[Wsc04forever]

Considering the fact that Sergio hasn't been the greatest putter over the years and arguably Tiger has been the greatest putter over the years.

Who do you think is better just from tee to green?

[matthewb]

So GIR doesn't satisfy you?

[matthewb]

How about Proximity to Hole?

(In other words, can you find one relevant stat for "tee to green" that Sergio consistently betters Tiger?)

[Wsc04forever]

point taken

[villa]

It's an interesting question mate. Personally I would say that aside from total driving, Tiger is the best in the world at everything else.

Sergio is undoubtably one of the best ball strikers in the world and the reason he isn't challenging Tiger's throne is because his short game simply isn't good enough. I feel exactly the same about Adam Scott. Tee to green these guys are awesome but Tiger is on another level on or around the greens.

[Wsc04forever]

yah i know its hard to pick against tiger in anything, my vote also would be for tiger, i just went to pgatour.com to compare some stats, why isnt tiger on the stat leaderboards? is it cause hes out right now or am i missing something?

[matthewb]

Wsc04forever, on Aug 6 2008, 11:10 AM, said:

yah i know its hard to pick against tiger in anything, my vote also would be for tiger, i just went to pgatour.com to compare some stats, why isnt tiger on the stat leaderboards? is it cause hes out right now or am i missing something?

To use a baseball analogy, Tiger won't have enough at-bats to win the batting crown.

(If want to compare Tiger & Sergio, choose a different year.)

[The Ultimate Spin]

this is a joke right?

[matthewb]

The Ultimate Spin, on Aug 6 2008, 11:16 AM, said:

this is a joke right?

It's kind of like asking who was the better shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, Ray Oyler or Alan Trammell?

[mjc694]

i will go with tiger. we all have our own defenitions of greatness, and we all have our own favorite players, and i get that. That being said to compare sergio to tiger in any facet of the game is not fair to sergio on any level.

Tiger does everything better than sergio, which is why tiger wins regularly, and sergio wins sporadically (at best). You may think you dont strike the ball with the putter, but i have yet to see the golf gods give out prizes for crisply struck iron shots.

Tee to green is fine, but ill take the guy who wins over the guy who really pures it most of the time, ALL of the time.

[Dizzub]

mjc694, on Aug 6 2008, 11:35 AM, said:

i will go with tiger. we all have our own defenitions of greatness, and we all have our own favorite players, and i get that. That being said to compare sergio to tiger in any facet of the game is not fair to sergio on any level.

Tiger does everything better than sergio, which is why tiger wins regularly, and sergio wins sporadically (at best). You may think you dont strike the ball with the putter, but i have yet to see the golf gods give out prizes for crisply struck iron shots.

Tee to green is fine, but ill take the guy who wins over the guy who really pures it most of the time, ALL of the time.

Sergio drives it better than Tiger, no doubt about that. Tiger is still #1 in GIR and he doesnt hit as many fairways and when he does hes usually hitting shorter clubs from the tee. IMO Tiger is better at everything else except driving the ball straight.

[epixep]

matthewb, on Aug 6 2008, 08:20 AM, said:

The Ultimate Spin, on Aug 6 2008, 11:16 AM, said:

this is a joke right?

It's kind of like asking who was the better shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, Ray Oyler or Alan Trammell?

Who the f...?

Tiger.

GIR.

Position: 1

[Wsc04forever]

just checked the stats from 07', pretty dumb thread on my part

[rblmp32]

Wsc04forever, on Aug 6 2008, 11:59 AM, said:

just checked the stats from 07', pretty dumb thread on my part

It wasn't too dumb...it just really underlines how good Tiger is. Sergio is a great ball striker. Tiger is just better.

[pickerjohn]

I actually think this is a good thread, maybe needs to be broken
into smaller parts and include other players, especially some of those
who should be doing better.
Off the tee, Sergio and Adam Scott both are top notch, and as good or better
than most anyone, but from there to the hole the gap widens in TW's favor
dramatically, and more so the closer to the hole untill in the cup.
I think its almost impossible to compare anyone on the Tour today to TW with the putter.
IMHO, he's the best ever.

[squarre]

I don't think it is a dumb thread either. I think as a pure ballstriker there are guys (including Sergio) who approach Tiger, but there isn't anybody who can hit some of shots that he is capable of hitting. Then like others have said, the closer it gets to the hole the wider the gap.

[mat562]

Tee to green Woods is arguably as good a ballstriker as there has ever been - provided driving is left out of the equation. Couple a high GIR percentage (even with a modest performance from the tee) with about the best putting stroke in history and you get.. well, Tiger Woods.

As good a ballstriker as Garcia is (and I would rate him alongside Lee westwood as the best all-round driver of a ball in the game today) his short game (and particularly his putting) simply aren't up to the same level and let him down in the overall picture.

If Woods could drive the ball like an in-his-prime Greg Norman, he'd clean up every week. I always thought Woods was a solid driver in his younger days - very long in comparison to the field and accurate enough to gain an advantage from his length. I honestly think the advancements in ball and driver technology have held Woods back somewhat and have diminished his advantage with the driver to the extent that it's actually now a weakness in comparison to other players and to the rest of his game.

Given the improvements he's made in his iron game, and particularly in his short iron play and bunker play, it's a mystery to me why he can't fathom a way to hit the driver consistently well. That said, I still see an entirely different swing with the driver than I see with the irons all too often and I think that's the main culprit.

To answer the OP's question; both are among the best all-round ballstrikers but Tiger Woods is better. And his short game is so much better than Garcia's it's ridiculous.

[Wsc04forever]

i guess the better question is

putting aside

who is the next best after tiger "tee to green specifically"

[matthewb]

Wsc04forever, on Aug 6 2008, 01:59 PM, said:

who is the next best after tiger "tee to green specifically"

PGA Tour: 2008 Ballstriking Statistics

[Taylormadematt]

Personally i think this has started a sergio bashing thread again, shame really

[longball78]

YES, dumb thread.

[dlygrisse]

mat562, on Aug 6 2008, 12:43 PM, said:

Tee to green Woods is arguably as good a ballstriker as there has ever been - provided driving is left out of the equation. Couple a high GIR percentage (even with a modest performance from the tee) with about the best putting stroke in history and you get.. well, Tiger Woods.

As good a ballstriker as Garcia is (and I would rate him alongside Lee westwood as the best all-round driver of a ball in the game today) his short game (and particularly his putting) simply aren't up to the same level and let him down in the overall picture.

If Woods could drive the ball like an in-his-prime Greg Norman, he'd clean up every week. I always thought Woods was a solid driver in his younger days - very long in comparison to the field and accurate enough to gain an advantage from his length. I honestly think the advancements in ball and driver technology have held Woods back somewhat and have diminished his advantage with the driver to the extent that it's actually now a weakness in comparison to other players and to the rest of his game.

Given the improvements he's made in his iron game, and particularly in his short iron play and bunker play, it's a mystery to me why he can't fathom a way to hit the driver consistently well. That said, I still see an entirely different swing with the driver than I see with the irons all too often and I think that's the main culprit.

To answer the OP's question; both are among the best all-round ballstrikers but Tiger Woods is better. And his short game is so much better than Garcia's it's ridiculous.

I agree with everything you have stated and will add that I believe that if Tiger wanted to he could learn to hit the driver straighter, but he realizes that the bomb and gouge philosphy allows him to lead the field in GIR most weeks. Think of the weeks e.g. 2006 Open Championship, that he left the driver in the bag, he doesn't miss fairways. In fact Tiger can hit a 3 wood 280-290 and probably lead the tour in total driving if he wished. He hits his 3 wood like Ben Hogan used to hit a driver, pretty damn long and really straight.