Best Golfer ever?

[Bmaninmifco]

So the firefighter thread doesn't get Hi jacked

I say the question need asked.
I say Bobby Jones is the greatest ever.
What does everyone else think?

[WhiteShadow]

Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski

[bert]

The Dude was a bowler.

I say Bobby Jones ranks at least 6th on the greatest list. He was one of the most knowledable about the mechanics of golf, but my opinion he didn't play long enough and in enough competitions to be considered the greatest.

[ChrisF4i]

Happy Gilmore

[Nic]

Jack Nicklaus has got to be number 1.

I would say #2 could be any one of these guys... Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, or Sam Snead.

When it's all said and done, Tiger will own #1.

[Bmaninmifco]

I say Jack is number 2
Bobby gets #1 for the simple fact that he walked away after winning his 13th major and he was only 30.

Yeah he didn't play in alot of tournaments but he also played as an amateur and had to pay his own way to all the tournaments including Britain.

I won't consider Tiger top 5 until he learns to control himself until then he'll never play they kind of golf he is capable of.

Any way
Arnie gets 3
Hagen gets 4
Snead gets 5
Hogan gets 6
tiger gets 7

[Robert Kayland]

I think if you're allowed to consider extenuating circumstances, like Jones not playing after 30, then Nicklaus is still #1... look at his record before and after he got married... if he had put off marriage and concentrated fully on his game for another five years or so, his records would be untouchable.

As it stands, his records will only be reached by Tiger... and notice how Tiger's game has slipped a bit since his engagement.

Also, Nicklaus played during a MUCH more competitive time and field. Check out his tremendous amount of 2nd place finishes.

[Bmaninmifco]

Jack
Summary of major championship performances

* Starts - 163
* Wins - 18
* 2nd place finishes - 19
* Top 3 finishes - 46
* Top 5 finishes - 57
* Top 10 finishes - 73
* Longest streak of top-10s in majors - 13
for an 11 winning percentage.
but finished top 10 44.7% of the time
Bobby hit 62% for winning between 1923 and 1930
won his first amateur in 23 started playing in them in 1916 so that will go down some once I do some counting

When Golf Digest asked this in 2000 they said Jack was 1 Snead was 2 Hogan then Jones.
I think Jack's biggest help was he had Arnie to push him the other 3 never had anyone to push them really.

[Robert Kayland]

18 Major wins and 19 second place finishes... but for a stroke or two on any given day, Jack could easily have had 30 majors.

Like I said, once he got married, he got distracted.

[Bmaninmifco]

13 major wins in less than 7 years