Who is the Best Golfer of All Time? Breaking Down the Greatest Careers
08 Oct 2025
0 comments
Table of Content
- What are the Criteria for Judging the Best Golfer?
- How do experts view this issue?
- Why Are Legendary Golfers Considered the Best in Golf？
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Who is the Best Golfer of All Time? From Jack Nicklaus’s record 18 majors to Tiger Woods’ transformative impact on the sport, the debate is endless. In this article, we'll take a close look at the careers of the biggest legends and explore what makes them stand out in the history of the game.
What are the Criteria for Judging the Best Golfer?
In golf history, each era has had its own standout players. When comparing players from different times, there are a few key things to consider, like the number of championships or their skill level.
Picture From Golf Monthly
Picture From CNN
Picture From Golf Monthly
Picture From the Texas Golf Hall of Fame
Championships: The number of major titles and PGA Tour wins is often the easiest way to measure a player's greatness. The number of majors, which usually refers to The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship, is especially important. It shows how consistent a player is in the biggest tournaments.
Skill and Influence: Great golfers have excellent technique, with a focus on precision, consistency, and reliability. The best players can perform well no matter the course or conditions. Some of the greatest not only change the game with their skills but also leave a lasting impact on golf culture, making their mark on the sport for generations.
Mental Toughness: Mental strength plays a crucial role in golf. This means staying calm and performing consistently, especially during tense moments or key shots in a match.
Comparative Factors: While the number of championships is a direct way to measure a player's success, it doesn’t fully capture their overall greatness. Besides titles, a player's overall influence, the level of competition during their era, and their innovative playing style are all important factors to consider.
How do experts view this issue?
The Career Grand Slam is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in professional golf, with several experts and legends of the sport emphasizing its significance. According to Golf Digest, achieving this feat not only reflects a player's versatility across different course conditions but also their sustained excellence at the highest level of competition.[1] The magazine notes that players like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods epitomize this achievement, marking them as some of the most complete players in the sport’s history.
However, there is some controversy surrounding this accomplishment. Critics, such as Mark Roe, a former professional golfer and commentator for Eurosport, argue that modern golf, with its advancements in technology and changes in course design, has made it easier for today's players to win across all four majors.[2] Roe contends that while the Career Grand Slam is impressive, the modern-day achievement of a Calendar Year Grand Slam, winning all four majors in a single season, remains the ultimate test of consistency and skill.
Why Are Legendary Golfers Considered the Best in Golf？
Harry Vardon
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: United States
Career Period: 1896-1920
Major Championships: 7 (1 U.S. Open, 6 Open Championship)
How excellent he is: In 1986, the young Harry Vardon made a splash in the world of golf, not just with his game, but with his fashion. Unlike other players who wore formal shirts and jackets, he was the first professional golfer to wear knickerbockers (baggy pants).
Throughout his career, Vardon won 48 tournament titles and 21 team championships, setting the record for the most titles won by a single player in golf history at that time. In addition, he holds another record that still stands today—he is the only player to have won The Open Championship six times. Sadly, after contracting tuberculosis in 1903, his health began to decline, and his performance on the course was affected.
Walter Hagen
Picture From CNN
Country: United States
Career Period: 1912-1936
Major Championships: 11 (2 U.S. Open, 4 British Open, and 5 PGA Championships)
How excellent he is: Walter Hagen was active in professional golf from the early 20th century to the 1920s, a period when the distinction between amateur and professional players was clearly defined.[3] Throughout his career, Hagen earned numerous professional wins, including
Hagen was a key figure in the development of professional golf. He not only elevated the status of professional golfers but also increased their earnings. Hagen was also the first golfer to earn a career income of over one million dollars. The equally accomplished golfer Gene Sarazen once said, "All the professionals... should say a silent thanks to Walter Hagen."
Bobby Jones
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: United States
Career Period: 1923 -1930
Major Championships: 13 (4 U.S. Masters, 3 British Open, 5 U.S. Amateur titles, and 1 Amateur Championship)
How excellent he is: In 1916, Jones won his first major championship at the age of 14. Despite his early fame, he didn’t neglect his studies! He attended Harvard University and completed his education at Emory University School of Law.
Out of the 31 major championships he participated in, he achieved an impressive 13 victories. Furthermore, in 1930, he accomplished the rare feat of winning all major titles in a single year, completing the Calendar Year Grand Slam. He remains the only player to achieve this remarkable accomplishment. What is truly astonishing is that all of these titles were won during his amateur golfing career. Later in his life, Jones primarily served as a host for the Masters Tournament. Thanks to his extraordinary popularity and organizational efforts, the prestige of the Masters Tournament grew significantly.
Ben Hogan
Picture From the Texas Golf Hall of Fame
Country: United States
Career Period: 1930 - 1971
Major Championships: 5 (1 British Open, 2 PGA Championships, 2 Masters, and 4 U.S. Opens)
How excellent he is: Hogan, in his career, won 5 major championships and 64 PGA Tour titles, making him one of the players to complete the career Grand Slam. Hogan was not only known for his extraordinary golfing skills but also became a legend in the golf world for his remarkable comeback after a severe car accident, regaining his peak form. Although he was not a natural golfing prodigy, his hard work and the resilience he displayed in returning to his prime after the accident inspired many, solidifying his place as one of the greatest golfers in history.
Picture From Golf Monthly
Picture From LiveAbout
Picture From CNN
Picture From GQ
Sam Snead
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: United States
Career Period: 1934-1997
Major Championships: 7 (1 British Open, 3 PGA Championships, and 3 Masters)
How excellent he is: The golfer in the photo wearing a golf polo is Snead, an American golf legend. Over his more than sixty-year professional career, he won 82 PGA Tour titles. This impressive number of victories ties him with Tiger Woods for the most in the world, a record that remains unbroken to this day. Snead was famous for his smooth swing, and the renowned golfer Nicklaus described it as "so perfect... and the most fluid motion in the game of golf."
Gary Player
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: South Africa
Career Period: 1953 - 2009
Major Championships: 9 (1 U.S. Open, 2 PGA Championships, 3 Masters, and 3 British Open titles)
How excellent he is: Player, along with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, is known as one of "The Big Three" golfers of his era.[4] He is a legendary figure from South Africa. Starting in the late 1950s, Gary Player regularly participated in the PGA Tour. Throughout his career, he won 24 tour titles. His achievements transcended borders. He is also one of the players who completed the career Grand Slam, demonstrating the strength of his skills. His powerful game, global success, and influence have made him one of the "best" candidates in golf history.
Arnold Palmer
Picture From the Grand Lodge of Ohio
Country: United States
Career Period: 1954-2004
Major Championships: 7 (4 Masters, 1 U.S. Open, and 2 British Opens)
How excellent he is: Arnold Palmer was an influential and charismatic golfer. Throughout his more than fifty-year career, he won 62 PGA Tour titles, ranking fifth on the all-time PGA Tour victory list. Palmer was not only a great player but also a promoter of golf culture. Coming from humble beginnings, he changed people's perception of golf and helped make it a more accessible sport for the masses. His extraordinary charm on the course, along with his contributions to the popularization of golf, earned him a place in golf history, and he remains a cultural icon in the world of sports.
Jack Nicklaus
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: United States
Career Period: 1961 - 2005
Major Championships: 18 (4 U.S. Opens, 6 Master Tournaments, 5 PGA Championships, and 3 The Open Championships)
How excellent he is: He is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers in golf history. His nickname, "the Golden Bear," is quite famous. The 18 major championships he won remain an unmatched record to this day.
In 1986, at the age of 46, Nicklaus delivered an outstanding performance at the Masters, hitting multiple birdies to secure his sixth Masters victory, which is considered one of the most iconic moments in golf history. Nicklaus also became the oldest player to win the Masters, a record that still stands. He is known for his powerful and precise swing, as well as his strategic approach to the game. His dominance in golf history and long-term excellence have made him the "best" in the hearts of many.
Raymond Floyd
Picture From LiveAbout
Country: United States
Career Period: 1961 - 2010
Major Championships: 4 (2 PGA Championships, 1 Masters, and 1 U.S. Open)
How excellent he is: Since turning professional in 1961, Floyd has achieved remarkable success for a long period of time. In 1963, he won his first PGA Tour title, and 29 years later, in 1992, he secured his final PGA Tour victory. Over the course of his golf career, he won 63 professional titles. Unfortunately, he always came just short of winning the British Open, which prevented him from completing the career Grand Slam.
However, it is undeniable that this American golfer was still exceptional. He was known for his strong will and outstanding short game skills. One could say that he was one of the finest wedge players in the history of golf.
Tom Watson
Picture From Golf Monthly
Country: United States
Career Period: 1971-2019
Major Championships: 8 ( 2 Masters, 1 U.S. Open, and 5 British Opens)
How excellent he is: Watson won 70 professional titles during his career. His career peak was from 1975, when he first won the British Masters, to the late 1980s.
However, his brilliant performances on the PGA Tour began to fade by the late 1980s. What set Watson apart was his ability to perform steadily under pressure and his strong mental fortitude, which is why he was able to defeat the formidable Jack Nicklaus on several occasions. One of the most famous victories came in the 1977 British Open in Scotland, which many consider to be one of the most exciting championships of the second half of the 20th century. In addition, Watson was named PGA Player of the Year six times and won the Vardon Trophy three consecutive years, an award given to the player with the lowest average score on the PGA Tour, further demonstrating his exceptional skill.
Phil Mickelson
Picture From CNN
Country: United States
Career Period: 1992-Now
Major Championships: 6 (3 Masters, 2 PGA Tournaments, and 1British Open)
How excellent he is: During his professional career, Mickelson has won 45 PGA Tour titles and 11 European Tour titles. His Grand Slam victories span from his first in 2004 to his most recent in 2021. In 2021, at the age of 50, Mickelson became the oldest major champion in history.
Mickelson’s overall playing style is aggressive, and his approach to difficult shots—such as hazards or poor lies—is often high-risk. At the 2006 U.S. Open, after winning two consecutive majors, Mickelson continued his aggressive strategy on the final hole, making a costly mistake that caused him to miss the championship and also prevented him from becoming the third player to win three consecutive majors.
Overall, however, Mickelson has remained in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking for over 25 consecutive years—a feat very few players have achieved!
Tiger Woods
Picture From GQ
Country: United States
Career Period: 1996 - Now
Major Championships: 15 ( 3 U.S. Opens, 4 PGA Tournaments, 5 Masters, and 3 British Opens)
How excellent he is: Throughout his golf career, Woods seemed to constantly break records. In 1997, he won the Masters Tournament, becoming the youngest champion at the age of 21. That same year, he set the record for the fastest climb to the number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. In 2000, Woods won six consecutive PGA Tour titles, breaking Ben Hogan’s longest winning streak record from 1948. At the age of 24, he also became the youngest golfer to achieve the career Grand Slam.
Woods is renowned for his 15 major championships and 81 PGA Tour wins, and during his prime, Tiger Woods was unbeatable. Even after suffering major injuries, he managed to regain his competitive form and continue to make his mark in golf history. Woods has been a dominant name in the sport, having been named Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year twice and setting the highest television ratings in golf history, a testament to his immense influence.
Conclusion
These legendary golfers have not only earned countless honors through their exceptional skills, but they have also deeply influenced fans around the world through their personal charisma and contributions to the sport of golf. In your opinion, who is the Best Golfer of All Time? What qualities about them have deeply moved you? Perhaps you also have your own golf idol—feel free to share your thoughts, and let’s talk about the stories of these golf giants!
FAQs
What are“Calendar Year Grand Slam” and “Career Grand Slam”?Calendar Year Grand Slam: Winning all four major championships (The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship) in a single year. Currently, only Bobby Jones has achieved the Calendar Year Grand Slam.
Career Grand Slam: Winning each of the four major championships at least once in a career. The golfers who have achieved the Career Grand Slam include Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Rory McIlroy.
Who is the first billionaire golfer?The first billionaire golfer is Tiger Woods. His career earnings, endorsements, and business ventures have earned him this status, making him the first golfer to achieve such financial success.
Reference:
[1] The Top 10 Best Golfers Ever | MyGolfSpy
[2] https://www.tntsports.co.uk/golf/masters/2025/highlights-rory-mcilroy-beats-justin-rose-in-play-off-to-win-thrilling-masters-and-complete-career-grand-slam_vid60001925/video.shtml
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Hagen#Professional_career
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Player#Background_and_family
[2] https://www.tntsports.co.uk/golf/masters/2025/highlights-rory-mcilroy-beats-justin-rose-in-play-off-to-win-thrilling-masters-and-complete-career-grand-slam_vid60001925/video.shtml
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Hagen#Professional_career
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Player#Background_and_family
