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October 25, 2008

Modern advantages make it impossible to compare golf stars from different eras

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Sat Oct 25, 2008, 11:00 PM CDT

There is no way to compare eras in golf.

Too many elements have changed.

Modern players have the advantage of exotic metals, graphite, high-tech designs in golf balls and equipment as well as, better conditioning and diet.

No less important, instruction is light years ahead of those bygone days when Ben Hogan slowly built his swing by trial and error. Also, today’s teachers have the tools of mass marketing at their fingertips: books, magazines, videos and the Golf Channel.

The greatest player of all time may have been an amateur. Bobby Jones dominated the U.S. Open, British Open and both U.S. and British Amateur championships in the 1920s to 1930.

And, of course, we mustn’t overlook the incomparable Walter Hagen who opened the front doors, dining rooms and bars of country clubs across the country to professional golfers in the ‘20s and ‘30s. His talent for recovery shots set the standard for trick-shot artists to come.

Gene Sarazen was the first to win all of the professional majors: U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship and Masters.

If you want to go back before the 20s, consider Harry Vardon or Old Tom and Young Tom Morris.

Then there was the triumvirate of Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson. No one has had a better season than Nelson. In 1945, he won an incredible 11 tournaments in a row and 18 overall. Snead won tournaments in five decades and more than 100 worldwide. As for Hogan, well, let’s just say that there is a large following that considers him the greatest of them all.

Golf seldom is without a superstar for long. Arnold Palmer began thrilling his fans in the 1950s and remains the undisputed “King” in their hearts today even though he no longer competes.

Then along came Jack Nicklaus with his single-minded dedication to winning “majors.” Despite such competition as Palmer in his early years and later Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros, Big Jack probably was the consensus greatest of them all.

That is, of course, until Tiger Woods arrived on the scene. He has crept closer and closer to Nicklaus’ record in majors and could shatter the mark with two good years.

Undoubtedly, there is another Woods waiting in the wings even now, just waiting for his opportunity to arrive.

But I sincerely doubt that Tiger could beat Bobby Jones using the whippy, wooden-shafted golf clubs of yore or that Nicklaus would have been so overpowering in the majors if competing against young Palmers, Hogans, Nelsons or Sneads.

And never forget the enormous changes in golf balls between those eras. Jones used a ball that wouldn’t make it onto a practice range these days. And Hogan, Snead and Nelson had to sort through several sleeves of balls to find three or four that could be used in competition.

As for Nicklaus and Woods, well, there is the difference not only in golf balls, but also the instrumentality of the game. Tolerances are tighter in design and weighting. Golf courses are better manicured. The game is simply different.

There always will be arguments in the 19th hole about who was better — or the best. That’s human nature. Woods, Nicklaus, Hogan, Snead, Nelson and Jones have their diehard supporters. But the matches those fans play are with words, not golf clubs and balls. There is no definitive test for the “best ever” award and, barring time travel, never will be.

Sluman takes Champions lead

Jeff Sluman moved into position for his third Champions Tour victory of the season, shooting a 7-under 64 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion John Cook and Mark James in the AT&T; Championship at San Antonio.

Sluman, 51, had an 11-under 131 total. Cook shot a 63, and James, the first-round leader, had a 69 on the Oak Hills course.

Address correspondence to Clair Goodwin at sports@joplinglobe.com.

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