Greatest Links Golfer Ever

[Adrian_Stiff]

What if  Jack used hickories? What if Young Tom had the benifit of pro V1s? its an impossible arguement really the best you can do is confine golfers to era's and go by results. JN beats TW IMO for the modern crown.

[Anthony Butler]

The Greatest Links Golfer Ever

Not an easy one, I have gone through all the names including old Willie Parks, Old Tom, Young Tom, Peter Thompson, Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson plus a few more.

For the purposes of today's activities, it is more important to note that Watson is the best links player in the field today.  The worse the weather gets, the better I like his chances. I still think Sergio will be a factor at some point. In some ways, his game is the closest to Watson's in the field. He hits almost every shot on the button. His putting is also suspect like our leader.
arb:

[Bill_McBride]

The Greatest Links Golfer Ever

Not an easy one, I have gone through all the names including old Willie Parks, Old Tom, Young Tom, Peter Thompson, Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson plus a few more.

For the purposes of today's activities, it is more important to note that Watson is the best links player in the field today.  The worse the weather gets, the better I like his chances. I still think Sergio will be a factor at some point. In some ways, his game is the closest to Watson's in the field. He hits almost every shot on the button. His putting is also suspect like our leader.
arb:

I think it was Peter Allis who made a good response to this question today, he's the best of this era! 

Since he's 59, there must not be many great links players out there today.  He has certainly done a great job of managing his way around Turnberry, just a handful of mistakes and a lot of really good course management.

[Jim Nugent]

I still think Sergio will be a factor at some point. In some ways, his game is the closest to Watson's in the field. He hits almost every shot on the button. His putting is also suspect like our leader.

Sergio's mental/emotional side is far behind Watson's.  If Garcia can get stronger there, he probably wins a lot. 

Until then, I can't see him in the same sentence with Tom. 
 

[Bill_McBride]

I still think Sergio will be a factor at some point. In some ways, his game is the closest to Watson's in the field. He hits almost every shot on the button. His putting is also suspect like our leader.

Sergio's mental/emotional side is far behind Watson's.  If Garcia can get stronger there, he probably wins a lot. 

Until then, I can't see him in the same sentence with Tom. 

Interesting, that looks like my quote above but it's actually somebody else.  Good thing, I don't think Sergio has a prayer.

[Jim Nugent]

Sorry, Bill, for attributing that quote to you.  Careless reading on my part. 

[Bill_McBride]

Sorry, Bill, for attributing that quote to you.  Careless reading on my part. 

No problem, it's something to do with how the new software doesn't separate quotes in that typeface.

[RSLivingston_III]

Allen Robertson.

[Bill_McBride]

The Greatest Links Golfer Ever

Not an easy one, I have gone through all the names including old Willie Parks, Old Tom, Young Tom, Peter Thompson, Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson plus a few more.

I nominate the late James Hunter Morrow, my father as the Greatest Links Golfer Ever for teaching me the magic of Links Golf.

No offense, Melvyn, but how many Open championships did he win? 

If patience is one of the necessary virtues in links golf, Tom Watson has certainly showed it in this Open.  His turnaround (along with the wind) on Friday was the key to his potential victory in this event.  Five bogies in six holes, then getting back to level par on the day over the final 10 holes - that was the stuff of legend.

[Warwick Loton]

One reason Thomson was so good on the links was that he grew up playing a public course in Melbourne called Royal Park. Melbourne has hot, dry summers, and Royal Park became as hard as concrete each summer. To play there he had to learn the ground game, and totally mastered judging how the ball would bounce on hard fairways and greens. He also had the technique to hit low boring shots through the wind.

On hard, dry summer links, with the wind blowing, Thomson would have taken some beating.

Nobody's yet mentioned Bobby Locke, who was Thomson's great rival. He was also a masterful ground player - perhaps he grew up with courses that played somewhat like Royal Park, as much of SA has hot, dry summers - as well as being one of the greatest putters of all time.

Locke played the Open 9 times between 1946 and 1957, winning four times, being runner up twice, and finishing no worse than 8th in the other years. And remember he lost some of his best years to WWII, and then had his career cut short by a horror car accident.

My other nomination is the incomparable Bobby Jones. As an adult, he played the Open 3 times for 3 wins, all before his retirement at age 28. His dominance became so great that in the years he played the Open, the world's second best player, Walter Hagen (himself a 4 time winner of the Open) didn't bother to enter the event. Tiger might have succeeded in intimidating most of his main rivals, but not this effectively.

[RSLivingston_III]

The Greatest Links Golfer Ever

Not an easy one, I have gone through all the names including old Willie Parks, Old Tom, Young Tom, Peter Thompson, Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson plus a few more.

I nominate the late James Hunter Morrow, my father as the Greatest Links Golfer Ever for teaching me the magic of Links Golf.

No offense, Melvyn, but how many Open championships did he win? 

If patience is one of the necessary virtues in links golf, Tom Watson has certainly showed it in this Open.  His turnaround (along with the wind) on Friday was the key to his potential victory in this event.  Five bogies in six holes, then getting back to level par on the day over the final 10 holes - that was the stuff of legend.

If Open championship wins is the criteria then obviously Vardon is the greatest.

[Joe Hancock]

I was pondering if the greatest links golfer might be someone who only knew links golf...someone that never set foot on parkland or inland golf.

I suppose the answer lies in titles won, however.

Joe

[RSLivingston_III]

I was pondering if the greatest links golfer might be someone who only knew links golf...someone that never set foot on parkland or inland golf.

I suppose the answer lies in titles won, however.

Joe

That would be Braid. I am fairly sure he never left the UK AND is in the second winningest group of Open Championship winners (If that is an element of the criteria). Plus he knew a little something about designing a links course.

[Garland Bayley]

The Greatest Links Golfer Ever

Not an easy one, I have gone through all the names including old Willie Parks, Old Tom, Young Tom, Peter Thompson, Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson plus a few more.

I nominate the late James Hunter Morrow, my father as the Greatest Links Golfer Ever for teaching me the magic of Links Golf.

No offense, Melvyn, but how many Open championships did he win? 

If patience is one of the necessary virtues in links golf, Tom Watson has certainly showed it in this Open.  His turnaround (along with the wind) on Friday was the key to his potential victory in this event.  Five bogies in six holes, then getting back to level par on the day over the final 10 holes - that was the stuff of legend.

If Open championship wins is the criteria then obviously Vardon is the greatest.

Hold on there, just a minute. You best wait until it finishes tomorrow before you decide to make such a statement.

[Jim Nugent]

I would take; Jack Nicklaus. 

If you are right this is especially interesting, because as I understand it, Jack did not play links-style golf.  i.e. he did not play the ground game much, but flew his balls in, the same as on U.S. parkland courses.  Yes? 

Was/is the same true of Watson? 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

I quote

No offense, Melvyn, but how many Open championships did he win?

Sorry, Bill I thought I had explained the reasons for my choice.

To be the greatest does not necessary mean you have to win the most championships. In fact, I do not believe you have to win.

The problem in our modern world is that we judge success by winning. We accept, no lets be honest, we allow behaviour that we would not tolerate in our own children from our sportsmen and women. Why, because winning is success and money rules with perhaps the National flag thrown in to spice up marketing. Don’t agree, just look at the replies on Tigers appalling behaviour thread.

My nomination of my father, I believe is totally justified in my eyes because of his teaching and how he introduced the qualities of golf including playing on the Links. He also taught me the difference between right and wrong and how to behave in public. Had I behaved in a similar manner to Tiger he would be ashamed of me, and quite rightly so.

Bill its no longer sport as we know it, its win, win, win followed my the moneymen and women, there is very little understanding of the honour of playing for your country, family and self. It is only self, self, self and win at any cost in sports today. Integrity, honour, honesty, good old fashion sportsmanship has been exchanged for money and un-sportsmanlike conduct. The anything goes rule mentality, including the hey, but don’t worry he is one of ours or what am I making out of his win attitude.

I am actually shocked that many see no problem with Tigers temper tantrum last Thursday - he is not alone, many of our sportsmen and women are worse, but it does not make him right . It speaks volumes for our modern society and makes me pleased that I am in the autumn of my years.

Behaviour like that shames us all, but the sad thing for me is that it is acceptable to many on GCA.com. Well it is not for me nor for my late father, hence why I nomination him. He like many others both dead and alive is why we have the Spirit of the Game, but never fear those who support or turn a blind eye to Tiger’s behaviour are doing their share to slowly erode the Games Spirit.
 
No, Bill my father never won an Open, but for me he is a Champion among Men. He also died on a golf course.

Melvyn

[Bill_McBride]

Melvyn, like you I like to use an emoticon to indicate a stab at humor.    I'd hoped you would notice.

I too would like to die on the golf course, preferably leaving the 18th like Bing Crosby in Spain.

Today I wish I was at Turnberry, but Watson's suffering a bit of nervousness.  Still tied for the lead but we'll see!

[Rob Rigg]

I would love to play a round with Grant Rogers at PD or OM - that guy has skills on the links!

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