The All-Time Greatest Golfers

They say golf is a sport that is as mental as it is physical, and it requires deep focus and precision to execute the perfect putt. That is part of what makes professional golfers such impressive figures, with their abilities seeming so otherworldly, going beyond the strength, speed, and agility that many sports favor. For over a century, pro golfers have whipped up a passion amongst fans who can’t get enough of their remarkable abilities to hit the ball with such perfection.

The sport of golf has changed a lot as time has progressed, with techniques, equipment, and courses all evolving to the point that modern golfers are playing something fundamentally different from the game that golf legends of eras past have played. However, the spirit of the game has remained the same, and though it is a difficult task coming up with a list of the greatest golfers, it is a task that any golf fan will deem worthy of the effort. Read on for a list of four of the finest golfers to ever hit the course.

Ernie Els

The Johannesburg born Ernie Els went pro in 1989, and he quickly became one of the biggest names in golf. His six foot three inches frame in addition to his legendary swing led to him getting nicknamed “The Big Easy,” and his stats truly speak for themselves. In just 11 years in his tour career, he had an extraordinary record, including winning the PGA Championship 15 times and the European Tour 14 times.  He was up against Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts in the 1994 U.S. Open, and despite the competition he won the U.S. Victory for the first time that year. In 1997 he won the U.S. Open once again. 

The 2002 Open Championship Win got people talking that he posed a threat to Tiger Woods, and though he never was able to come ahead of Woods, he eventually earned the record of the most runner-up finishes to Woods. Decades after he began his career, he still plays an impressive game, and he won the Open Championship again in 2012, giving him his fourth major win. Amazingly, if you add up all of the weeks he spent in the world top ten, you get 788 weeks, the second best for any golfer. He has 71 worldwide wins to his name as well, and he undoubtedly deserves a spot on any best of list.

Ben Hogan

Born in Texas in 1912, Ben Hogan went pro in 1930 and soon went down in history as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Hogan changed the game with his swing and striking ability, and he had both a God-given ability and a tireless work ethic that allowed him to transform his natural talents into skills that led him to dominate on the golf course. Beyond his golf game, there is also his incredible story, having been in a near fatal car accident in the prime of his career. While many predicted he would never return to his previous glories as a golfer, and the doctors even said he may never be able to walk again, he proved everyone wrong and in less than a year was back to golfing. Soon enough he gave one of the finest performances ever as he won the U.S. Open, and of the nine major titles he won in his career, six came after the accident. 

Hogan was never someone to bask in the spotlight, and he was known for his introversion. Some credited this to childhood traumas, including the suicide of his father, and because of his chilliness it coud be hard for fans to connect with him. Still, even if he wasn’t a natural crowd pleaser, Hogan’s talent still made him a favorite. His career was not a success right out of the gate, with his teenage years seeing him struggling to get his hook down. After a decade, though, he won a title on the PGA tour, and there was no looking back from there. He quickly hit a hot streak, and even WW2, which saw him join the U.S. AIr Force for two years, were merely a speed bump in his career. He came back better than ever after, and in 1945 he had five wins, 1946 he had 13 wins, 1947 he had seven wins, and 1948 he had ten wins. Prior to his crash in 1949, he had 52 wins in the 1940s, and he still went strong for another decade after.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is the world’s most famous golfer, and for good reason. Nobody in history ever had as long of a dominant run as he did, and on top of his incredible golf game is his exceptional charisma that has made him a global superstar. With 80 wins to his name, he comes in second place for the most wins in tour history. He pulled off one of the greatest feats that professional golf has ever seen with the famous “Tiger Slam,” which in the year 2000 saw him hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously. 

He holds the record for being the only golfer to ever go two years in a row winning more than one major, which he did in 2005 and 2006, and he also won two in 2002 and three in 2000. Nobody else has a lower PGA Tour scoring average or a higher winning percentage. Even if you adjust for inflation, Tiger is still number one in dollars earned. He tops the charts with 11 PGA Player of the Year titles, and there are countless other records to his name. Due to injuries, recent years have not been as impressive, but he undoubtedly is still one of the best golfers around, often finishing in the top ten.

Jack Nicklaus

If we had to name one golfer who stands out as the greatest of all time, it is Jack Nicklaus. 

Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus was born in Ohio, and by many metrics he qualifies as the greatest golfer in history. He won 18 major championships, more than any other golfer, and he also holds the record for playing in 164 major tournaments. His career was a long running one, spanning from the 1960s through the year 2000, and in 1986 at the age of 46 he was the oldest golfer to ever win the Masters.

He and Tiger Woods are alone in the “Triple Slam” club, which means thrice they have won all four majors. Even when he didn’t win, Nicklaus often ranked high, and in addition to having the highest number of major wins, he also holds the record for the highest number of runners-up, top five finishes, and ten ten finishes. Even after retirement, he couldn’t give up his passion for golf, and his company Nicklaus Design is one of the largest in the world for the design and construction of golf courses.