Jack Nicklaus is the most successful major winner of all time, whether that makes him the greatest golfer is still up for debate, but when arguing his case it becomes very easy to give the crown to jack… but what makes him the GOAT?
Besides his record, which proves he was the best, the guys demeanour both on and off the course simply puts him out of sight. No one in golf can match him.
Sorry to disappoint you all But the greatest gholfer ever to live is Mow Norman Everybody was scared of him and most off al the jealousy all the spoiled brads had towards him THE GREATEST GHOLF LEGENDARY MAN EVER AND NOBODY CAN PROOF ME WRONG
Jack's 18 wins, 19 runner-ups and 8 3rd place finishes does place him at the top, but everyone forgets that Jones won 44% of all the US Opens and British Opens he ever entered and without the bus accident there is no way to predict what Hogan might have accomplished, not to mention Tiger's "accident" in 2009 pretty much ended his run at Jack's 18, winning only one more major, the Masters in 2019 – going by the numbers, you can't take it away from Jack, but no player is even close to the 44% Jones accomplished.
I see a lot of comment about who's the goat. Tiger, Nicklaus, Mickelson… Who cares? Just stop looking for impossible answers and enjoy this majestic documentary about the bear.
Love the comments on Tiger v Jack, but the reality is that from an objective point of view the argument has long been over.
Certainly if we can agree that major championship golf, when every top player is totally focussed on immortality, is the highest test within the game.
Memorials and Colonials and LA Opens are absolutely significant, but they are not the highest reaches of the game. And that's why Sam Snead was always filled with regret (no us opens) and Doug Sanders rarely went a day without flashbacks (St Andrews missed putt) and Fred Couples can't really be called a great player despite the great talent (1 major).
The argument about Tiger v Jack ended over the 11 year period between 2008-2019. There really is no statistical comparison anymore. And as much as I rate Tiger as one of the few grandmasters of the game, his record in the highest reaches of his sport (major championships) bears no comparison to Nicklaus's.
If we simply take the 25 playing years (100 majors) between 1962, his first pro year, and 1986, his last major win, Nicklaus's record is as follows:
WIN – 18 SECOND – 19 THIRD – 9 TOP 5 – 56 TOP 10 – 73
Now Tiger had not quite reached that many major appearances when he won his last major in 2019 (he was at 84, so not far off) but the comparison is stark.
WIN – 15 SECOND – 7 THIRD – 4 TOP 5 – 33 TOP 10 – 41
Simply put, Tiger's figures don't compare. Maybe he shone brighter in his peak years than Nicklaus, but then I look at Hogan's record 1946-1953 (9 majors) and I'm pretty convinced that he shone as bright as either of them over the short term.
When you look at Nicklaus's wins as well, what really stands out is that he did so from the front, from level, and from significantly behind, after 54 holes. Simply, the range of his psychological resources was much broader than Tiger's.
It's easy to understand why we have obsessed on Tiger since he arrived on the scene. Certainly he has been the most domineering of all the great players, but even after his amazing masters victory in 2019, it's clear there was a greater master.
That master is 83 now, but even when you see him being interviewed about Tiger now, and he answers generously in that high pitched voice, you see the fire of competition in his eyes. You might hear him say, when asked how he would fare today, something along the lines of "well you know I think I was a pretty good player." But he doesn't mean exactly that. What he really means is that he'd smoke the lot of them just like the old days. What we have to remember is that this guy shot 17 under at the Masters in 1965 and won by 9 shots, on a course exactly the same length as in 1997, and using balls and clubs which took more skill to yield.
Do you think he rolled his eyes when everybody forgot that and eulogised Tiger in 1997? Maybe he called Ray Floyd who did something similar in 1976 and they rolled their eyes together?
Tiger has been as compelling a sportsman as has ever lived. He loved dominating, obliterating the field from the front, but I think a few of his majors would have been stolen from him by a flaxen haired bear stalking him down, while in those numerous times when Tiger wasnt dominating, the bear would have still been picking up his trophies as usual.
When we are young we tend to dismiss the past. I think that's what happened when thinking about Tiger. We've not known enough about what went before to make the right judgement. We've downplayed achievements we didn't see: and because we didn't see them we've done them the disservice of not considering them properly.
We forget for how long Nicklaus was great; we forget the greatness of some of his rivals.
Tigers achievements are immortal, but he's not the greatest. That title, objectively, belongs to another.
One final question I always ask myself.
We have to form a team to play a team of extraterrestrial champions in a tournament using all formats of the game. We're not allowed to mix the two eras but we have to make a choice between them. Everybody's lives depend on the result.
But if my life depended on it and two planes were idling on the runway, I'm looking for the Lear Jet with Arnie at the controls and a shit load of persimmon and blades in the baggage hold.
As a kid in High School, I was at the final round of his last victory in 1978 at the Philadelphia IVB and then at the final round of the 1980 ( JACK IS BACK) US Open at Baltusrol. Great experiences, both.
Jack is the GOAT… 18 majors vs 15 for Eldrick… 19 runner-ups in majors… Tiger used Jack's major record as his measuring stick for GOATness… end of debate!
Jack was not just the greatest champion of his time but was also the greatest sportsman of all time. On top of that he has set the bar for how to be a good family man despite being on the road earning a living a lot of the time. Well done Jack.
If anyone bests his majors record ill be very surprised. Tiger was on the road to do it, and he sill may, but its extremely unlikely at this point. But i love being surpised! The final statement in this video puts it perfectly. Nicklaus is the greatest golfer to ever hold a club.
Take a good look at the size of the clubs of his day. The woods were about half the size of today’s without the fancy technology and titanium faces. He still hit drives of 300+ yards with accuracy. That’s hand eye athleticism and power. Simply the best in every way and is still one of the game’s great ambassadors.
31 comments
Before I even watch. Tiger is / was the best golfer of all time…not close
Amazing channel, keep doing what you are doing and the views/ subs will come
Haha I love how you started this documentary about a golfer with the beginning of the formation of Earth.
Great stuff but please look up how to say seve’s name.
Just be kind! What an ending.
Besides his record, which proves he was the best, the guys demeanour both on and off the course simply puts him out of sight. No one in golf can match him.
But Tiger is the best golfer of all time
Sorry to disappoint you all
But the greatest gholfer ever to live is Mow Norman
Everybody was scared of him and most off al the jealousy all the spoiled brads had towards him
THE GREATEST GHOLF LEGENDARY MAN EVER
AND NOBODY CAN PROOF ME WRONG
Awesome vid keep it up!
Mm-your- field
Not muur-field
God is the reason this earth started
2nd best golfer ever. Tiger is the goat and its not even close.
Excellent content
Everyone knows that the Undisputed Greatest Golfer Of All Time is Phil Mickelson. 🙄
Jack is the true GOAT
Jack's 18 wins, 19 runner-ups and 8 3rd place finishes does place him at the top, but everyone forgets that Jones won 44% of all the US Opens and British Opens he ever entered and without the bus accident there is no way to predict what Hogan might have accomplished, not to mention Tiger's "accident" in 2009 pretty much ended his run at Jack's 18, winning only one more major, the Masters in 2019 – going by the numbers, you can't take it away from Jack, but no player is even close to the 44% Jones accomplished.
Thank you so much for this and all your videos, and thank you as well for not including Tiger
I see a lot of comment about who's the goat. Tiger, Nicklaus, Mickelson…
Who cares? Just stop looking for impossible answers and enjoy this majestic documentary about the bear.
Love the comments on Tiger v Jack, but the reality is that from an objective point of view the argument has long been over.
Certainly if we can agree that major championship golf, when every top player is totally focussed on immortality, is the highest test within the game.
Memorials and Colonials and LA Opens are absolutely significant, but they are not the highest reaches of the game. And that's why Sam Snead was always filled with regret (no us opens) and Doug Sanders rarely went a day without flashbacks (St Andrews missed putt) and Fred Couples can't really be called a great player despite the great talent (1 major).
The argument about Tiger v Jack ended over the 11 year period between 2008-2019. There really is no statistical comparison anymore. And as much as I rate Tiger as one of the few grandmasters of the game, his record in the highest reaches of his sport (major championships) bears no comparison to Nicklaus's.
If we simply take the 25 playing years (100 majors) between 1962, his first pro year, and 1986, his last major win, Nicklaus's record is as follows:
WIN – 18
SECOND – 19
THIRD – 9
TOP 5 – 56
TOP 10 – 73
Now Tiger had not quite reached that many major appearances when he won his last major in 2019 (he was at 84, so not far off) but the comparison is stark.
WIN – 15
SECOND – 7
THIRD – 4
TOP 5 – 33
TOP 10 – 41
Simply put, Tiger's figures don't compare. Maybe he shone brighter in his peak years than Nicklaus, but then I look at Hogan's record 1946-1953 (9 majors) and I'm pretty convinced that he shone as bright as either of them over the short term.
When you look at Nicklaus's wins as well, what really stands out is that he did so from the front, from level, and from significantly behind, after 54 holes. Simply, the range of his psychological resources was much broader than Tiger's.
It's easy to understand why we have obsessed on Tiger since he arrived on the scene. Certainly he has been the most domineering of all the great players, but even after his amazing masters victory in 2019, it's clear there was a greater master.
That master is 83 now, but even when you see him being interviewed about Tiger now, and he answers generously in that high pitched voice, you see the fire of competition in his eyes. You might hear him say, when asked how he would fare today, something along the lines of "well you know I think I was a pretty good player." But he doesn't mean exactly that. What he really means is that he'd smoke the lot of them just like the old days. What we have to remember is that this guy shot 17 under at the Masters in 1965 and won by 9 shots, on a course exactly the same length as in 1997, and using balls and clubs which took more skill to yield.
Do you think he rolled his eyes when everybody forgot that and eulogised Tiger in 1997? Maybe he called Ray Floyd who did something similar in 1976 and they rolled their eyes together?
Tiger has been as compelling a sportsman as has ever lived. He loved dominating, obliterating the field from the front, but I think a few of his majors would have been stolen from him by a flaxen haired bear stalking him down, while in those numerous times when Tiger wasnt dominating, the bear would have still been picking up his trophies as usual.
When we are young we tend to dismiss the past. I think that's what happened when thinking about Tiger. We've not known enough about what went before to make the right judgement. We've downplayed achievements we didn't see: and because we didn't see them we've done them the disservice of not considering them properly.
We forget for how long Nicklaus was great; we forget the greatness of some of his rivals.
Tigers achievements are immortal, but he's not the greatest. That title, objectively, belongs to another.
One final question I always ask myself.
We have to form a team to play a team of extraterrestrial champions in a tournament using all formats of the game. We're not allowed to mix the two eras but we have to make a choice between them. Everybody's lives depend on the result.
So who are we taking?
Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Casper, Watson, Miller, Ballesteros, Irwin, Trevino, Floyd,
Or
Woods, Els, Singh, Duval, Johnson, Spieth, McIlroy, Koepka, Mickelson.
I'd be comfortable with either to be honest.
But if my life depended on it and two planes were idling on the runway, I'm looking for the Lear Jet with Arnie at the controls and a shit load of persimmon and blades in the baggage hold.
As a kid in High School, I was at the final round of his last victory in 1978 at the Philadelphia IVB and then at the final round of the 1980 ( JACK IS BACK) US Open at Baltusrol. Great experiences, both.
Thanks Mitchell ✌ #goldenbear 🐻😅
Jack is the GOAT… 18 majors vs 15 for Eldrick… 19 runner-ups in majors… Tiger used Jack's major record as his measuring stick for GOATness… end of debate!
Jack was not just the greatest champion of his time but was also the greatest sportsman of all time. On top of that he has set the bar for how to be a good family man despite being on the road earning a living a lot of the time. Well done Jack.
If anyone bests his majors record ill be very surprised. Tiger was on the road to do it, and he sill may, but its extremely unlikely at this point. But i love being surpised!
The final statement in this video puts it perfectly. Nicklaus is the greatest golfer to ever hold a club.
🐐🐐 goat 🐐🐐
Thank you very much for this excellent documentary, in my humble opinion jack Nicklaus is the greatest sportsman ever
The Greatest Golfer of All Time UNDOUBTEDLY and One of the Greatest Sportsmen of All Time.
I hear some fellow by the name of Tiger gave it a damn good go, but came up just a bit short of Jack.
Jack won Colonial and Memorial between 81 and 85 before The Masters in 86.
Take a good look at the size of the clubs of his day. The woods were about half the size of today’s without the fancy technology and titanium faces. He still hit drives of 300+ yards with accuracy. That’s hand eye athleticism and power. Simply the best in every way and is still one of the game’s great ambassadors.
THE GREATEST MAJOR CHAMPION OF ALL TIME, YES HOWEVER NOT THE BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME, THATS TIGER WHO HAS EVERY OTHER RECORD, SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!