Best ball striker you have seen in person?

[Petunia Sprinkle]

This player will likely require some googling. I stood on a range many years ago and saw Brett Ogle warming up near Norman, hard to split who hit it better. With a long iron Ogle was awesome.

 

Ogle won a couple of times on the PGA Tour in the mid 90s but got the yips.

 

What a great swing. Too bad his putting was so bad or he’d still be playing.

 

For me, it was Bruce Fleisher during his prime on the old washed up guys tour.

[i*windows]

Stenson or Garcia, wow.

[nbg352]

Even Tiger was a big fan of Moe Norman. Tiger talked about only two golfers (Moe and Hogan)

ever "owning their swing".

 

Titleist tested Moe's ball striking one day and indicated that they had

never seen anyone hit balls with zero sidespin and even the Robots had some sidespin.

 

BS!

 

Did you ever see him hit balls?

If you had, you never would have typed those two letters exclamation point.

[jonsnow]

David Duval in his prime was pretty sporty. Unfortunately his prime didn't last as long as it should have. Go back & take a look at his card from the 59 he shot, pretty eye opening how close he hit it on nearly every hole.

[lowheel]

David Duval in his prime was pretty sporty. Unfortunately his prime didn't last as long as it should have. Go back & take a look at his card from the 59 he shot, pretty eye opening how close he hit it on nearly every hole.

 

Should have never tried to change his grip/swing.... people forget how good he was

[Obee]

I would say Driver- Greg Norman

Irons- Johnny Miller

Putter- Ben Crenshaw

I know many here are picking Trevino and Ive actually seen him play 18 holes twice. Unfortunately both rounds were at Spyglass Hill during The Crosby. Trevino hated that course and didnt hide his feelings. Everytime he had to wait on a tee he would start talking about how much he hated that course, how bad the drainage was and how they should take a bulldozer to it. I think it really effected his game because he never played well there.

 

Didn't like Spyglass?!?! LOL

[Dave22]

Even Tiger was a big fan of Moe Norman. Tiger talked about only two golfers (Moe and Hogan)

ever "owning their swing".

 

Titleist tested Moe's ball striking one day and indicated that they had

never seen anyone hit balls with zero sidespin and even the Robots had some sidespin.

 

BS!

 

Did you ever see him hit balls?

If you had, you never would have typed those two letters exclamation point.

 

I described a story about Moe Norman hitting balls in the late 80s at a Senior CPGA in another thread. I was able to play in a Jr Pro am setup in a group in front of him.

 

His swing seemed a little awkward but he hit everything pure. I was on the range and some other pros were having fun and challenging him to hit things in the range at Greenhills just outside of London, ON.

 

It is near a highway and had telephone poles running through the driving range. Yup, he was challenged to hit the telephone pole. He hit three drivers before he hit it, just missing with the other ones. He acted like it was no big deal and was kind of joking with the other pros saying 'see no problem' or something like that. He couldn't stop fidgeting and the only time he stopped joking around was when he was about to hit a ball.

 

Looking back, he was definitely a little 'different' as others have mentioned in the posts. He pulled up in his big car for the dinner and was dressed in a bright multi-coloured sport jacket and pants that reminded me of the Rodney Dangerfield character in Caddyshack. None of the other pros cared as I assume they were used to it. They treated him awesome and gave a standing ovation for his award during the dinner.

 

Never thought much of it, but looking back, I guess I was pretty lucky to have seem him hit balls in person.

[seve1972]

Even Tiger was a big fan of Moe Norman. Tiger talked about only two golfers (Moe and Hogan)

ever "owning their swing".

 

Titleist tested Moe's ball striking one day and indicated that they had

never seen anyone hit balls with zero sidespin and even the Robots had some sidespin.

 

BS!

 

Did you ever see him hit balls?

If you had, you never would have typed those two letters exclamation point.

 

I described a story about Moe Norman hitting balls in the late 80s at a Senior CPGA in another thread. I was able to play in a Jr Pro am setup in a group in front of him.

 

His swing seemed a little awkward but he hit everything pure. I was on the range and some other pros were having fun and challenging him to hit things in the range at Greenhills just outside of London, ON.

 

It is near a highway and had telephone poles running through the driving range. Yup, he was challenged to hit the telephone pole. He hit three drivers before he hit it, just missing with the other ones. He acted like it was no big deal and was kind of joking with the other pros saying 'see no problem' or something like that. He couldn't stop fidgeting and the only time he stopped joking around was when he was about to hit a ball.

 

Looking back, he was definitely a little 'different' as others have mentioned in the posts. He pulled up in his big car for the dinner and was dressed in a bright multi-coloured sport jacket and pants that reminded me of the Rodney Dangerfield character in Caddyshack. None of the other pros cared as I assume they were used to it. They treated him awesome and gave a standing ovation for his award during the dinner.

 

Never thought much of it, but looking back, I guess I was pretty lucky to have seem him hit balls in person.

 

I’m sure he had Autism....I heard

 

Even Tiger was a big fan of Moe Norman. Tiger talked about only two golfers (Moe and Hogan)

ever "owning their swing".

 

Titleist tested Moe's ball striking one day and indicated that they had

never seen anyone hit balls with zero sidespin and even the Robots had some sidespin.

 

BS!

 

Did you ever see him hit balls?

If you had, you never would have typed those two letters exclamation point.

 

Fake news

[kwcsports]

Fred Couples. I watched him for 18 holes and he never mishit an iron shot. Every one right on the button, it was amazing. I almost forgot about Moe Norman, I saw him at my golf club when I was a kid. He did a little lesson for us and hit every shot perfect.

[rxk9fan]

Fred Couples - so smooth and looked like he was taking a walk through the park even when his game was off a bit.

Duval and Davis Love III both looked strong at the 2001 US Open at Southern Hills

Tiger was strong in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills

[nikewalt]

No doubt, Tiger!

[salmon2]

I saw David Duval at the PGA at Oak Hill in '03 and he was hitting balls during a practice round aiming at a range picker maybe 120 yards away. He started with probably a wedge or 9 and would hit 5-10 balls per club, probably working to about a 4 iron and every single ball was in that 6' or so window for 40 or more shots. That was pretty unreal. Of course, I think he went on to shoot 80 something and WD after that.

[gators78]

Echo a lot of the names already mentioned, Couples, T Watson, Tiger, Adam Scott, Joe Durant, Duval, Trevino, and many others are mega impressive in person.

 

Anthony Kim at the 2007 US Open, it was amazing to watch someone hit it so well, while caring so little. He had a terrible 3rd round but shot 67 on Sunday at Oakmont, 2 clear of the next low round. I know he's sitting on some massive insurance payout, but wow with that ability...the what if's would be brutal.

 

Rory at the 2011 US Open, on the range Saturday he was flying his driver over 300 yards alternating between a 3 yard draw and fade, he was surgical with his ballstriking. If I could buy any swing, it'd be Rors.

[ldchristopher]

I saw Greg Norman when I was about nine years old and his ball striking blew me away. I’ve seen a bunch of pros since but Norman was still the purest.

[Malvern]

I saw Greg Norman when I was about nine years old and his ball striking blew me away. I've seen a bunch of pros since but Norman was still the purest.

 

We agree

 

[tgreenwood11]

Ever saw? I’ll go with who I played with. In 1971 I played in a high school match against Curtis Strange at Ocean View Golf Course in Norfolk, Va. He was 15 years old. On the 1st hole he topped his drive to about 125 yards. Pulled out a 1 iron and flew it to a foot from 230 yards. Proceeded to shoot 65 in 45 degree weather. Missed no fairways and no greens.

 

The best I ever saw as a spectator was Calvin Peete at Kingsmill one year when he won. He was a machine.

 

[DickieThon]

Seen? I followed Matsuyama and DJ around Oakmont the year DJ won. They’re both unreal. Played with? There was a guy I used to play with in various golf leagues who was a former D1 player. We had some epic “battles” for $10 trophies, but he would average 15 GIR and 4-5 birdies a round.

[frebird]

Back in the day they used to play a charity event in New Bern NC. Strange and Couples in a relaxed atmosphere. Absolutely awesome. Up close and personal. Couples swing was like "butta" and the ball just disappeared. Followed Rahm and DJ at Wells Fargo last year. Stood behind Rahm on several tees, ball left so fast my old eyes had a hard time picking it up. Awesome!

[scruffynick]

Been lucky that my club stewards at Birkdale when the open is on, so I've been very lucky to see the best since 91 up and close and without doubt the best ball striker I've ever seen is Sandy Lyle. Not even Watson was as good, just unbelievable strike and power. Pitty his head went in the early 90s and he lost his dad as I think sandy would have won more than he did. But his long irons, wow! Never to this day seen a ball hit as good, crisp and powerful

[EKELLY]

Even Tiger was a big fan of Moe Norman. Tiger talked about only two golfers (Moe and Hogan)

ever "owning their swing".

 

Titleist tested Moe's ball striking one day and indicated that they had

never seen anyone hit balls with zero sidespin and even the Robots had some sidespin.

 

BS!

 

Did you ever see him hit balls?

If you had, you never would have typed those two letters exclamation point.

 

I described a story about Moe Norman hitting balls in the late 80s at a Senior CPGA in another thread. I was able to play in a Jr Pro am setup in a group in front of him.

 

His swing seemed a little awkward but he hit everything pure. I was on the range and some other pros were having fun and challenging him to hit things in the range at Greenhills just outside of London, ON.

 

It is near a highway and had telephone poles running through the driving range. Yup, he was challenged to hit the telephone pole. He hit three drivers before he hit it, just missing with the other ones. He acted like it was no big deal and was kind of joking with the other pros saying 'see no problem' or something like that. He couldn't stop fidgeting and the only time he stopped joking around was when he was about to hit a ball.

 

Looking back, he was definitely a little 'different' as others have mentioned in the posts. He pulled up in his big car for the dinner and was dressed in a bright multi-coloured sport jacket and pants that reminded me of the Rodney Dangerfield character in Caddyshack. None of the other pros cared as I assume they were used to it. They treated him awesome and gave a standing ovation for his award during the dinner.

 

Never thought much of it, but looking back, I guess I was pretty lucky to have seem him hit balls in person.

It was a pleasure, and I left in awe every time.....Crazy!........"This swing can't hit it crooked, can't do it!"......

[3jacker]

Lee Trevino.

Calvin Peete.

 

Also Bubba Watson - he can do things no one else can. I can't imagine what weird things he could make a balata ball do.

I watched him hit a 5 iron at Bay Hill over the 200 flag. Left to right, right to left, high, low.. then repeated at the 175 flag, then the 150, then the 100.

How he could hit SOFT 5-irons (they climbed, like they'd been hit with a PW or 9i) is beyond me. And he curved those, too. Drastically.

[stlouismark]

> @ShutSteepStuck said:

> Johnny Ruiz (period)

 

Lol. What?

 

[caniac6]

Nick Price

[gsrjc]

Anthony Kim at Tiger’s tournament at congressional.

[gvogel]

> @tmartin89 said:

> I was lucky enough to caddie at the 2008 Open at Royal Birkdale for a friend of mine who made it through local qualifying. I was on the range and saw Garcia, Jimenez, Stenson plus a bunch of other top players hit balls but the best ball striker I saw was Greg Norman. I've watched Tiger at the 2005 Open at St Andrews and obviously he stripes it. I've also been to many Scottish Opens when it was at Loch Lomond and saw guys like Poulter, again great ball striker but nothing I've ever seen was like Greg Norman.

>

>

>

> Who is the best ball striker you have seen in person?

I watched Tom Watson and Greg Norman play in the final group at Augusta in 1981. Watson was the better striker that day.

 

[golfandfishing]

Nick Price, Scott Hoch, Hale Irwin, DL III all had the ball come out of the middle of the face seemingly without fail.

[OutBackHack]

> @BNGL said:

> Myself....

>

>

>

> haha, Tiger was pretty good. Although last year I was on the range at Bay Hill and Lucas Glover stood out to me, just his rhythm the ball leapt off his club face. Played with Rob Oppenheim a few times, watched him fire 63-62, both of those rounds were absolutely outstanding.

>

>

>

> Tried to post a video apparently it didn't work

 

Rob Oppenheim, haha, that's good clean comedy right there.

[BNGL]

> @OutBackHack said:

> > @BNGL said:

> > Myself....

> >

> >

> >

> > haha, Tiger was pretty good. Although last year I was on the range at Bay Hill and Lucas Glover stood out to me, just his rhythm the ball leapt off his club face. Played with Rob Oppenheim a few times, watched him fire 63-62, both of those rounds were absolutely outstanding.

> >

> >

> >

> > Tried to post a video apparently it didn't work

>

> Rob Oppenheim, haha, that's good clean comedy right there.

 

 

Difference is seeing it up close versus actually walking inside the ropes as a playing competitor. Obviously it’s not that way all the time, sorry Rob, but for those 36 holes it was pretty tidy to say the least. All of us can walk around the range tee or the course and say, “man so and so’s pretty good”, but until your playing the same shots to the same flags and same greens that’s when you can have a real appreciation for what’s going on. I acquitted myself nicely both rounds with pairs of 68s and got absolutely smoked by my playing partner.

 

 

[North Texas]

Have seen pretty much all the great pro's from the late to 60's to present day play. But when it comes to the best ball striker I've actually played with, it would have to be Dwight Nevil who played on the tour in the 70's. Played many rounds with him in the 80's and he could flat out play. Remember one day when he shot a casual 6 under par 30 on the front nine and his longest birdie putt was maybe 15 feet with at least 6 of them inside 10 feet. Shot 63 for the day. He was always just throwing the ball down on the ground on the tee box and hitting the driver off the deck. He would literally throw it up on the tee box and wouldn't even move it around with the head of the driver. Just hit wherever it it was. Hit absolutely bullets with those old persimmon drivers doing that.

[No Gimmes]

Greg Norman is clearly the best I’ve seen. I’ve watched a lot of the greats over the years and the shark is clearly the best.

I once saw Tiger, Scotty side by side on the range which was awesome. It was the week before the fire hydrant and tiger was striping it until he got to driver. He was like a different man, tempo changed, he couldn’t maintain his body angles and the ball was going everywhere. Scotty on the other hand hit driver as straight as an 8 iron.

The 10 minutes Tiger spent in the practice bunker that day was something I’ll never forget. The sound of the club hitting the sand was something I’ve never heard before.

I was standing next to Aussie pro Peter Fowler who Seve once said had a better short game than himself. He was blown away by what he was watching. > @"i*windows" said:

> Stenson or Garcia, wow.