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  • April 15, 2008 09:48 AM ET

Mount Rushmore of Golf

Foosball (68-9-2) vs The Prodigy is Hawaiian for #1 (117-155-23)
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I'll implement a Tiger Rule here....i.e. No Tiger Woods...

Jack Nicklaus (bookend)
Arnold Palmer
Gary Player
Ben Hogan (bookend)


First I take issue with not having Woods on there, what are you cutting him out cause he's a Brutha? Woods has to be on there. As for the rest I would make the list like this:

Jack Nicklaus
Arnold Palmer
Bobby Jones
Ben Hogan

Gary Player over Bobby Jones...me thinks not


The Tiger Rule is in effect because everyone would pick him. The purpose of these list TD's is to debate the differences. And it's difficult to do when you only have 1 difference.

Gary Player
24 PGA wins + 19 Senior PGA Wins, 163 wins worldwide + 9 Majors (Career Grand Slam)
3 Masters (1961, 74 & 78) + 1 U.S. Open 1965 + 3 British Open (1959, 68, & 74) the only golfer of the 20th Century to win a British Open in 3 different decades + 2 PGA Championship (1962 & 72)
The most successful international golfer of all time.


Why is it hard to do when you only have one difference. Check this out:

Let's start with the fact that Bobby won all four Majors, in a single year. Who else has done that? NOBODY

From 1923 to 1930 he won thirteen major championships

All of this and he retired early, shoosing to pursue other intrests.

Gary may have had a career Slam but Bobby won all four in one year. That's craziness.


I figured it was best to have 1 non US player on the list.

From 1950-1970 golf boomed in the US & around the World because of TV coverage. Player along with Palmer & Nicklaus were "The Big 3" golfers of that era. He completed the Grand Slam in 65 at the age of 29. He held the record for most victories in the World Match Play Championship, with 5 wins, from 1973-91.
At the 98 Masters, he became the oldest golfer ever to make to the cut, breaking the 25 year old record set by Snead.
Played in his 51st Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April 2008, overtaking Arnold Palmer's record of 50.
His longevity in the game of golf speaks volumes.


Golf boomed around the world, that much I grant you. However if it wasn't for Bobby those guys may have not even started playing. Bobby designed Augusta..I mean if that's not a legacy then what is? How about this for impact on the game Jones worked with Spalding to design the first set of matched golf clubs. Thats a first as well. Bobby set the tone, others walked in his footsteps.

I am going to finish this off with a quote that does Bobby more justice then I ever could:

"Just how great was Bobby Jones? "Down the years people have wondered whether Jones was the greatest of all golfers," British golf writer Pat Ward-Thomas said of Jones. "Comparison is invidious, for no man can do more than win and Jones won more often within a given period than anyone else has ever done. In his time, Jones was supreme, at match and medal play, to a greater extent than Hogan or Nicklaus have been in theirs." For many, Robert Tyre Jones Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia was, quite simply, the greatest of them all. "

Comments (16) Add A Comment

April 15, 2008  09:56 AM ET
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You better have a stunning argument why Sneed is not on that list.

April 15, 2008  09:57 AM ET
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No Rodney Dangerfeild??

April 15, 2008  09:59 AM ET
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Where's Ted Knight? What about Tin Cup? What about Chevy Chase or Bob Hope?

April 15, 2008  10:11 AM ET
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What about Chevy Chase or Bob Hope?

rstowe NMI BS/CB | 04/15/08, 09:59 AM

A flute without any holes is not a flute. But a donut without any holes is a Danish.

April 15, 2008  10:15 AM ET
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point goes to the left for the sole reason that the right side went lowest common denominator and played the race card.

April 15, 2008  10:16 AM ET
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plus you spelled brother the way you ASSUMED it would be spelled in ebonics.

April 15, 2008  10:19 AM ET
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Danny Noonan has to be on this list....I mean he nailed a putt with people yelling NOONAN!

April 15, 2008  10:37 AM ET
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powdered toast man I can spell Brutha anyway I want ....

April 15, 2008  10:47 AM ET
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hey powdered toast man....your probably white huh? keep on crusading to make up for your racist heritage though..no one sees through it

April 15, 2008  12:08 PM ET
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no love for bobby huh?

April 15, 2008  12:55 PM ET
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Byron Nelson?

April 15, 2008  01:20 PM ET
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I think we first have to determine whether or not we are strictly referring to an American Mt. Rushmore. I saw a similar post for the NHL and that one clearly allowed and encourage non-American Heads. One scary fact is that we all agree Tiger is an amazing talent and you'll never see another Tiger ... a lot of college and pro scouts said the same thing about Kevin Durant last year and they'd normally be correct ... only Michael Beasley came along with slightly better stats. Who knows what the future holds for Golf but if it's an American Mt. Rushmore than you'd include Bobby, Jack, Francis, and Tiger.

Bobby IS golf, that man was a machine and we now know he was in pain for half his career - imagine if he'd had moderna equipment and a cart. Jack's head has to show him driving with Arnold's reflection in the rearview mirror since one inspired the other. Ouimet beat a 2 or 3 time British Open champion who was himself a commoner; at a dark time in US history he gave the nation someone to rally around and an everyday hero. I gave Tiger the nod over Walter and Byron because Lord Nelson was a phenomenal golfer and the straightest shooter ever, Hagan brought hype and media attention to the sport in such a manner that it transended golf fans and joe everyman fans paid attention - - he was the originator and prototype, Tiger is the end result.

April 15, 2008  03:19 PM ET
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Question for Bronxbombers - What does invidious mean? No cheating - (no googling) If you can define that word off the top of your head, then you'll get my vote.

April 15, 2008  03:30 PM ET
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something offensive to cause a ruckous

April 15, 2008  03:36 PM ET
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Current players excluded (Tiger) ....How could anyone not include Bobby Jones!!!!!

 
April 15, 2008  10:21 PM ET
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