by Dann Hall
Woods is currently rated #72 in driving distance
and #154th in driving accuracy.
Yet, he is still #1 in greens in regulation
and #1 in putting when hitting greens in regulation.
How are they going to Tiger proof that?

by TOP FLITE
This, in my mind, proves the point that I'm trying to make. You don't have to be accurate off the tee. Just bomb it away and you have a short iron (for them) to come into the green.
It's what I mean by saying the courses play into his favor. There's a fine line between the distance of being 72 and in the top 10. He's still known as a bomber. The courses favor the bombers.
However, where are the closers? They are no where to be found. I don't think the tour has that many great players. It has a lot of very good players.
However, GREAT PLAYERS KNOW HOW TO CLOSE.
In that regard, Tiger is in rare company at the current time on the tour. It's been that way for the past few years. He doesn't face that many players that can close the deal.
Tiger is great. No doubt about it. However, I don't think he's the greatest of all time. That can't be proven by mere stats.
One other thing that I'd like to say about Tiger. He's not fan friendly like Jack, Arnie, Lee, and many others were. He could take a lesson from Phil Mickelson in that regard.

by Evil B
I agree. If the courses weren't lengthened and the rough was to open standards then Tiger's "hit it as hard as I can and let a fan fluff it up for me so I can hit wedge in" style wouldn't be as successful. The fact that he is 154th in driving accuracy says it all. You don't have to hit fairways if you can hit a short iron in each time. The PGA is going to do whatever they can to keep Woods winning, so don't look for target golf to make a comeback anytime soon.

by Caterina
I put this in the category of "Dumbest Commentary Article Ever - 'It's Not the Lack of Competition, It's the Long Courses - WAAAAHHHH!"
Get over it. Tiger is the best and always will be.

by Joe
Well said. It's the course that creates the challenge.Longer courses shorten the field.

by Dan
The "Tigerized" the courses because no one could beat him on the shorter courses.. Now no one can beat him on the "Tigerized" courses.. Why do you find it so difficult to admit.. Tiger is the best now, and before, and most probabaly EVER.. You should just feel very fortunate to live in the era that
Tiger is playing..I now I am.

by FRED SELTMAN
"fortunate to live in the era" ? ?
PLEASE SPARE ME.
ABOUT TIME SOME ONE SPOKE UP AND TOLD IT LIKE IT IS

by Bob Martin
Tiger has 39 inch arms, no body fat, top condition, mentally very strong, most par fives are four for him and several others, very stable financially, personal life is strong, Hank Haney is a great communicater, very importantly......Williams his caddy does not get enough credit for keeping him focused etc etc...and yes you make a great observation about shorter, finesse courses...in my humble opinion.....only personal challenges away from the courses or injury is going to stop Tiger through the next 6 or 7 years....or his desire to keep playing and focusing and wanting to win every time he tees it up....Respectively submitted...Bob Martin..Ontario...Canada

by Nooley Reinheardt
Half the guys out there are as long as Tiger. I just watched Paul Casey hit a PW to a 174 yard par-4 at Doral -- Tiger hit 9 iron.
The deal is, who makes the putts Tiger does and when he does?
I do think Palmer, Casper, Player, Miller, Trevino and perhaps a few others were tougher competition for Nicklaus than Tiger has today.

by Jon Salomon
I think you make an excellent point about the golf course changes only helping Tiger Woods dominate more. It has shut the door on the shorter, finesse guys and even caused the younger guys to become nothing more than "mad-bombers" to some extent (with a few exceptions, of course). Having said that, I do believe that Nicklaus had it tougher because 1. There were more multiple major winners - guys who knew how to win and never backed down - in his time and 2. There were not so many wealthy players back then so winning also meant a lot to them financially. Today a touring pro can make a great living by being consistently in the top 25, or even top 50 - not so in Jack's time. I think some of todays pros are happy to play, collect a nice check and stay in the background. My opinion anyway.