 5 has been albatrossed, wouldn't it be 32?

4x1 + 10x2 + 4x2

raynorfan1 · December 6, 2017

You’re right - it’s 32; I mis-read a golf digest headline.

SilverBullets · December 6, 2017

Unfortunately for us, not even Google can find that answer to what his Ringer score was, so maybe the community here at GolfWRX can find the answer.

For those who may not know, a Ringer score is a scorecard made of the best recorded scores of every hole played at a golf course. Does anyone know Jack's Ringer score at Augusta, and can provide a link to prove it?

His Ringer score is 48.

I can only find hole-by-hole scores for Nicklaus for the years where he made the cut, which gives data for 148 of 162 total Masters rounds. The missing 14 rounds cannot have contributed to the ringer, because we know that he holds the record for career eagles at the Masters with 24 - and all are accounted for in my total below.

The 48 breaks down as:

1. 3 (Birdie) 12 times
2. 3 (Eagle) 3 times
3. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
4. 2 (Birdie) 9 times
5. 2 (Eagle) 2 times - both in 1995
6. 2 (Birdie) 22 times
7. 2 (Eagle) 1 time (1976)
8. 3 (Eagle) 2 times
9. 3 (Birdie) 16 times
10. 3 (Birdie) 14 times
11. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
12. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
13. 3 (Eagle) 6 times
14. 3 (Birdie) 24 times
15. 3 (Eagle) 10 times
16. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
17. 3 (Birdie) 18 times
18. 3 (Birdie) 14 times

All in all, it feels like it could be lower. 148 tries, and few "crazy" outcomes - no holes in one, no albatrosses, just two eagles on Par 4's. When you consider that the overall ringer (all competitors in history) is 30, 48 doesn't seem that low for the greatest player in history.

Nice work.

I actually think 48 sounds pretty darn impressive. I mean comparing the ringer score of 48 over the course of 162 rounds to the 32 which was done over how many thousands of rounds? Being 16 off that pace is pretty darn impressive if you ask me.

I'm sure Tiger is around that 48 number as well.

raynorfan1 · December 6, 2017

Unfortunately for us, not even Google can find that answer to what his Ringer score was, so maybe the community here at GolfWRX can find the answer.

For those who may not know, a Ringer score is a scorecard made of the best recorded scores of every hole played at a golf course. Does anyone know Jack's Ringer score at Augusta, and can provide a link to prove it?

His Ringer score is 48.

I can only find hole-by-hole scores for Nicklaus for the years where he made the cut, which gives data for 148 of 162 total Masters rounds. The missing 14 rounds cannot have contributed to the ringer, because we know that he holds the record for career eagles at the Masters with 24 - and all are accounted for in my total below.

The 48 breaks down as:

1. 3 (Birdie) 12 times
2. 3 (Eagle) 3 times
3. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
4. 2 (Birdie) 9 times
5. 2 (Eagle) 2 times - both in 1995
6. 2 (Birdie) 22 times
7. 2 (Eagle) 1 time (1976)
8. 3 (Eagle) 2 times
9. 3 (Birdie) 16 times
10. 3 (Birdie) 14 times
11. 3 (Birdie) 11 times
12. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
13. 3 (Eagle) 6 times
14. 3 (Birdie) 24 times
15. 3 (Eagle) 10 times
16. 2 (Birdie) 23 times
17. 3 (Birdie) 18 times
18. 3 (Birdie) 14 times

All in all, it feels like it could be lower. 148 tries, and few "crazy" outcomes - no holes in one, no albatrosses, just two eagles on Par 4's. When you consider that the overall ringer (all competitors in history) is 30, 48 doesn't seem that low for the greatest player in history.

Nice work.

I actually think 48 sounds pretty darn impressive. I mean comparing the ringer score of 48 over the course of 162 rounds to the 32 which was done over how many thousands of rounds? Being 16 off that pace is pretty darn impressive if you ask me.

I'm sure Tiger is around that 48 number as well.

I haven’t looked at the numbers - maybe I will tomorrow - but I bet Tiger is more like 50. Jack got to 50 in his prime - but it took him a solid 40 years to work it down to 48.

raynorfan1 · December 7, 2017

I haven't looked at the numbers - maybe I will tomorrow - but I bet Tiger is more like 50. Jack got to 50 in his prime - but it took him a solid 40 years to work it down to 48.

Tiger is a 49, with at least a birdie on every hole, plus eagles on 7, 8, 13, 14, 15.

14 is the only hole that Tiger eagled and Jack birdied; Jack has Tiger beat on #2 and #5.

cdnglf · December 7, 2017

I haven't looked at the numbers - maybe I will tomorrow - but I bet Tiger is more like 50. Jack got to 50 in his prime - but it took him a solid 40 years to work it down to 48.

Tiger is a 49, with at least a birdie on every hole, plus eagles on 7, 8, 13, 14, 15.

14 is the only hole that Tiger eagled and Jack birdied; Jack has Tiger beat on #2 and #5.

I'd guess Phil is probably a 49 too: eagles on 2, 8, 13, 14, 15.

I wonder who is the all-time lowest? Sarazen has an albatross and Floyd has a hole in one.

Oosthuizen has both, but I don't know if he's eagled all the fives and birdied the rest.

raynorfan1 · December 7, 2017

I haven't looked at the numbers - maybe I will tomorrow - but I bet Tiger is more like 50. Jack got to 50 in his prime - but it took him a solid 40 years to work it down to 48.

Tiger is a 49, with at least a birdie on every hole, plus eagles on 7, 8, 13, 14, 15.

14 is the only hole that Tiger eagled and Jack birdied; Jack has Tiger beat on #2 and #5.

I'd guess Phil is probably a 49 too: eagles on 2, 8, 13, 14, 15.

I wonder who is the all-time lowest? Sarazen has an albatross and Floyd has a hole in one.
Oosthuizen has both, but I don't know if he's eagled all the fives and birdied the rest.

I looked at Oosthuizen, and he's a 52. He has the albatross on #2 and HIO on #16, but doesn't have a full card of birdies (or eagles on the other Par 5's).

I'll pull Phil's numbers...but I bet 48 is the lowest. Going through the math, you appreciate how many years it takes to work the score down that low. Once you've got a full card of birdies / eagles, which gets you to 50, it's really a question of luck from there.

raynorfan1 · December 7, 2017

I haven't looked at the numbers - maybe I will tomorrow - but I bet Tiger is more like 50. Jack got to 50 in his prime - but it took him a solid 40 years to work it down to 48.

Tiger is a 49, with at least a birdie on every hole, plus eagles on 7, 8, 13, 14, 15.

14 is the only hole that Tiger eagled and Jack birdied; Jack has Tiger beat on #2 and #5.

I'd guess Phil is probably a 49 too: eagles on 2, 8, 13, 14, 15.

I wonder who is the all-time lowest? Sarazen has an albatross and Floyd has a hole in one.
Oosthuizen has both, but I don't know if he's eagled all the fives and birdied the rest.

I looked at Oosthuizen, and he's a 52. He has the albatross on #2 and HIO on #16, but doesn't have a full card of birdies (or eagles on the other Par 5's).

I'll pull Phil's numbers...but I bet 48 is the lowest. Going through the math, you appreciate how many years it takes to work the score down that low. Once you've got a full card of birdies / eagles, which gets you to 50, it's really a question of luck from there.