I've heard Watson cited, Miller too, especially with his irons during his prime... and Hogan, of course. There is no was to really quantify this. I'm just going by what other pros and close observers have said.
BWAH, ha ha ha. You mean the guy that just blasts it wherever and then hits it from there? Woods is a great scorer, and does things that no one else can, but he is FAR from the best ball striker. How many rounds does Woods hit 18 greens and 14 fairways?
Please learn some history before posting stuff like this. Just because Woods is the best now, doesn't mean he is the best ever.
As should you Do some reserch on Moe and you will change your mind.
There are many stories told about Norman, whose unusual swing lives on in the Natural Golf system. One of my favorites is of the time when Norman and Sam Snead were playing an exhibition. Both players needed about 250 yards to clear a stream. Snead laid up, then watched Norman prepare to go for it.
"You need to lay up, Moe," Snead told Norman, "you can't carry that creek." Norman replied, "I'm aiming for the bridge."
And after his laser-straight shot rolled right across the bridge, over the hazard, Snead didn't try telling Norman again how to play a shot.
As should you Do some reserch on Moe and you will change your mind.
I went to the Moe Norman site, and boy is his swing "a thing of Ugly." Hitting a ball straight every time doesn't make you the best ball striker. Being able to consistanly hit every shot exactly how you want is what makes you great. Hogan practiced every shot, and could hit it any way, and on any trajectory he wanted. Hogan's swing was battle tested under the most intense pressure there is. And he produced that shots that won him the majors. No one knows what Moe's swing would have done under real pressure, because he only played in the Master's twice and he withdrew and missed the cut. Hogan's record speaks for itself, maybe you should do some more research on Hogan!
I went to the Moe Norman site, and boy is his swing "a thing of Ugly." Hitting a ball straight every time doesn't make you the best ball striker. Being able to consistanly hit every shot exactly how you want is what makes you great. Hogan practiced every shot, and could hit it any way, and on any trajectory he wanted. Hogan's swing was battle tested under the most intense pressure there is. And he produced that shots that won him the majors. No one knows what Moe's swing would have done under real pressure, because he only played in the Master's twice and he withdrew and missed the cut. Hogan's record speaks for itself, maybe you should do some more research on Hogan!
Pressure= Hogan
Ball Striker= Moe Norman
End of story! Just remember a swing does not have to be pretty to be effective....
Ever heard of Joe Ezar - he was a wonderful trick shot artist in the '30s and '40's and nominated and made a 64 hole by hole and shot by shot (See "This Game of Golf - Henry Cotton) but and this is the important but, couldn't win a tournament because his nerves couldn't take it.
The greatest ball striker ever has to be the one who could do it when he had to - btw. Henry Cotton wasn't too bad either as far as striking goes.
Tom Watson was a great golfer/scorer ... not ball striker. Though his irons were pretty good especially into the wind.
The term ' Watson par ' came about because he hit it everywhere but then scrambled for his par.
I'd say Watson as well but then again when someone mention ball striking, I always think of irons so that may be my misconception.
I'll quote the great Nash Underwood: "**** a man who can't go to the green."
In my estimation, only Tiger Woods can go to the green like the original TW.
When I think of ball striking, I think of irons as well. Miller's run in the early/mid 70's was a thing of beauty. Rumor has that he was so dialed in on his iron play that his caddy would give him distance to the 1/2 yard.
I read another line where Miller said he was always trying to catch the ball "on the 3rd groove". I don't exactly know how you would do that or measure it, especially since a ball takes up several grooves of space.
When I think of ball striking, I think of irons as well. Miller's run in the early/mid 70's was a thing of beauty. Rumor has that he was so dialed in on his iron play that his caddy would give him distance to the 1/2 yard.
I read another line where Miller said he was always trying to catch the ball "on the 3rd groove". I don't exactly know how you would do that or measure it, especially since a ball takes up several grooves of space.
I find my ball flys better when I hit it just off the 4th groove!
I'd always take ball striking to mean quality of strike. Doesn't really matter where the ball goes. It's all about hitting the middle of the club consistently. Tiger Woods strikes it. I've sat at the range at the Open a few times and watched them play. You can hear the difference between someone like Woods hitting it and the other guys. Tiger strikes the ball better than anyone I've ever seen.
I'd always take ball striking to mean quality of strike. Doesn't really matter where the ball goes. It's all about hitting the middle of the club consistently. Tiger Woods strikes it. I've sat at the range at the Open a few times and watched them play. You can hear the difference between someone like Woods hitting it and the other guys. Tiger strikes the ball better than anyone I've ever seen.
I would've thought that TW struck the ball than anybody you'd ever heard.
Tom Watson & Tiger Woods are the best at both (ball striking and winning).
Surely there are others who are the best at some facet of the game but weren't among the greats. Moe Norman is probably in that category just like the Hit-Man (Hiter?) and others are. Heck, my brother might be the all time best flop-shot artist (after Seve) but no one wants to hear about his wrist dominated swing. Why? Because the rest of his game can't cut it. Likewise, The best pure putter is probably on a mini golf circuit somewhere.
May 31st, 2006, 06:18 PM
Do some reserch on Moe and you will change your mind. 
You mean the guy that just blasts it wherever and then hits it from there? Woods is a great scorer, and does things that no one else can, but he is FAR from the best ball striker. How many rounds does Woods hit 18 greens and 14 fairways?
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