Who is the best ball-striker on tour now?

[slicefixer]

Everything BUT the driver (and that IS getting better)......Tiger Woods........he has all of the shots and is NOT afraid to use them........WHEN he gets the driver down then he'll be so far ahead of the pack that he might well win every single time he tees it up........statistically, probably Joe Durant......however, Joe CANNOT hit the variety of shots that Tiger can and does nor can he attack the nearly as many pins as Tiger can, and does...........so, IMOP, it's not even close......

[anth]

Peter Lonard.

 

Doesn't have a great variety of shots, but doesn't need them because he hits it straight and solid every time. The sound at impact is incredible - great compressor of the ball. No need to take an iron off the tee for accuracy - Pete is as straight with his driver as he is with his irons.

 

Unfortunately, like some other exceptional ballstrikers, cannot putt very well at all. I think his ballstriking is the equal of anyone playing today - putting and short game let him down.

[tongzilla]

Everything BUT the driver (and that IS getting better)......Tiger Woods........he has all of the shots and is NOT afraid to use them........WHEN he gets the driver down then he'll be so far ahead of the pack that he might well win every single time he tees it up........statistically, probably Joe Durant......however, Joe CANNOT hit the variety of shots that Tiger can and does nor can he attack the nearly as many pins as Tiger can, and does...........so, IMOP, it's not even close......

 

what kind of shots are you referring to?

 

i think joe can hit a draw or fade on demand pretty well.

[TracyS]

The thing with the PGA Tour stat is that they combine driving accuracy....if you go by GIR then Tiger is by far the best. Look at all the shots Tiger can hit and the quality of his strikes....By far the best. Everyone on Tour even says that the sound the ball makes when he makes contact is far better than anyone else. And if you have ever watched him on the range, you can tell. The sound is just incredible...extremely crisp and just plain old pure. I will say that Jim Furyk is very underrated as well and a fairly close 2nd imo.

0 .

 

 

I am confused here what is ballstriking if not driving and irons .

 

Maybe the person that asked the question Who is the best ball striker on tour? Needs to define it to me because its my understanding that the ball striking stat is a combination of driving accuracy and GIR's.

 

Which in a nutshell describes JD sure he is boring and he does not win much but he still owns that stat.

 

Like I said, I'm not in the place to set any kind of criteria. What guidlines did people use to determine Hogan was the best? Some feel it's the sound or crispness of the stike and the way the ball rocketed off the clubface, others feel it's accuracy and control and shotmaking. I left it open because it's a such a subjective topic and not something that can be quantified. Everyone can make their own case and back it up with whatever they feel is pertinent.

[Golfdog]

Sergio is WAAAAAY overrated. He was 105th in GIR last year, and 142nd in the ballstriking category (combined driving and GIRs). There are a ton of better ball strikers on tour.

[Swingtheclub]

The thing with the PGA Tour stat is that they combine driving accuracy....if you go by GIR then Tiger is by far the best. Look at all the shots Tiger can hit and the quality of his strikes....By far the best. Everyone on Tour even says that the sound the ball makes when he makes contact is far better than anyone else. And if you have ever watched him on the range, you can tell. The sound is just incredible...extremely crisp and just plain old pure. I will say that Jim Furyk is very underrated as well and a fairly close 2nd imo.

0 .

 

 

I am confused here what is ballstriking if not driving and irons .

 

Maybe the person that asked the question Who is the best ball striker on tour? Needs to define it to me because its my understanding that the ball striking stat is a combination of driving accuracy and GIR's.

 

Which in a nutshell describes JD sure he is boring and he does not win much but he still owns that stat.

 

Like I said, I'm not in the place to set any kind of criteria. What guidlines did people use to determine Hogan was the best? Some feel it's the sound or crispness of the stike and the way the ball rocketed off the clubface, others feel it's accuracy and control and shotmaking. I left it open because it's a such a subjective topic and not something that can be quantified. Everyone can make their own case and back it up with whatever they feel is pertinent.

 

 

A lot of Hogan was pure talent and some of it was like a fishing story. I mean old timers tell storys about him hitting it out of his own divots four days in a row.

 

I personally do not know if he was the best of his time with guys like Nelson Snead Bolt and others possibley

 

but I wonder how he would rate today?

 

The PGA stats regognizes fairways hit and GIR they have other stats to cover best iron player (GIR) Fairways hit and Total driving along with a trillion others.

[mizuno67]

in terms of ballstriking you can't look purely at the us tour stats there are plenty of players on other tours who swing the club as good as joe durant or better At highest level of pressure i.e major champ events this is where the best come to the top in most cases Tiger Jimbo garcia etc are there

[KevCarter]

The thing with the PGA Tour stat is that they combine driving accuracy....if you go by GIR then Tiger is by far the best. Look at all the shots Tiger can hit and the quality of his strikes....By far the best. Everyone on Tour even says that the sound the ball makes when he makes contact is far better than anyone else. And if you have ever watched him on the range, you can tell. The sound is just incredible...extremely crisp and just plain old pure. I will say that Jim Furyk is very underrated as well and a fairly close 2nd imo.

0 .

 

 

I am confused here what is ballstriking if not driving and irons .

 

Maybe the person that asked the question Who is the best ball striker on tour? Needs to define it to me because its my understanding that the ball striking stat is a combination of driving accuracy and GIR's.

 

Which in a nutshell describes JD sure he is boring and he does not win much but he still owns that stat.

 

Like I said, I'm not in the place to set any kind of criteria. What guidlines did people use to determine Hogan was the best? Some feel it's the sound or crispness of the stike and the way the ball rocketed off the clubface, others feel it's accuracy and control and shotmaking. I left it open because it's a such a subjective topic and not something that can be quantified. Everyone can make their own case and back it up with whatever they feel is pertinent.

 

 

A lot of Hogan was pure talent and some of it was like a fishing story. I mean old timers tell storys about him hitting it out of his own divots four days in a row.

 

I personally do not know if he was the best of his time with guys like Nelson Snead Bolt and others possibley

 

but I wonder how he would rate today?

 

The PGA stats regognizes fairways hit and GIR they have other stats to cover best iron player (GIR) Fairways hit and Total driving along with a trillion others.

 

I've read many times that Nicklaus would stop to watch Hogan practice, and Hogan never watched Nicklaus. Don't know if that's true, but another good ol' dawg story!

 

;) :D

 

Kevin

[Calamity Todd]

Boo Weekley and Joe Durant......

[otto6457]

I know Boo Weekley has the most wonderful sounding impact I have ever heard. It is a thing of beauty and his trajectory is just perfect.

 

I could have watched him hit balls all day.

[TracyS]

A lot of Hogan was pure talent and some of it was like a fishing story. I mean old timers tell storys about him hitting it out of his own divots four days in a row.

 

I personally do not know if he was the best of his time with guys like Nelson Snead Bolt and others possibley

 

but I wonder how he would rate today?

 

In 'Putting Out of Your Mind,' Rotella talks about Wild Bill Melhorne. Hogan said he felt Bill was the best ball-striker he'd seen from tee to green. Unfortunately, Bill couldn't putt. He'd hit a green in 2 and play his 4th from a bunker.

 

Sorry, a little off-topic. Back to the subject at hand. Who do you think is currently the best ball-striker and WHY?

[Swingtheclub]

in terms of ballstriking you can't look purely at the us tour stats there are plenty of players on other tours who swing the club as good as joe durant or better At highest level of pressure i.e major champ events this is where the best come to the top in most cases Tiger Jimbo garcia etc are there

 

 

Most of the top European players play enough on the PGA tour to be all over the stats Sergio was number one in Ball striking on one of those stats I listed.

 

Also like Europe only calls it the Open and we call it the British Open

 

Over here when we refer to the Tour we are referring to the US tour when we refer to Europes we call it the European tour. So that is what I thought the person asking the question meant.

 

Now if you ask the question who is the best Pro golfer when it comes to ball striking in the world and we were given the above mentioned GIR's and Fairways hit combo as our guidelines I would stll say Joe Durant

 

Now thats no slight on European players from what I saw of the list at a quick glance Sergio is probably second the last several years all told.

 

[Jim_0068]

Whoever is leading proximity to the hole would be vote, whoever it is.

[yoonie]

tiger plays very few tournaments, and most of them are very difficult courses. His stats are obviously going to be lower if the greens he's trying to hit in regulation are at oakmont, augusta, etc.

 

here are the last few years.

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2007 Durant 14

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2006 Durant 10

0

 

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2005 Durant 2

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2004 Durant 1

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2003 Durant 3

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2002 Durant 18

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2001 Durant 2

 

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?158 2004 Durant 4

 

 

Joe was sixth in 99 13th 98 6th in 97

 

 

Thats as far back as I can find his name not sure when he came on tour.

 

Now this in my opinion is pretty undisputable for the last decade day in and day out the best ball striker on the PGA tour is Joe Durant

 

By no means does this make him the best player thats Tiger Woods

 

I just do not understand how you can look at these stats (ball striking ) and deny this?

[Swingtheclub]

Whoever is leading proximity to the hole would be vote, whoever it is.

 

Again now he may be the best iron player.

 

As for the guy that thinks it should be Tiger he is probably the best GIR guy in the last ten years. But ball striking includes the Driver.

[Shaitan]

lol this is circular

 

I think it is very hard to define what/who you think is the best ball-striker to someone else's opinion as it is just that. I don't read too deeply into stats, as they aren't always clear representations, just facts on paper, and if they aren't put altogether then it gets out of context - where did they play for the majority of these stats for instance.

[ty cheek]

Based on what I see, and still an offering from what the guys on tour say;

 

1. Boo Weekly

2. Fred Couples

[drpino]

isn't Chad Campbell always touted as being one of the best ballstrikers on tour? i also hear Boo Weekley's name often during broadcasts.

[rjw3715]

GARCIA! DARREN CLARKE! two of the best ive seen. Lee westwood is also very good. Poulter must be one of the worst on tour

[ej002]

GARCIA! DARREN CLARKE! two of the best ive seen. Lee westwood is also very good. Poulter must be one of the worst on tour

 

You must be European... LOL. Yeah, Westwood can hit the ball. But I still gotta say the best Euro guy is Jesper. JMO

 

Too all you Boo guys out there, I never seen him play in the flesh but I hear he is awesome. As for Couples, he definately hits the ball SOLID. I remember the first time I saw him hit a ball, he was playing with Watson and Payne; he out drove them both by 30 yards consistently straight, and hit the ball probably twice as high as both of them. I was amazed.

[Parzinski]

Corey Pavin

[Ezgolfer]

Something screwy about those PGA tour stats.

 

Longest drive 414.

You could never imagine the guy who hit it.

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?pa...&select2=13

[TracyS]

Something screwy about those PGA tour stats.

 

Longest drive 414.

You could never imagine the guy who hit it.

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?pa...&select2=13

 

Yokudekimashita!!! Sugoi!!! (Well done! Amazing!)

[BPG24]

Sergio is one of the best all around ball strikers I have ever seen.

 

Aaron Baddely is one of the best strikers of irons I have ever seen.

[Jameson]

I think if Thomas Levet was playing more here in the states he would have his name in here.

 

I can hear on TV his shots just sound soooooo solid.

 

JC

[birdie_man]

Since when does ballstriking include putting juansky??? :D :)

 

BTW I could be wrong but I think Hogan DID watch Nicklaus hit balls.