Greatest male player ever

[tstephen]

Like the greatest courses, the greats of the games could be separated by 2 eras: classic(1st win before 1960) & modern(1st professional win 1960 to present). My pick for the top 10 of the classic era would be Jones, Hogan, Snead, Nelson, Vardon, Hagen, Palmer, Player, Sarazen, Casper in that order. My pick for the modern era Nicklaus, Tiger, Watson, Trevino, Seve, Phil, Norman, Faldo, Floyd, Ernie. I would like to hear what anyone else might change and/or agree regarding their picks.

[turtleback]

[quote name='tstephen' timestamp='1368248666' post='7010648']
Like the greatest courses, the greats of the games could be separated by 2 eras: classic(1st win before 1960) & modern(1st professional win 1960 to present). My pick for the top 10 of the classic era would be Jones, Hogan, Snead, Nelson, Vardon, Hagen, Palmer, Player, Sarazen, Casper in that order. My pick for the modern era Nicklaus, Tiger, Watson, Trevino, Seve, Phil, Norman, Faldo, Floyd, Ernie. I would like to hear what anyone else might change and/or agree regarding their picks.
[/quote]

Seems like a weird way to separate the groups, insofar as you have guys who were clearly rivals., like Nicklaus, Player, Palmer, and Casper, in different eras.

[duffer987]

Richard Zokol
/thread

[ThominOH]

Different ERA's , different players, this is one of them water cooler discussions that does not have a right or wrong answer.. lol There is more to being a great golfer then pure numbers, and even those numbers don't paint a true picture.. I was going to give my 2 picks just for fun, then realized that next week my picks will change.. LOL

[jmvargas]

based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.

[Aggie]

Nicklaus

[ThominOH]

[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..

[jmvargas]

[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

...i suppose someone could always make an argument for this but i would imagine it's still going to be the W's that will count towards any measure of greatness......

IIRC even jack and tiger have acknowledged this..

PS..it could however be used as a tie-breaker..

[rustyputterguy]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1368257033' post='7010844']
Bill Brasky
/thread
[/quote]
Fixed this for you.

[rjp322]

Tiger Woods and it isnt close. Have had this discussion over and over with alot of people and the numbers are not close. The only category Jack leads in is majors won and that is because he has played more of them. Tiger has played against better competition (deeper fields his entire career and his win % is more than double Jacks if I recall correctly.

[iBanesto]

Original topic.

Nicklaus.

[rjp322]

[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

Tiger has more than 22 top 10s in majors. He has 34

[plus8]

Chandler Harper

[Dizz]

[quote name='rjp322' timestamp='1368267951' post='7010990']
Tiger Woods and it isnt close. Have had this discussion over and over with alot of people and the numbers are not close. The only category Jack leads in is majors won and that is because he has played more of them. Tiger has played against better competition (deeper fields his entire career and his win % is more than double Jacks if I recall correctly.
[/quote]

I agree.

[ThominOH]

[quote name='rjp322' timestamp='1368268097' post='7010994']
[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

Tiger has more than 22 top 10s in majors. He has 34
[/quote]You are counting wins in that total.. Maybe I should of said my numbers are those tourneys where the player did NOT win, but still finished in the top 10.. Jack has come close to winning much more then Tiger ever did and will.. Tiger came in second 6 times, compared to Jack doing it 17 times as I recall.. Just saying, in my opinion, winning isn't everything, nor should it be..

[joeshmo]

Andy North

[Snufles]

[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

If you didn't get the trophy, you lost.

[ThominOH]

[quote name='Snufles' timestamp='1368269953' post='7011040']
[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

If you didn't get the trophy, you lost.
[/quote]ahh So getting the FedEx trophy is all that matters? TY for clearing that up.. lol

[Frostfield]

[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368268698' post='7011016']
[quote name='rjp322' timestamp='1368268097' post='7010994']
[quote name='ThominOH' timestamp='1368263868' post='7010928']
[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1368263531' post='7010920']
based purely on their records i would have to choose bobby jones and jack nicklaus....unless tiger breaks jack's records.
[/quote]But shouldn't Jack's 55 top 10's in majors mean something compared to Tiger's 22? Just saying..
[/quote]

Tiger has more than 22 top 10s in majors. He has 34
[/quote]You are counting wins in that total.. Maybe I should of said my numbers are those tourneys where the player did NOT win, but still finished in the top 10.. Jack has come close to winning much more then Tiger ever did and will.. Tiger came in second 6 times, compared to Jack doing it 17 times as I recall.. Just saying, in my opinion, winning isn't everything, nor should it be..
[/quote]

Hey Thom, the guy in the red shirt is still playing....

[puttingmatt]

Greatest male player ever ...................


JACK NICKLAUS !!!!!

That was easy !!!

[rjp322]

Ill post some interesting numbers later tonight when I can for the comparison between the 2. The numbers favor tiger in such a ridiculous fashion that it makes it not close at all. Like I stated the only thing jack has is more majors but tiger has already surpassed him in wins. Tigers margin of victory in majors is far better than jacks in far tougher fields too.

[shankarrific]

Snead.

[mosesgolf]

Until Tiger hits 19, it's Jack. Many say Jack didn't have the competition Tiger did but I say Jack was just ahead of his time. He won 18 majors with one of the crappiest balls of all time(made by Macgregor). Even the USGA guy who test balls in Jack's time said the Macgregor ball would sometimes go 15 yards off line because so many of them were not perfectly round. Imagine what Jack would've done with today's equipment.

http://golfweek.com/news/2009/nov/25/looking-back-macgregors-golf-balls/

Jack won and won and won with inferior equipment.

[rjp322]

But courses also played easier. So many people are stuck on that number of 19 and ignore every other stat and every other one goes toward tiger. You can say jack was ahead of his time but that just isnt the case. Look at his career win %. Off top of my head it is 12. Not really blowing away the competition or being ahead of his time or was he winning and winning. Tiger already passed him in career wins and chances are he will get to 100 pga tour wins. Tigers win % is like 26% against much tougher and deeper fields. If anyone is ahead of their time it is Tiger

[tstephen]

Jack had as many runner-ups in majors as Tiger to just Trevino & Watson. Tiger has no truly great major championship rival. Also they both have 14 majors at the time of their 67th one played. Players Championship 3 to 1 for Jack. 37 top twos and consecutive majors played for Jack.

[Chaztrip]

The problem I think is that people let Tigers past and him not being the most gracious of dudes cloud their judgment. Tiger is the best will always be the best. Let alone for him to come back from some of the injurys and 3 different swings..... He is the Best!!!

[rjp322]

[quote name='tstephen' timestamp='1368279798' post='7011440']
Jack had as many runner-ups in majors as Tiger to just Trevino & Watson. Tiger has no truly great major championship rival. Also they both have 14 majors at the time of their 67th one played. Players Championship 3 to 1 for Jack. 37 top twos and consecutive majors played for Jack.
[/quote]

Just goes to show you how weak the tour was back then and how good it is now. Anyone who tees it up today can potentially win the golf tournament. Definitely was not like that in jacks day. I believe some people are just biased towards jack and ignore tigers. I mean when tiger gets to 19 are people still going to be bringing up 2nd place finishes for jack? I sure hope not. Also look at alot of his 2nd place finishes. He was never in contention to win but just shot a good number on Sunday. Definitely very misleading

[Shrapnac]

Greatest playa ever?

 

It's obvious.

 

 

[tstephen]

How many 80's have there been in the final pairing in the last 15 years in majors. Too many to count. More potentially great players today but the majority of them can't close the deal.

[jmvargas]

until tiger ties or exceeds jack's wins in the professional majors this debate will continue.....

if and when that is done tiger becomes the greatest that ever was...