Thanks for the GD search tip. I read the Moe Know's article. GREAT story. That's the one I had kept for years then unfortunately threw out....
I know I had a couple of those GDs too. My wife throws them out when I'm not looking. She just doesn't understand their importance as reference material.
[quote=1231963][quote=Stiofan]]Nicklaus[/url] claimed in print it was Ben Hogan and Price says it was Trevino.
Quote:
I'd have to agree with Jack Nicklaus. Moe Norman couldn't do it on a big stage.
Wellllll, that's debatable. I mean let's put it this way, Moe Norman once bet Dave Pelz he could hit the 250 post with a driver in less tries than Pelz could hit a 100 foot putt. Pelz declined.
Unless that 250 post was in the middle of a PGA Tour Tournament fairway, it tells me very little. I'm not debating Norman's ball striking ability but the fact that he didn't do it on the big stages of his day is not debatable.
Because he didn't do it on the big stages of his day doesn't automatically disqualify him, either.
Best pressure ball-striker he obviously was not (although my understanding is that the guy, aside from being half nuts, made Sergio look like Ben Crenshaw), but homeboy was known to hit 3 or 4 pins a round with regularity - now that's ballstriking.
* edit: Another thing, he owned literally hundreds of course records. One of my favorite Moe Norman stories is when he was playing a course he didn't know and was on the 18th tee playing with the course pro. If he birdied the hole he would have set the course record. Moe asked him what the hole usually played, and the guy said driver, 9 iron. So Moe took 9 iron off the tee, driver off the deck to 10 feet and sank the putt to get the record.
I guess I view Norman like the free throw shooting guy that makes hundreds of free throws in a row. They both definitely have skills but they're one trick ponies. As difficult as it is, it's still tremendously easier to hit a pin, or a free throw, when there's no pressure involved. I won't argue with you if you feel differently about the pressure of competition adding to the difficulty of being the best at anything.
Fair way of looking at it and I won't argue with your thoughts, either. Moe was pretty amazing, though
I guess I view Norman like the free throw shooting guy that makes hundreds of free throws in a row. They both definitely have skills but they're one trick ponies. As difficult as it is, it's still tremendously easier to hit a pin, or a free throw, when there's no pressure involved. I won't argue with you if you feel differently about the pressure of competition adding to the difficulty of being the best at anything.
I'd have to disagree....he DID do it under pressure. Look at his Canadian events results....I believe they were posted earlier. Those weren't the local "Bob Smith Charity Events" he was winning....He also performed well on the PGA tour in very limited appearances before he was run off b/c of behaviour related to autism. (i've read both yes it was autism, and no it wasn't...so I won't debate that....watching him, I'd say, yes...autistic. Mildly.) Purely speculation, but i think that given the opportunity to play in his prime on the Tour...he would have won often.
I'd have to disagree....he DID do it under pressure. Look at his Canadian events results....I believe they were posted earlier. Those weren't the local "Bob Smith Charity Events" he was winning....He also performed well on the PGA tour in very limited appearances before he was run off b/c of behaviour related to autism. (i've read both yes it was autism, and no it wasn't...so I won't debate that....watching him, I'd say, yes...autistic. Mildly.) Purely speculation, but i think that given the opportunity to play in his prime on the Tour...he would have won often.
I could swear I've read that he was a pretty miserable putter. If so, that would've seriously hampered his chances against the big boys... and again the Canadian Tour wasn't the big boys.
I guess I view Norman like the free throw shooting guy that makes hundreds of free throws in a row. They both definitely have skills but they're one trick ponies. As difficult as it is, it's still tremendously easier to hit a pin, or a free throw, when there's no pressure involved. I won't argue with you if you feel differently about the pressure of competition adding to the difficulty of being the best at anything.
leaguegolf
You might well be right about that, but if that free throw shooter is the best free throw shooter in the world, he's the best.
This thread is about the best ball striker ever. Whether a particular contender is a good putter, or whether they can bring it when the chips are down is neither here nor there. This one is all about how well they strike it.
I have a couple of friends who play to a pretty good standard. One is a pro in Florida. He absolutely stripes it. Can't score for toffee, but ball striking he's very very good at. The other one doesn't hit it that great, but shoots par or better more often than not. Duffs it round, chips well, putts great and posts a serious score. He's definitely a better golfer, but not a better striker.
January 22nd, 2007, 05:03 PM
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
