Over the last century, golf has emerged as one of the biggest and most widely played sports in the world. The rise of golf, both in America and around the world, has brought fame and riches to many, many men, and today it could be argued that professional golf has never been more popular.
But today’s players owe an awful lot to those who came before them, as some of the greatest golfers of all time paved the way for today’s young stars and brought popularity to the sport. Here are the ten of the greatest and most influential golfers of all time.
10. Byron Nelson
It’s really kind of amazing to think about, but three of the greatest golfers in history (Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson), were all born within seven months of each other in 1912. A native of Waxahachie, Texas, Nelson played professionally between 1935-1946 and won 52 times, including five major championships. He was a two-time winner of both the Masters and the PGA Championship, and only the absence of an Open Championship kept him from completing the career grand slam.
Nicknamed Lord Byron, his legacy has remained intact thanks in large part to the Byron Nelson Championship, played annually in Dallas. Up until his death in 2006, he was present at his namesake tournament virtually every year. The Nelson Championship is far from the most important event on the PGA calendar, but all you need to know about how the man is viewed by today’s professionals is the fact that the vast majority always make it a point to compete out of respect.
9. Tom Watson
When thinking of the greatest golfers of all-time, you’d probably jump immediately to some of the other guys on this list, like (SPOILER ALERT) Tiger, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. One name you probably didn’t immediately think of, but absolutely should have, is Tom Watson. The native of Kansas City was one of the most dominant players in the world in the 1970’s and 1980’s, winning eight majors, including five Open Championships, and coming up just short of the career grand slam, having never finished higher than second in the PGA Championship. What a slacker.
Watson was also aided in his ascendance to the top of the golfing world by a familiar name: Byron Nelson. Nelson took an interest in a young Watson in 1974, and became his mentor. It was under Nelson’s tutelage that Watson’s career took off, winning his first career major within a year of working together.
8. Arnold Palmer
Now, some of you might have expected to find Arnie a little higher on this list, because when you start naming some of the most famous golfers who ever played, after Tiger and Jack, Arnie is likely the next guy you’re going to go to. And rightfully so, as this working-class guy with the ugly swing would ultimately become one of the greatest and most popular golfers of all-time, with Arnie’s Army following him around every course on which he played. Arnie won seven majors, including four Masters titles, but what keeps us from bumping him a little higher on this list is the fact that he never won the PGA Championship, leaving his career grand slam incomplete. But hey, at least he’s got a tasty drink named after him, so he’s got that going for him. Which is nice.
7. Bobby Jones
Now, unlike the other guys on this list, there’s something very unique about Bobby Jones, and that’s the fact that he never turned pro. Jones competed for his entire career as an amateur, and was insanely successful, bringing home four US Opens and three Open Championships in a seven-year span. He was also a five-time US Amateur champion and even won the British Amateur in 1930. And then, at the age of 28, he gave up competitive golf. His influence on golf didn’t stop there, however, as he helped design a little golf course you might have heard of: Augusta National. And upon completion of the club, Jones co-founded the Masters. He came out of retirement to compete in the Masters, but only on an exhibition basis, and played until 1948 before hanging up his clubs once and for all due to his failing health.
6. Sam Snead
Nicknamed Slammin’ Sammy, Sam Snead managed “only” seven majors over his long and illustrious career, but has another pretty impressive record to his name: most career PGA victories, with 82. In between his numerous golfing victories, Snead also served in World War II, presumably clubbing Nazis with a four-iron all across Europe. During his career he won the Masters Tournament three times, the PGA Championship three times, the Open Championship once and finished as the runner-up four times in the U.S. Open.
Snead can also distinguish himself from any other male golfer in history thanks to a little achievement he pulled off in 1962, when he entered a field of 15 players and won the Royal Poinciana Plaza Invitational. What was so special about that particular win? It was an LPGA event, and Snead was the only man in the field, making him the first and only man to ever claim victory in a women’s tournament. We’d like to believe he competed in drag, but sadly photographic evidence suggests this was not the case.
5. Gary Player
This South African golfer nicknamed the Black Knight, due to the fact that he typically wears all black on the course, is arguably the most successful and famous non-American golfer in history, and in his heyday he was a contemporary and rival of both Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The three waged legendary battles on the course, and Player finished his career with nine major victories, including three Masters titles and three Open Championships. He’s also the only non-American to have ever completed the career grand slam, and has racked up 165 victories on six continents over the past six decades. Player has also designed more than 300 courses and written several books, and owns the Gary Player Stud Farm, which sadly does not teach you how to score with the ladies, but is a top thoroughbred race horse farm.
4. Walter Hagen
One of the greatest golfers of the first half of the 20th century, Walter Hagen won 11 major championships over the course of his career, good for third on the all-time list behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. A native New York state resident, Hagen became something of a national hero when he became the first American to ever bring home a British Open Championship, and he would go on to win four Open titles in all. After turning pro at the age of 20,Hagen came up just short of winning a career grand slam, with only a Masters title missing from his resume.
His story is really pretty similar to that of Frances Ouimet, made famous in the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played, in that Hagen was from a working class family and started out as a caddy before making a splash in the professional ranks. At the time, pro golfers weren’t exactly well regarded at the private country clubs, and Hagen himself was refused entry to the clubhouse at the Open Championship of 1920. Hagen was instrumental in helping to end the class division in the world of golf, and he had the good fortune of not being played by Shia LeBeouf in a movie.
3. Ben Hogan
It’s tough to top Walter Hagen for the third spot on our list, but Ben Hogan gets the nod not only because of his incredible talent and success, but because he is often thought of as having the most perfect golf swing in the history of the sport. No one practiced or prepared more than Ben Hogan, and no one spent as much time working on swing mechanics and technique than anyone who came before him; this has led to people often referring to him as the greatest striker of a golf ball in history.
In 1953, Hogan also put together one of the most memorable single years in PGA history, completing what is now referred to as the “Hogan Slam,” which, believe it or not, does not involve Hulkamania. That year Hogan won five of the six tournaments he entered, including three major championships. He ended his career with nine major championships, even overcoming a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus that not only could have killed his career, but the man himself.
2. Tiger Woods
Now we’re going to go ahead and bet you didn’t see this coming. Arguing between Tiger and our number one pick, which shouldn’t be a secret at this point, is kind of like trying to decide whether it would be better to hook up with Kate Upton or Sofia Vergara. Tiger lands at number two, however, for reasons that should be pretty obvious. Had his career trajectory continued on the same path up until that fateful November night when his life fell completely apart, he’d likely be our number one selection. As it stands, it’s hard to fathom he will ever be able to catch Jack Nicklaus for the most majors ever won, which only a few years ago seemed to be a mortal lock. Still, Tiger is truly a once-in-a-generation talent who transcends the game and brings in casual viewers like no one before him.
1. Jack Nicklaus
And now that we’ve gotten Tiger out of the way, we can move on to the man he has been chasing his entire life, Jack Nicklaus. The Golden Bear is, quite simply, the greatest golfer of all-time now that Tiger’s career has been derailed. Nicklaus is second on the all-time wins list, having racked up 73 victories in his career, including a staggering 18 major championships. He’s won the Masters six times, with his first and last victories coming an incredible 23 years apart, and has completed the career grand slam four freaking times.
To put in perspective just how dominant the Golden Bear was over his career, he can legitimately say he “only” won the Open Championship three times, since he hasn’t won any other major fewer than four times. We’re going to go ahead and chalk that up as complete and utter domination, and give the Golden Bear his rightful place as the greatest golfer of all-time.
93 Comments
Greatest of all time, Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus.
Your facts are wrong. Jack is not second on the all time wins list at 73. Tiger woods is second with 79. Check your facts before you use false info in an argument of goat.
Look at the date of this article. Tiger has won 7 times since May 2012 when this article was published.
100% agree on Nicklaus as the greatest of all time. Stiffer competition. 25 years of being the dominant force. The most majors. Tiger was dominant from 2000 to 2009. Nowhere near the class of competition. Nowhere near as many majors.
You said everything I have said for the past years. Why do Woods homers argue these points.
Well after several weeks have passed (actually several months) it seems that some of the hopes that Tiger Woods would win again have fallen to the wayside with the likes of many young golfers coming into the game and winning. Seems more young golfers are grabbing the gold ring week after week. Tiger may have played this past Masters ‘just because’ and not because he could really win it. But that doesn’t matter. He can play any tournament he wants, it’s his right.
I’m falling in with many others here and believing that Tiger Woods may never win another major tournament or at least not before he turns to the senior tour which is a different animal in its self.
Doc like many others may just be passionate about golfers of his time.
But I’m no mind reader, I just believe time has taken its toll on Tiger Woods and he’s a great golfer of ‘the past’. Much like many here referred to the great golfers of the 40’s-1980’s.
We’ll see, the year is young.
Kurt
To help a little more on the Tiger vs. Jack debate, I read recently that in their 1st 50 PGA starts as professionals, Tiger had 28 top 10 finishes and Jack had 34.
I just spend about an hour reading posts here.
It seems like a lot of people get or got real angry and got real far off this posts original intent. The guy Doc seems to not particularly like Tiger as a person but I don’t see anything he has said about Tigers golf not being up there with the very very best. Then it seems some people posting to Doc and others get very critical towards Doc because he voices an opinion regarding his feelings towards the game. So I did some research.
He said something about ethics being the center post or the biggest ingredient in golf according to the PGA pros. I spent a lot of time looking into that online and he is correct.
When asked, ethics is number one on the PGA players list as to what golf is all about.
I know ethics means nothing to a bunch of you folks, it is just winning and losing. Understood.
So whether he or Mike or Steve or ????? is right in the end why can’t we just say for now, Tiger is really really good, is number one in the hearts of many, and may be number on on this blog one day, maybe soon, and leave it at that with all the ‘comments’ left at the curb?
We’re in America, like it or not, and people can have opinions without being put down about them. Any one of you could be verbally chastised for something or another, but over who’s number one in golf, really, that’s the best we have here in the Good old US of A?
I like the guy, Tiger, would be proud to play a round with him but it would never happen. Whether or not Tiger wins any more is up in the air. The field has so much talent and so many new guys coming in to play that it gets harder and harder every year.
But lets be civil and just see?
Great blog, lots of meanness, good opinions, and a great topic.
Well you may be a younger person and never really got to see the ‘old pros’ at work. Back when Jack, Lee, Chi Chi, Arnie and the others were playing professional golf there were only a hand full of them that actually made a living at golf full time from day one to end of career. I think Jacks first paycheck was $33 or something insane like that. Like I sad they didn’t make a living at this game, they played it because they loved it. The money came in their winter years when they were leaving the game and heading into the seniors PGA.
I’m not knocking Tiger, he’s a great golfer but longevity is what it takes for a person to be thought of as number one otherwise one game, one week, one month, one year could be the only factor to consider? That would be wrong.
In the end, if Tiger breaks Jacks record then he’ll be number one and there won’t be any question to it.
But if tiger never beat Jacks record he’ll always be number two at best and even then someone can catch either of them. They aren’t Gods. They are golfers.
If you had the time to research golf and the players from the early days of the PGA up to today, you’d see many amazing things that were done with a simple wooden headed golf club and a rubber band wound ball. You’d be really amazed I do think.
That doesn’t take anything away from today’s technology that makes hitting great shots much much easier. That’s the equipment of today and everyone uses it. But I have to say that if every one played with the equipment from the 50-60-70’s, there would not be the scores turned in that we see from the current list of pros on the PGA.
And if the old timers had the advantage of today’s technological equipment they may have set many many more records than they did.
Just a theory, nothing else.
Lets let history decide who is the best and enjoy our seats on the sidelines.
How can Tiger be #2 when he has the most records in Junior golf, the most records in Amateur golf (without being a lifetime amateur as was Jones), and the most unbreakable records in PGA golf?
Tiger won 14 Majors in 12 years by age 32. Jack won 18 Majors in 25 seasons by age 46. PGA venues were driven to slow Tiger down by Tiger Proofing golf courses. There were never any speed bumps on Jack’s road to 18 Majors.
Why is the sports media waiting for Tiger to catch Jack’s Major wins record when Jack never held any of Tiger’s Junior, Amateur and PGA records and accomplishments. Tiger may catch Jack’s 18, but Jack will obviously never catch any of the many Tiger records. Tiger has the most golfing records in history at all competition levels.
Tiger is the only golfer in history to win 6 Junior World Championships, 3 consecutive US Junior Amateur Championships, followed immediately by 3 consecutive US Amateur Championships (for 6 USGA Amateur Majors in a row). Tiger is also the only pro to win 4 professional Majors in a row and he did that over a 10 month period which is a lot harder (staying hot) than doing it over a 5 month calendar year period. Tiger also won 7 of 11 Majors (1999-02) which is a 63% win rate over 3 years; and he later won 6 of 14 Majors (2005-08) for a 43% win rate. Jack was never able to play this well.
Why is it that Jack, famous for consistency and longevity, could win the most career Majors to-date, but is only 3rd behind a still active Tiger and Sam Snead for most total career wins. If Jack could win the hardest events (Majors) why couldn’t he do as well in the easier non Major tournaments??? Tiger’s the GOAT!
We’ll be hearing about Tiger woods records forever, whether he gets to 18 or not.
Lets calm it down a bit and just let time tell the story, okay?
I don’t believe anyone here hates anyone else, so these are opinions and I really enjoy reading them but not the hidden anger in some of them.
If Tiger wins more than Jack, then Tiger will be without doubt listed as such, if he doesn’t then he won’t.
As they said, they play against the golf courses, not each other so this is really an individual sport, lets let them be individuals.
As for modern day equipment being used by Tiger, I’m lost here. So what? That’s what’s available. You make it sound like Tiger has picked up some cross to bear by using modern technology. He hasn’t. He actually has an advantage by using today’s modern technology, something golfers back in the 40’s-80’s did not have.
I think I saw an interview with Brent Sneedeker (spelling?) after he went out and used the old school wooded headed drivers/woods and old school irons and balls from 40 years ago. His comment was something like “wow I don’t see how they hit the ball like they did back then, I’ll never try this again”.
I think he shot in the low/mid 80’s. You gotta give some creds to those that used ‘old stuff’ and were winners nonetheless.
That may need to be taken into consideration, not for voting purposes, but to understand how much easier technology has made striking the golf ball today.
And even with that said I think the longest on record during a tournament drive is by : Sept. 25, 1974, Mike Austin rocketed a drive 515 yards while competing in the U.S. National Senior Open Championship at Desert Rose, Las Vegas. This guy was a Senior PGA golfer, not a young dude like Jack or Tiger was in their prime, he was 60 something!
So lets enjoy history and history being made?
Kurt
did anyone catch the nonsense in Jeff Kelly’s column about Jack winning the Career Grand Slam 4 times? Jack and Tiger are TIED with 3 CGSs.
Also, Tiger may be only 4 Majors short of Jack, but Tiger’s holds the record for the Lowest Career Scoring Average, the record for the Highest Career Winning %, and the record for the most total Wins at 79 by age 37 and still playing. Sam Snead won 77 PGA tournaments by himself by age 52. Sam mysteriously gets credit for 5 TEAM wins for a false total of 82. Tiger has several team wins with Stricker, Kucher and Duval, but none of Tiger’s team wins are counted. Apples vs Oranges favor Sam.
Also, Tiger holds the most Junior golfing records (6 Junior Worlds including 4 in a row; and 3 USGA US Junior Amateur Championships in a Row; the most Amateur Golf records (only golfer to win 3 USGA US Amateurs in a Row) and the most PGA pro golfing records. Tiger may not catch Jack’s 18 Majors, but Jack never held the many golfing records that Tiger still holds.
Of the top 10 Golfers of all time, Tiger is #1 and still active. He’s the only one using modern equipment. No other golfer using modern equipment is in the top 10. Therefore, saying Tiger had an advantage over Jack because of modern equipment doesn’t hold water.
Also, the quality of Competition argument that Jack had the tougher rivals is nonsenses. All golfers competed against GOLF COURSES, not players. Jack had a better career stroke average than his rivals, and Tiger has the best CSA of all time. Even Jack said many times that he never competed against other players because he competed against golf courses. Golfers and their caddies don’t scout other golfers. They scout and measure out golf courses.
I’m not certain if people are bashing Tiger because of his morality or not. I’m not in their heads. Some people have different attitudes towards different things and that’s okay, we are all different.
I really don’t believe he had any real competition during his first 13 or so years. Maybe 2 to 3 competitors that were good but not his caliber. He was just great back then.
Now, the field is crowded with a dozen or two brilliant players that are all his equal in terms of ‘can they win today’. Tiger created the stir in golf and now nearly 20 years later those that got into the game because of him are now beating him. There may not have been as many ‘great’ player in this sport ever, in the history of the game as there is now and that is due to Tigers great playing in his early years. That is a big reason why him beating Jacks record is not likely in my opinion.
Some people are bashing Tiger for his morality. Now, being a South African, I can tell you Gary Player is definitely not treated as a demigod here. He had come out in full support of the apartheid government and this loomed over his head his entire career. People like Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and Charles Schwartzel are far more popular here. Yet, if it is golfing greatness that is being debated here, we have to get to the point. Gary Player makes every top 5 or 10 top golfers of all time list and probably the highest ranked non American. So if you’re not bashing him up, why bash Tiger?
Well everyone has an opinion and that’s okay. We live and learn with time and our opinions will prove us right or wrong one day. Which is not even important since all these posts are merely opinions.
I will wait for 10 more years and see if Tiger breaks the record. He’ll never do it in my opinion but that too is just an opinion. I’m not certain if anyone will break his record but if they do, it will stand for decades as well. It’s a hard record to break.
Kurt
Sam Snead NEVER won the US Open gets your facts straight. it was the British Open he won in 1946 as far as him # 7 thats a joke Gary Player rated above Sam Snead not in my opinion no way thats a joke Snead and Hogan maybe slighty behind Jack and Tiger
Thank you, John. We have made the correction.
I just read over this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Jack_Nicklaus
This guy was really good! I would have loved to see him and the other old goats play golf. It would have been great tv.
I’m not bashing Tiger but I went and looked at his sheet and it’s not as impressive at all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Tiger_Woods
I pulled them up side by side on two screens and there is a major difference in the two and Nicklaus has a very wide margin of achievements in golf it seems.
I never knew these old guys were so Fkn good! And with the crap they had to play with! Persimmon Drivers? No telling what Jack Nicklaus would have done with today’s technology!
I’m not bashing Tiger, he the modern day golf god it seems for certain. But I’m going to have to change teams here and say if I live another 60 years, I’m not certain Tiger will ever match or beat Nicklaus’ life long achievements. They are amazing and so long ago. Before I was even born!
Wow!
Kurt
Wow, there are more whiny babies on this blog than in a room full of women on the rag. What in the world created such a stir between you dudes?
Tiger is/was a great golfer. No one can dispute that. But no, he most likely will not achieve the number of wins that Nicholas did. And whether or not anyone wants to consider it, the poster above opened my eyes when he noted Nicholas won majors (plural) after age 50. Tiger will be pressed to win any tournament after age 50, except MAYBE a seniors tournament.
I’m not a Tiger basher but if Nicholas did all those things, does anyone here really believe Tiger or for that matter ANYONE match what Nicholas did in terms of wins and wins as a sr. playing in non sr. tournaments. That blew me away when I read it.
Kurt
jack is and will always be number one. period. in both game and character.
I really believe as good as he was, Tiger may never win another major. Too much young raw talent on the scene today. When he started, golf was in a slump and he was the only game in town in reality. There just was not anyone at his level. The golfers were all older for the largest part and on the winding down of their games.
He is a great ball striker but I don’t really see him winning another major, ever. Though it would be great for golf if he did.
Kurt
what year did snead win the U>S> Open?
Mike Sez:
I seriously doubt that he won’t reach 5 more majors and way more additional PGA tour wins in the next 10 years, and hopefully that will silence the doubters.
How many more majors has he won since you posted this? Still 2nd best of all time, and by the way, time is running out.
The ONLY reason this list puts Nicklaus ahead of Tiger is that he has won more majors. In virtually every other category, Tiger wins by a mile. Woods is easily the best golfer who ever lived.
Bondll
keep dreaming. as you can see tiger has completely petered out. loser.
Finally, a top ten list that is NOT made by someone who has no knowledge of sports before 1990. Jack Nicklaus is, and most likely will always be, the greatest golfer of all time.
Bloody hell is that Doc guy for real who the hell does he think he is? what a sanctimonious self important twit.He,s so up himself and by the way I thought this was about golf not Christianity ethics or whatever.Just shut up you twit.
Determining “the greatest” has little meaning in sports, basically because you can’t compare athletes over different eras. Thus ultimately, everyone’s “greatest” list will converge to each individual’s “favorite” list. But if one cares to insist on “the greatest,” I believe the closest measure is to judge on who played the best golf for the longest, thus to a good degree negating the elements of eras and time.
The golfer who most closely meets my criterion is Sam Snead. He “played golf longer, better than anyone else in the history of the game,” said Bob Toski. If in future I should see any golfer threatening to win PGA tournaments as he nears 70 (which Snead did at the Quad Cities Open c. 1979, and I believe that included asking this 67-year-old man to walk the course for 36 holes the final day due to a rainout), then I may have to reevaluate my choice. During that tournament, by the way, he reportedly became the first PGA pro in a tournament to shoot his age (67; then 66).
Great comments regarding ‘great golfers’ since simply playing the sport does not make one great.
I read somewhere, please understand I may have the number or the person wrong, but, I read somewhere that Sam Snead (I believe) had somewhere @ 286 top ten finishes in his lifetime playing golf professionally.
I could be wrong, but if it’s correct or even nearly correct, or if the person I remember reading this about is someone else, then that person was indeed a ‘great golfer’. I understand this may be rebuked by others and expect that. I’m only posting what I remember reading to the best of my recall. I’m old. Sorry for that.
TOP 10 GOLFERS OF ALL TIME AS OF JULY 22 2013:
1. BOBBY JONES – Won 13 of 20 majors entered; he was an amateur so we must count amateur titles which meant so much more years ago when pro golf didn’t pay much. He is officially credited with 7 majors, and he only played 7 years, quitting golf at age 28! He decided to win the grand slam in 1930, and he did! He also won 50% of all the tournaments he entered! All this while earning a law degree at Harvard!
2. BEN HOGAN – Won 9 majors. But in 1942 the Hale American Open took the place of the U.S. Open due to the war. He also served almost 3 years in the Army during his peak years. In 1953, after his fatal car accident which almost killed him, Hogan won The Masters, The U.S.Open and the British Open; the only reason he didn’t win the PGA, was there were no planes to get him back in time.
3. Jack Nicklaus – 18 Majors, 19 second place finishes. All this while never being away from his family for more than 2 weeks at a time. Nicklaus is also said to have the toughest competition playing during his reign.
4. Tiger Woods – 14 Majors, and will most likely break the all time wins record for the PGA. Most likely will not break Nicklaus’ 18 majors. If so, Woods moves to 3rd or possibly 2nd.
5. Gary Player – 9 Majors, massive international record. etc…
6. Arnold Palmer 7 Majors and credited for changing the game of golf with his identification with the average fan.
7. Phil Mickelson, 5 Majors, over 40 PGA wins, all this while battling arthritis and maintaining a full family life.
8. Sam Snead 7 Majors
9. Gene Sarazen 7 Majors
10 Lee Trevino 6 Majors. Trevino beats out Seve Ballesteros and the rest of the modern day golfers because of the way he won, who he beat and his incredible ball striking. Trevino would beat Jack Nicklaus in Majors, win his first PGA tournament with the U.S. Open, all this while fighting to make ends meet. Not even a Sponsor before his first Open qualification. I almost had Trevino at 6.
Back on March 10th, Mike, who says Tiger is the best golfer ever, without having the credentials yet, said ” I seriously doubt that he won’t reach 5 more majors”. Tiger is now 0 for 22 in his last 22 majors. Sounds like another wanna-be to the throne, to me. Jack’s 18 is the mark to beat if you want to be called ‘The Best’ IMHO.
This is as solid a list as I have seen.
I have seen others that don’t have Hagen in the top 10 (crazy), others have Watson way too high ahead of someone like Player (that’s unacceptable), some have Woods #1 (Nicklaus not only has 18 majors, he had 19 second place finishes). The only omission in your list from mine is Gene Sarazen over Byron Nelson. Sarazen won all 4 majors (only 5 golfers have ever done that) and has 2 more majors than Nelson overall.
Great job overall.
I googled “greatest golfers of all time” and read MANY lists – this is by far my favorite!
And we didn’t pay you to say that either. Thank you.
I’m sticking with the USGA and the R&A when Tiger illegally moved his ball a month or so back.
They stated that “… the foundation of professional golf is ethics ……..”
Can’t be clearer to anyone.
Ethics is the foundation of golf and a persons professional and personal ethics is what a professional golfer is gauged by.
Tiger is my idol, and jack is a fat wanker
and you are a racist pig.
I know you are going to shake your head when you read this post and it is not meant as anything except a response.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to ‘accept’ unless it is that this silly non-consequential blogging conflict is over. And that’s the most important thing. We each have our views and should be respected for them. I respect yours even being different from mine in some areas.
I have by the way studied for 10 years the biblical texts. Starting with the oldest Aramaic writings, Hebrew Word, and finally the christian new testament. I’m also a minister, non-denominational. There are no statements in these texts regarding God’s or Jesus’ liking or loving any one man made religion here on earth (including Christian) and Gods chosen people are the Jews. Please remember I said Gods or Jesus’ statements regarding man made religion.
So to be a christian is not important, it’s a man made term. I simply believe in one true ‘God’ and his son, Jesus, is my savior. I need nothing else to believe in. These two will do me fine I am sure.
I again don’t judge others, you seem to think I do. Their actions I may consider good or bad but that’s allowed since we are human and we learn the difference between ‘good and bad’ from others words and actions.
It’s kinda like the shepherd Amos was told by God, Hebrew Word, later called the Old Testament:
(and I quote)
Consider anew God’s Word as proclaimed by a sheepherder turned prophet named Amos:
“I hate all your show and pretense – the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”
If this does anything, it shows Gods distancing Himself from man made religions and tells us what He really wants. A just and righteous world. Nothing else.
I wish you the best, apologize again for any misstatements I may have posted or that hurt anyone but hold true to my feelings of ethics and morals in every walk of life.
Again
God Bless ‘y’all
attaboy, good for you to accept it. Since you seem like you’re sincere in your faith, the next step is to pick up your bible and find out what it truly means to be a Christian – especially in the areas of compassion, forgiveness, and restraint from judgement of others. When you live your faith in your words and actions then making comments like “bless ya all” will mean more to those you say them to.
As long as the dispute is over, I’m happy.
Bless ya all.
It’s alright if you can’t handle being called out for your bigotry, Doc. Hopefully someday you’ll come to grips with it. All your silly attempts at those hypocritical smoke and mirror responses just exposes you for who you really are. You have every right to be that way, of course, as I have every right to call you out as being a self righteous bigot.
I just went back and read my post. What might you mean by your first sentence? Confused it seems? I’m lost to understand your wavering and wandering around from non-point to non-point.
You just can’t stay on target can you? Ethics as a Man is at question. That’s what my basic concern is and always has been. You have seemed to feel that ethics as a man is not part of being the greatest professional golfer of all times and we disagree. I really don’t believe Tiger has ever broken any ethics as a golfer, purely as a golfer. Can you direct me to where I may have led you to believe his game playing ethics were an issue? Again, seems your ability to stay on target is weak.
You say I:
“continue to make generalized comments over hearsay information”
Then you say
“There are articles and blog posts that say Phil Michelson is the most hated by all the pros once you get into the locker room”
No I do not, yet yes you just did. Again I’m lost as to where you muster up these comments?
You can’t keep on a topic without fumbling and or stepping on your own toes it seems.
Again, I never judged a person in my life. Their actions, yes. When something is wrong, it’s simply wrong. That’s how our society is built. We have right and wrong. Black and white.
Never challenged your economic status. Read it again? Made it clear I was not making any statements about ‘anyone’ just citing stats as they apply to our society. I’m an independent by the way, leaning left in many areas, yet an independent. Have no connection with the radical right or the Tea Party as you stated I had. You do seem to be a radical right thinker in many things you have written. Which is fine if that’s who you are.
Well I’d guess I am educated beyond your level but that should not matter in basic blogging, should it? We are expressing opinions aren’t we?
My faith is my faith, not yours. So you have to run your life as you see fit and I have to do the same. So does Tiger. And if he doesn’t straighten up, and act like a dad and a man, his kids will suffer for it more than he will. Assuming someone does have fallout from his antics.
You seem desperate in your comments at times, and yes uneducated in how you put things together from what you read. I hope you are not having a rough time, bad week, or ???? You seem greatly irritated in others having an opinion of their own when it does not parallel yours.
I really have never seen a person sink their teeth into a professional athlete in such a lopsided protective manner before. Like him, yeah, go to the wall for him, don’t think this is usual or normal for any level headed person.
I for one hope he gets his life in order and becomes the dad he had (assuming that was a good role model) and that his kids don’t end up like so many of the others that come from homes without strong guidance from both parents. We see them in the news daily.
No matter how good she is or may be, the kids need a dad and that can’t be argued.
We done yet? Or are you reloaded again ready to shoot from the hip again?
And the back peddling continues…
What’s sad is that you can’t even go back and read your own comments you made. While we’re at it, you never did tell us what “ethics” Tiger broke in regards to golfing. He’s never cheated, he’s always been respectful of the sport and the the fathers of it, and he has spent millions on his charity in the process. Again, you continue to make generalized comments over hearsay information. There are articles and blog posts that say Phil Michelson is the most hated by all the pros once you get into the locker room, but most reasonable adults know enough to realize it’s hearsay and have no right to judge. You, on the other hand, seem to have no problem judging people without actually knowing them or the circumstances behind events in their life. You then, with no leg to stand on, question my economic status and my use of the English language, and go on to make a lame attempt at a psychiatric diagnosis (obviously, you haven’t actually taken Psych in college like many of us have). There’s nothing respectful in your comments from the very beginning or representing of any sort of Christian values that I can see, yet you try to use your faith as a way to justify your comments.
You’re not fooling anyone, you’re just a self righteous bigot.
Nothing you have stated supports any previous statements. I was called a douche first. So, go back and read more than what you want to read. It’s all in black and white. Ethics is indeed a questionable area regarding Tigers personality. If you do not believe this then you are why athletes get away with so much in today’s society. But the subsequent statements you made were all over the chart, and none of them have any support. Go back and read the ‘EXACT WORDS I SAID’ and this time don’t interpret or extrapolate anything from what I stated. That has been your problem since post one. I say purple, you say I’m referencing plums. You have to stay on target and only involve yourself with the written word and not start making up things in your mind.
Why Mike called me a ‘douche’ is for Mike to explain to himself. He owes me no explanation. Why I said what I did to Mike was merely a return of insult for insult. Nothing else. It was an attempt to have Mike see/feel what it’s like to be called, or in this case have someone you care about called, something disrespectful. It’s how you get people to think about what they say, turn the tables. Mike, no disrespect was meant to your mom. I wish I had my parents still around so my apology if it came across indifferent. It was merely a response to a poorly chosen statement by you, Mike. Quite frankly a human being cannot be a douche. It’s impossible in terms of physics. It’s a colloquial expression at best used by poorly educated persons in most cases. I’m not saying Mike is poorly educated, so don’t go jumping on another left field rant. I just felt the best way for you to understand the mistake was to turn it around back to you Mike. You mother is no doubt a wonderful woman/mom and I meant no disrespect.
I am incorrect with my comment on the credit card and toys, it was indeed stated by myself and for that I retract my comment earlier that it was not stated. My bad?
Other than that, I’m good. Tiger is unethical and it’s not disputed in the golf world of professionals, believe me with respect to this statement, they fear his game, but feel great disrespect for him as a person. And no they are not all better than Tiger, but for the most part they have much more in ethics and probably less in the actual game than he does.
Now can this go to bed for good? Mike/Mike?
Can I get a “Hell Yeah!”
Start with your post at #11 from the top. everything I have mentioned was from your posts, not assumptions. you were the one who took this thread off topic of golfing ability by bringing up Tiger’s “ethics”. Then you got into it with the other “MIKE” and called his mother a douche. You forgot all of that? I wasn’t twisting your words, just quoting and paraphrasing them. And when faces with a mirror, you resort to silly, junior high style responses.
I feel bad for your kids, you must be an embarrassment to them…
I agree, you do sound sanctimonious in your posts. But this really has to stop, no kidding.
A simple post regarding golfers should never get to this point, meaning way off topic.
I don’t believe I have called him a kid with a credit card, can you direct me to my post? Really? Or did you make this up?
Well if you don’t believe that excessive wealth sprouts excess in life and life choices then you must be very poor and or have never seen wealth misused. I am not saying you are poor I’m just saying if you are not then you must not have ever seen the misuse of wealth in our society.
Keep it real, okay?
Never questioned ‘manhood’. Where are you? Really, are you working from the same posts as I am? Can you show me my post stating such or did you make this up too?
Never made excuses for any golfer. Are you well? This sounds like ranting to me.
Quite frankly I am a believer of an entity greater than us all, my creator, God the Father and His son Jesus is my savior. Are you on drugs, should you be?
Where did you get any support for your comment regarding religion? Really show me, please. I may have a correction and an apology to post.
You really are all over the place in your responses and claims, no kidding. It’s scary.
I’ve been divorced twice and the court decided I was the best parent for my children, so even though I raised them by myself, I did a very good job if what they have become is any indication. I must have been a successful single parent. They deserve the greatest share of the praise since they had to do the hard work, college, law school, IT Admin, LRN. They will be able to fend for themselves long after I’m gone.
And no, you do not use the English language with any authority. I am not sanctimonious and have never been, and, there is nothing in my posts that indicate. You need to think before posting through emotions.
In your posts there seems to be a great deal of anger, frustration, even a bit of depression if I’m not reading these responses incorrectly. Something is wrong on your end. Maybe just a bad day?
Be happy, enjoy life, forgive and forget, it’s only a brief blink of an eye that we are privileged to exist here on earth and then we move on to be judged.
For what it’s worth, I apologize for anything I may have stated that was taken incorrectly by you and caused this abrasive bit of ping pong blogging.
I’m going to leave it at that and with my points made without any response with legs to support your claims, will not respond to you directly. This may lower the rage and or anger you seem to have for me. This is best for the other posters and this blog in general. I’d appreciate the two of us not getting into another dispute over ‘opinions’ so please don’t respond to my posts and I’ll do the same to yours. Maybe we can just co-exist? And be happy?
“Sanctimonious: Making a show of being morally superior to other people.”
Maybe you should look in the mirror, Doc.
You have no personal knowledge of Tiger and how he is as a father or as a person in general. You judge him on his fathering ability and claim that he has no morals, ethics, or personal values based solely on media stories and hype. You call him a kid with a credit card that can buy any toy he wants, and make a quote from the bible regarding the evils of wealth. You question his manhood and make assumptions that his dead father is embarrassed by him. you make generalities that no one can be a good father if they aren’t with their kids all the time, yet make excuses for all the other pro golfers as if all of their kids are home schooled and on site all week at every tournament… which they are not, by the way.
And you do all of this out of context by trying to impose your anti-christian values into a conversation about sporting ability where it doesn’t belong. Your blind intolerance is exactly what makes you “a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices”… a.k.a., a bigot. I’m just curious if you feel this way about all divorced parents, or just the ones who happen to be rich, black, golf pros. We can only hope you do not pass your bigotry on to your children.
And, by the way, I’m fully aware of the definitions of the words I use and chose them appropriately, so thank you for illustrating my point.
Well it’s odd that a simple post becomes ‘sanctimonious’? Seems odd to me since these posts are merely opinions. As are yours.
Most PGA pros have their families with them on many many tournaments. Have you not see the wives and children out on the course giving their husbands a hug and a kiss after winning a tournament? I’d believe there are many more wives and children onsite than just the winner, since no one knows who’s going to win when the tournament starts.
Never referred to anyone as a poor parent for being away on a job. Guess you had to extrapolate that to make a point?
My statements, as you clearly show you have missed, is the actions of a person making them a better or less of a parent for their kids, nothing else.
And I stand behind my statement that the whole of a golfer (his entire life’s activity) makes up the professional, just like in any sport.
Remember, I never said he was not one of, or maybe one day, known as the greatest scorer in golf’s history, he may just be that. So on mere talent, there is no discussion that a sensible person could pose. I merely note more than ones athletic ability as being the make up of a man. It should have been clear, but I may have stumbled in my explanation, so I’ll assume that and leave it as being clear, now.
Now for my original question back to you regarding why you use the term bigot. Merriam Webster says:
: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance
So, although you most likely meant well, your lack of knowledge of the term bigot or being bigoted was lacking. I’m neither obstinate or intolerantly devoted to anything in life, and have no prejudices. Judging a person is not within my set of skills. Judging an action is. If a mother beats her child in a grocery store, I judge that as being the wrong thing to do. Yet I do not judge the mother since I have no idea as to her mental or physical or financial situation.
All is equal, all is good, all should be fair, and I have no disdain for any ‘group’.
Try doing some research in the words you use next time so the back and forth has more substance regarding the issue at hand and less about poking someone in the eye with an opinion stick?
I forgot one thing, where is the term Bigotry aimed at? What did I state that was of such nature?
This will be really interesting to understand how you think after you read a post.
Or were you reading a comment from someone else?
Doc
because, Doc, you are aiming your sanctimonious attitude at a person you know next to nothing about, judging his fathering abilities when you’ve never experienced him with his children, and superimposing your own personal bias to a subject that has nothing to do with your issues with him. Millions of people have had troubled marriages and gotten divorces. If they were unfaithful, that’s between themselves. It doesn’t make them bad parents, and it certainly doesn’t make them bad in everything else they do. Also, ALL professional golfers spend weeks away from home, often over seas, which means ALL professional golfers are poor parents based on your criteria. Being great at a sport is only measured by one’s ability to play that sport. If you want to argue whether one golfer was better at the sport than another is one thing, but interjecting your hypocritical righteousness into something that has nothing to do with your maligned morality is what makes you look like a bigot.
Well I have to disagree. The title of this post is ‘Top 10 Greatest Golfers of All Time’. Being a Great Golfer, as with any athlete, is composed of a persons total being. We see this in all the professional sports. Great at the game, bad at life. It’s human nature it seems for many athletes to win at one and lose at the other.
Maybe you are on a different blog? You can’t be an integral part of your children’s lives if you are not there, all the time as their father, and he isn’t, plain and simple. Now this is not being said without the possibility that she was a tyrant, anything is possible. I just go on the known facts, not my opinion. He is a very good athlete, superb golfer, and may win more tournaments (possibly already the biggest money winner ever) but being a father is a part of a Man’s life when he fathers children; and being a great father is part of being a great man, and being great at all of this, including golf is the total sum of a Man, not just his golf scores. Same with any professional sport.
My bringing up Hitler is simply a comparison between what people say vs what people mean. He was never compared to Tiger. You should re-read my post I guess. You actually mean to say Tiger is the best at playing the game of golf in the country, possibly the best ever. My comment is about being the best Golfer, which again takes in all aspects of a Man’s make up. And this is my opinion and that’s all. Same as yours.
Many people post here based merely on scores. And, quite frankly there have been many ‘golfers’ that are/have been better at being a Great Golfer (the all around Man) like Seve. He’d make not only a better person to emulate, but a better father (even for Tigers children), husband and a much better ambassador for being a Great Golfer considering his whole as a person.
Now remember, these posts are simply different opinions, and, here in the good old USA, we all have our right to hold our own opinions without being chastised by others, don’t you agree?
Doc
Well Doc, based on your flawed logic, I guess Babe Ruth doesn’t belong in the hall of fame, nor Wilt Chamberlain or Magic Johnson as they all had major flaws in their character.
Well lets end this confusion, okay?
Who would you really want for a dad?
Can’t be a ‘great’ golfer if you’re not a great parent.
You can be a winning golfer, maybe the winning-est golfer.
But the best entails lots of a persons total being.
Hitler was great at killing according to history, but was he really a ‘great’ leader?
Doc
it’s your own confusion, Doc. You’re the one comparing Tiger to hitler. You’re making ridiculous assumptions that Tiger isn’t an integral part of his kids life and an incredibly positive influence on his own as well as thousands of other kids throughout the world, and you’re the one who is immorally passing judgement on someone you’ve never met or personally know anything about. This article is about golfing ability, and who has proven to have played the best throughout their career.
the Bigotry in here is staggering…
Although your father logic makes no sense….Hitler was not a great leader meaning ‘good.’ But look at how powerful he became, look how many nations he took over. He was great (powerful)…in the most evil, atrocious way.
And in the end he was a failure based on all known/posted summaries of his life.
That’s not a ‘great’ anything in reality, but people thought he was a great leader at the time, the german people that is.
And the ‘father logic’ as you call it, it’s right on. Anyone in the field of psychology will tell you so.
Like the old expression “the whole is only as good/great as the sum of the parts”.
You may want to re-visit some of your comments about Tiger vs. Jack since Tiger appears to have awaken from his 3 year “hibernation”. Who’s #2 on the alltime win list now? And is it really all that hard to imagine Tiger winning 4 majors over the next several years? Really?
I’m with you on this one. At 37, Tiger has more total wins than Jack and needs only 7 to beat Snead. He has the most Vardon Trophies (8) of any other golfer by a 3-trophy margin and the most Byron Nelson Awards (9) by a 4-award margin. Now, the Byron Nelson Awards didn’t start until Jack was near the end of his career, but Snead (with arguably an easier field of golfers) earned half the amount of Vardon trophies that Tiger has won and Jack earned NO Vardon trophies during his career… at all.
Now, I absolutely love Jack, but the stats are the stats. All Tiger needs is 5 more majors to pass Jack’s 18 and two more additional wins for the total Snead record to be a moot point. But the reality, based on the statistics, is that Tiger has consistently played better year to year than any other golfer in history to this point. Considering that Jack won his last major when he was 46 years old, by that metric Tiger has 9 or so good years to get 5 more majors and 2 other wins. I would also argue that the WGC events should be held in just as high regard as majors because of the field of players that participate. Since they were introduced in 1999, tiger has won 17 of them. The closest player to win multiple WGC titles is Geoff Ogilvy with 3.
There have been hundreds of sports personalities that have had personal problems in their lives. Mickey Mantle comes to mind as being a drunk and womanizer, yet he was loved by all because he was an unbelievable player and inspired everyone with his greatness. Ali was an egomaniac, but great. Pete Rose gambled, but was great. Michael Phelps smoked pot, yet still managed to become the greatest Olympian of all time (couldn’t resist that one :^p ) You might not like Tiger’s past personal life indiscretions, but you can’t deny that he is without a doubt, based on the actual statistics, the greatest golfer ever to this point. I seriously doubt that he won’t reach 5 more majors and way more additional PGA tour wins in the next 10 years, and hopefully that will silence the doubters.
I agree 100%
Well, when and IF he wins 5 more majors, I’ll call him the best golfer ever, but until then, he’s 2nd best, with a CHANCE to become the best.
Winning tourneys is a good measurement of ability, but it also is dependent on the competition. Snead’s total is tainted not only from his 5 team wins and 1 tie being added to his total, but also over the wins that came during WW2 when the competition was thinned by the war effort. And as I said with Jack, he never won a Vardon trophy, which means he never had a consistently low scoring average even for one season during his career. He was a great closer, but not a consistently great golfer when you look at the statistics.
Tiger has the lowest PGA career scoring average as well as the most Vardon trophies, which measures how consistently well he plays over all despite tournament wins. It’s a superior measurement of his ability and the statistics prove that NO ONE has played as consistently well as Tiger. And that’s the problem with this article and most people’s opinions – they don’t rely on the math as the true measurement of ability. The point is, you can romanticize about wins – even majors – but you can’t deny the numbers.
Like it or not, Tiger is already the greatest golfer who ever played the game. not opinion, just fact.
No, Winning majors is the criteria for measuring golf greatness. That’s a fact. All’s Jack did is beat the best golfers he played against when it counted. THAT’S how greatness is measured. Fact, not opinion.
Jack played 163 majors during his career and won 18. that’s a win percentage of 11%. Tiger has played in 66 majors so far and won 14. that’s a win percentage of 21%. So far, Tiger has beat the best golfers “when it counted” twice as much as Jack. If your criteria of wining majors is the measure of greatness, then Tiger has twice as good of a winning percentage as Jack. Once again, that’s the facts, by your standard.
And, before you find some other criteria, here’s a couple more major stats:
top 10 finishes in majors: Jack – 44%, Tiger – 54%
missed cuts in majors: Jack – 24%, Tiger – 6%
Jack and Tiger are the only two to have won 3 career major grand slams, but Tiger is the only one of the two to have completed one of his grand slams in a single season. another perspective is that Tiger won 14 majors including 3 grand slams by age 32. In contrast, by the time Jack reached 32 he had won 11 majors and 2 grand slams.
Again, by your measurement, Tiger is a better player.
Ah, by my criteria, Jack wins, 18-15. Best all time until someone wins more majors. That’s the indisputable fact.
wow… tea party logic isn’t only limited to politics…
Mike. comparing Nicklaus with 163 majors, once again, when more than 60 where when he was older 50, and as you must know, no one has won a major over 50. Here is a TRUE comparison. And really from 1962 to 1986, 25 years, 100 majors, 18 wins, 19 seconds. No one will touch this record.
Jack (1962 – 1977) 16 years 64 majors
14 wins
3 MC
49 top tens
Tiger (1997-2012) 16 years 64 majors
14 wins
3 MC
36 top tens
Jack did not win the vardon trophy because in those days you had to play a total of 80 rounds, or 20 tournaments, and Jack did not play 20 tournaments per year. Now it is a 60 round minimum. Consistent? 71.98 soring average in agusta in 164 rounds. Half of those rounds well past his competitive era. Consistent?From 1960 to 1981, out of 82 majors, he had 62 top tens, including 17 wins. No. 18 came in 1986. Consistent? 17 straight seasons with multiple wins (1962-1978) Palmer also, but not with multiple wins. Check the facts before making an opinion. Besides tiger has no one who challenges him. Yes he is the best of his generation, but there is no No.2. nicklaus had Palmer, Player, Watson, Ballesteros, plus the one hit wonders that won one major and vanished. Tiger only deals with one hit wonders like dimarco, may, garcia. No one has had the level required to be a great player for so long as Jack Nicklaus. This is a Fact. Will tiger win 19 majors? I dont think so, and surely hope not.
Yeah, he’s really outta his slump.
WTF? He is? We watching the same Tiger Woods?
Kurt
Im not a Tiger lover for his sins, but call it the way it is, Tiger has made the competition the way it is today, Jack Nicklaus wouldn’t have won as much as he did , if he was playing the competition, in my opinion, from 90’s. Jack is great no doubt. I still believe if Tiger gets his head on straight, he can win again. The completion is tough. most all of tem are buffing up like Tiger ,look at Rory. Tiger is responsible for the prize money the way it is today. More people watch golf when Tiger plays than when he doesn’t ask TV stations. There may be a little bit of a Black problem here also. I believe I am telling the way it is. Tigers the Greatest,in my opinion
This list is ludicrous, putting Bobby Jones anywhere but number 1, is for the lack of a better word, dumb. And to put him 7, quit watching, thinking about, talking about, dreaming about golf. The guy quit after winning 4 straight majors because he was pursuing other things and his health. He played part time, and won everything and absolutely destroyed walter hagen! So please take this list down as it is a disrespect to anyone who knows anything about the game of golf.
Typically Americanised, what about Seve Ballesteros?
Detail how he was better if he was.
Tiger doesn’t belong on this site.
Great players have great morals, ethics, personal values.
Tiger has none.
He’s just a kid that can hit the ball without class.
Doc
ethics has nothing do it
Ethics is what golf was and is still based on. They are the “gentlemen” of sports. Great class, great honesty, great men. Tiger is still a little boy with a credit card that can buy him any toy he wants.
As the good book says
It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it will be for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
He’s on the long road, with his actions. His dad has to be absolutely embarrassed looking down at his son.
Doc
Doesn’t mean he wasn’t bloody amazing at golf though.
Don’t idolise your sportspeople. Just enjoy watching them play.
Didn’t read my comment it looks like.
I said he had no ethics. Never criticized his golf game, just his morality, ethics and how so embarrassed his dad and mom must be when looking at their son these days.
Doc
Doc’s a douche! haha whatever dude don’t act like Tiger isn’t the only person on this list who cheated on his wife at one point…golfers are just people too, although apparently they aren’t as perfect as you doucher
Mikes mother never talked to me like that. I’m so sad? She was a douche too though.
Winning is winning. Although it was immoral to cheat like he did, his golfing abilities are not based on his morals, values, and ethics. You might not like him as a person but is the best golfer, period. And people hound on Tiger like no one else in this world is guilty of infidelity. As we all know affairs are quite common. Just because he is a superstar athlete doesn’t mean he is any worse than any average person who cheats. And besides, many other athletes have committed far greater egregious acts.
don’t know about other but Tiger woods is the best…
what about Harry Vardin?
Ben Hogan, flogging the ladies!? I never knew! Absoluely amazing.-
Oh yeah? What about John Daly?
Babe Didrickson being mentioned is so foolish. A tremendous athlete? Yes. One of the greatest women athletes of all time. But one of ten greatest folders? Nonsense. There were handfuls of female folders in that age, and it was hardly a wide spread sport. So who was she playing? No one. She deserves so many accolades, but these claims are silly.
Let’s set the record straight here about Babe Didrickson (Zaharias). She is number 10 on the all time LPGA win list. She played against Patty Berg (number 4) and Louise Suggs (number 5). Therefore she had some stiff competition. I agree the competition was not as much as today, but still impressive. Also her career was cut short by cancer. Fair or not, her impact on golf was much greater than any other female of her generation. I still say she deserves at least an “honorable mention” on this list.
I agree with SeanP, Babe Didrickson (Zaharias), deserves to be on this list somewhere. IMHO Babe Didrickson (Zaharias) is the greatest female athlete of the first half of the 20th Century. The only problem is which one of the 10 men that you listed would you leave out? I have no idea.
Kim Jong-Il has to be #1!
“In 1994, Pyongyang media reported that Kim Jong-il shot an amazing 11 holes-in-one to achieve an unprecedented 38-under-par game on a regulation 18-hole golf course – on his first try at golf.
Reports say each of his 17 bodyguards verified the record-breaking feat.”
(copy & paste from Heraldsun)
I had forgotten all about that. Wow! What an incredible loss to the golfing world when he finally kicked the bucket 😉
I note that the title is not “Top 10 Greatest Male Golfers of All Time”. With that in mind, I can’t believe that Babe Didrikson doesn’t appear on this list.
Did not have too. She could not beat any of them……………
“Top 10 Greatest Golfers of All Time”
I’m astonished. I don’t see Gene Sarazen. While I see Walter Hagen who against Gene always lost. Gene Sarazen is one of the few who won all the majors.