Who are the greatest short game players ever?

BiffoGooner

We all know how good Tiger, Padraig and Phil ('Greatest short game player of all time' plastered all over his dvd and book is a bit premature?) are at the short game, but you rarely hear about some of the great short game players of yester year.

I'd like to hear your opinions on some of the other (not so obvious or well known) notable short game players from the past and the present too.

f22

A bit current but:

Best bunker player, Brett Rumford

Best putter: Brad Faxon

The_Kew_Tour

Only going back to the mid 90's onwards but looking at videos etc Tom Watson was fantastic with pitching or sand wedge in his hand from 100-30 yards.

Ben Crenshaw was master with putter. Was lucky to meet him in person in Ballybunion back in 97 or 98.

Combined player though know but sure there was plenty.

tiptap

OH SEVE BALLASTEROS......what a legend

rednik

In their heyday both Seve and Olly would have been up there. Both had exquisite touch and feel for the short game. In this era I would say Mickelson is the best, mainly because he takes the shot on whereas others hold back, but I would not trust him putting from inside four feet a lot.

Russman

Seve and Ollie - two of the all time greats at short game (at golf too in fairness !!)
More current would be Ernie Els IMO, his short game is strangely overlooked when people rate him. I'd rate him better than Mickelson, he has more variety of shots.......

Plus most South Africans at bunker play for some strange reason.

Zardoz

Christy O Connor Snr is the best I have ever seen .
He was like a machine.

The_Kew_Tour

rednik wrote: »

In their heyday both Seve and Olly would have been up there. Both had exquisite touch and feel for the short game. In this era I would say Mickelson is the best, mainly because he takes the shot on whereas others hold back, but I would not trust him putting from inside four feet a lot.

Great point his short putting is no beter then average.

Its prob cost him least 2-3 majors if im honest. if you ever look at the majors he has been close in its his short putts you will always see him miss short putt on back nine on Sunday.

I am big fan and really like him he classy player who is great to watch but if he topped up his short putts then he be the best I have seen by distance.

ant043

To me what separates tiger from all the rest is his putting. Greatest clutch putter in the history of the game. Phil Mickleson is unbelievably talented but if he had to make a 5 footer to win a major i wouldn't be putting a lot of money on it in truth. Tiger for me in the modern era by some distance. Jack nicklaus in older one. Like Tiger he thrived and played better when put under pressure.

I have to say that i think garcia has an unbelievable short game but thats no good when you can't putt.

BiffoGooner

Zardoz wrote: »

Christy O Connor Snr is the best I have ever seen .
He was like a machine.

Really?didn't know he was remarkable at the short game at all.May do some reading up!

downthemiddle

Christy Senior had wonderful hands and imagination around the greens but was often let down by his putting. Seve was a genius. One of the best putters ever was controversial commentator Gary McCord.

lotie

Harry Vardon has to be up there - recommend reading Mark Frost's novel "The Greatest Game ever played" - good insight into the achievements of Vardon despite his career being interrupted by serious illness.

stockdam

Seve for chipping.
Player for bunkers.
Crenshaw for putting.

durkadurka

lotie wrote: »

Harry Vardon has to be up there - recommend reading Mark Frost's novel "The Greatest Game ever played" - good insight into the achievements of Vardon despite his career being interrupted by serious illness.

I'm reading that too. Very enjoyable. Vardon seems like the tiger of his day. Took the sport to a new level of popularity. doesn't say anything about cocktail waitresses though...

ThunderCat

Bobby Locke was always highly regarded in the putting steaks as was Ben Crenshaw and, as one poster pointed out earlier, Brad Faxon.
Tom Watson has proven time and again to be the master in and around the green. Just to watch him take out a wedge on the fringe where most players would use a putter shows the confidence and ability he has in that part of his game.
Nowadays im often impressed by Retief Goosens short game as well as Tigers putting and Harringtons scrambling. On the other side of the coin I think Anthony Kim struggles with the short game a bit and of course we all know about Sergio Garcia and his putting.

BiffoGooner

ThunderCat wrote: »

On the other side of the coin I think Anthony Kim struggles with the short game a bit and of course we all know about Sergio Garcia and his putting.

Must be sickening to lose 2 majors to the same man mostly thanks to dodgy putts from just a few feet.

spacecoyote

Was talking with my Dad about this recently enough and he said that he followed John Daly around for a day at the Irish OPen years ago and that his short game on the day was extremely inventive

G1032

lotie wrote: »

Harry Vardon has to be up there - recommend reading Mark Frost's novel "The Greatest Game ever played" - good insight into the achievements of Vardon despite his career being interrupted by serious illness.

durkadurka wrote: »

I'm reading that too. Very enjoyable. Vardon seems like the tiger of his day. Took the sport to a new level of popularity. doesn't say anything about cocktail waitresses though...

If you like that book then you should also read the following two books, also by Mark Frost:

The Grand Slam - (book about Bobby Jones. Great read.)
The Match.

Both very good reads.