[quote=annikan skywalker]Tiger...I think?
Charles Howell - Leadbetter....BUT his coach at OSU - Mike Holder is a huge TGM guy....knows his stuff wonder why he was one of if not the best golf coaches in NCAA history....I don't know if Holder had any influence on Howell when He was there at OSU...




Hmmm... I was counting CHIII in the TGM influenced camp in spite of Leadbetter, in part because of OK ST, and because I heard that he had studied under Kelnhoffer as well...

i havent seen many guys up close except for just a few holes at a time but ernie els at the pga at riviera on thursday and friday was very good. chip beck short but a very good ballstriker acctually not that short considering his small stature. and of course mac he has such a great blend of power and accuracy i recently stood on the range with him and a pga player you see commercials on a regular basis and there was no comparison any trajectory any shape any time. he put on a display with his 1 iron hogan blade that the pro was even acting goofy, it was great

Whistling Straits....I was watching Vijay and Padraig hitting 3 woods side by side on the range to greens out in the distance.

Vijay was hitting fades.....Padraig was hitting draws....

For both of them I remember the same thing- each successive shot seemed to trace the same path in the air. Pretty cool.

Although never seen in person, all debate starts and ends with Hogan in my opinion.
I have talked to many of my older friends and they all say the same thing, it was the most beautiful, most controlled aggression they have ever seen. They all speak of the sound being different than all others.( If the sound thing sounds familiar, people in the know said the same of Bobby Clampett).
Was also very impressed with Keith Clearwater at Augusta in early 90's.


Todd

The best?

Lee Trevino by FAR.

Hit had a lot of MASH and hit the MIDDLE of the sweetspot every time and hit it DEAD where he was looking.

Johnny Miller hit the PRETTY-ist ball I ever saw. And at least 3 shots a round stone dead (lick in range).

Byron Nelson in his 60's hit it DEAD STRAIGHT every damn time, no curve. Just one yard pulls and 1 yard pushes. You got the felling he would NEVER miss a fairway.

Tom Bartlett—in his mid-20's—was the most impressive driver of the ball ever.
30 yards longer than anyone who hit it as straight.

David Toms hits the sweetspot more times than anyone...EVER. And always hole-high.

As far as moving the ball around at will...?

There was this fat guy at Caton that even impressed the unimpressable Ben Doyle...:cool:

The best ballstriking I have witnessed in person

Tiger Woods - US Open 2000 at Pebble Beach
Ernie Els - US Open 2000, and 1998 US Open at Olympic Club
Bobby Clampett - Carmel Valley Ranch
Johnny Miller - Silverado Golf Club in Napa, CA
Steve Elkington - PGA at Riviera Country Club
Mac O'Grady - San Jose, CA

Snead
 

1964, tweleve yrs old...Sam Snead and Gary Player played an 18 hole exhibition at my home course...my dad was the clubpro but I'd never seen or heard a ball hit like Snead...trajectory was perfect, a little draw with the old balata and wood...Snead shot 65 and made no putts, Player a smooth 66...these guys had never seen this little west texas track before...amazing...the next yr we had Palmer and Nicklaus...wasn't the same although Nicklaus hit long irons higher than I could even imagine.... which didn't help in that dust storm we were having ...Palmer 76, Nicklaus 74...

Seen many of the greats through the years but Snead was something else...so solid/smoooth

So Far We Have
 

The list so far...

Vijay Singh
Fred Couples
Tom Weiskopf
Lee Trevino
Wayne DeFrancesco
Ben Hogan
Mac O'Grady
Tiger Woods
Keith Clearwater
Neal Lancaster
Charles Howell III
Steve Elkington
Elliot Gealy
Mike Bennett
Bobby Clampett
Annika Sorenstam
Christian Cleaver
Tom Watson
Mark Calcaveccia
Greg Norman
Ernie Els
Jamie Hallet
Ted Fort
Lynn Blake
Jack Nicklaus
Tom Tomasello
Matthew Goggin
Nick Price
Miller Barber
Orville Moody
Davis Love
Padraig Harrington
Johnny Miller
Byron Nelson
David Toms
Tom Bartlett
Sam Snead
Gary Player
Chip Beck

Several of these were mentioned more than once. Lee Trevino, I believe has been mentioned the most so far.

what is a best ball striker?
 

And the "Best Ball Striker" does what better?

Would a 'best ball striker' in say Hogan or Jack's day (that is two eras, no?) be different in today's era?

Lynn's impact hurts my ears. Got to worth something on the list.

.................................................. ..............

You probably have somewhat of a point about the different eras, but... players that consistently strike the ball solidly, have good trajectory control, direction control, and distance control... kind of stand out in any era.

I bet Vardon and Jones, for example, had that Good Ball Striker status also.