Ranking the Majors

[ColinKelvin]

The Open - the original and best, a unique test on great links courses (last year's nonsense course apart).

 

...

 

US Open and Masters - roughly equal and offer very different things - usually the hardest test (last year's nonsense course apart), and the most prestigious, respectively.

 

...

 

...

...

 

...

 

PGA - barely a major, lacks a solid identity, and if there is going to be change in the world of tour golf, this should be replaced as a major by something outside the US very soon.  At best, it just looks like a regular tour event with larger crowds, bigger leaderboards, and more flags. Oh, and a smattering of random club pros thrown in for good measure.

[bcjim]

US Open

The others

 

I like all of them just fine,  though I find the Masters kind of a dog-and-pony show. 

[freeze16172002]

From a viewers stand point

US Open

The Open

The Masters 

Pga 

If I was a Pro player

US Open

Masters

Open

PGA

Edited May 15, 2024 by freeze16172002

[Guest]

Masters

The Open

Pga Championship 

US open 

[Mr.Cleeks]

7 hours ago, TexasTurf said:

Masters is always last. Least competitive field. Mediocre course (but in great condition). All other tournaments are open to the people. 

LMAO a top heavy field is way better IMO.

[Ferguson]

2 hours ago, iBanesto said:

1. Qatar Masters

@Ferguson

 

 

 

The Qatar Masters is my field of dreams. 

 

Go the distance.

 

 

 

[dmeeksDC]

I love to watch The Masters but it’s not close to an open. It’s a limited field invitational played on a course with no rough. The golf course is a little boring IMO. The Players is a better tournament in terms of championship golf. 
 

I’m with Jack: US Open, The Open, PGA and The Masters. 

[SlothofDespond]

1. Masters, 2. US Open, 3. The Open (though I suspect I would reverse the opens if I wasn't American), and in a distant 4th, the PGA. Maybe that changes years down the road. It certainly feels a bit like the Masters has willed and marketed itself into being the cream of the crop over the past few decades so I can see why maybe Nicklaus felt differently back in 1990. Today, I don't think any pro would say they most want to win the PGA unless they've only won the PGA...

Edited May 15, 2024 by SlothofDespond

[anth]

In terms of what I look forward to watching the most:

 

Open Championship

Masters

US Open

PGA

 

 

[nitram]

Masters

US Open

British Open

PGA

[BlackDiamondPar5]

This survey is around 12 years old...

 

Player Preferences (based on a Sports Illustrated survey in April that asked 50 pros: “Which major would you most like to win?”):

1. Masters 50%

2. British Open 25%

3. U.S. Open 23%

4. PGA Championship 2%

[Ferguson]

12 minutes ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

This survey is around 12 years old...

 

Player Preferences (based on a Sports Illustrated survey in April that asked 50 pros: “Which major would you most like to win?”):

1. Masters 50%

2. British Open 25%

3. U.S. Open 23%

4. PGA Championship 2%

 

Wonder if this survey would be different if taken today with the PGA now being played in May?   I am thinking the PGA would take some share from the British Open, possibly moving the British Open to third behind the US Open.  The US Masters will always be first. 

 

[Ghostwedge]

39 minutes ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

This survey is around 12 years old...

 

Player Preferences (based on a Sports Illustrated survey in April that asked 50 pros: “Which major would you most like to win?”):

1. Masters 50%

2. British Open 25%

3. U.S. Open 23%

4. PGA Championship 2%

50 Pro's ... were half of them Euro's ? Putting the US Open 3rd ...wth.

Although with some of the set ups lately... sigh.

[vandyfan]

Masters

Open Championship
US Open
Women's Open Championship
Women's US Open
PGA
 

[WilliePPQ]

I think it's difficult to rank without some other criteria to apply. I've come to appreciate the "strength of field" argument that also places the Players into the discussion. Masters is the one with the tradition and "cachet" and as an American I'm always going to rate US Open ahead of British. But for TV viewing pleasure Springtime Masters and quirky British Open set ups are always a fun view. It's a shame that a lot of the older more notable courses have become almost obsolete as a result of technology and physical development of the players, and hence PGA and US Open sometimes suffer from same kind of funky outcomes. But that's also part of what makes the game so much fun to watch and enjoy. The "where did that guy come from" discussion is always fun. So here goes:

 

Masters

US Open

Players

PGA / British Open

[jonsnow]

9 hours ago, TexasTurf said:

Masters is always last. Least competitive field. Mediocre course (but in great condition). All other tournaments are open to the people. 

[Dave230]

1 hour ago, Ghostwedge said:

50 Pro's ... were half of them Euro's ? Putting the US Open 3rd ...wth.

Although with some of the set ups lately... sigh.

The US Open is probably the one that sets you up the least of the four. John Daly is still playing the Open and the PGA for tournaments he won 30 years ago. Meanwhile Graeme McDowell hasn't played in the US Open for 4 years despite winning in 2010.

[StoutKing]

10 hours ago, TexasTurf said:

Masters is always last. Least competitive field. Mediocre course (but in great condition). All other tournaments are open to the people. 

Love the hot take!  It still tests players well but would love to see it returned to its MacKenzie roots.  Don't like the clean bunker look at all.

[Abh159]

#1 - Masters

#2(tie) - US Open

#2(tie) -  Open Championship

#4 - US Amateur

 

 

#347 - PGA Championship

[billyspan]

2 hours ago, Ferguson said:

 

Wonder if this survey would be different if taken today with the PGA now being played in May?   I am thinking the PGA would take some share from the British Open, possibly moving the British Open to third behind the US Open.  The US Masters will always be first. 

 

Interestingly enough the PGA Championship was played after the Masters on several occasions.  In 1949 Snead won the Masters and PGA...headed to the US Open and came up one shot short of Middlecoff.

[billyspan]

6 hours ago, fowlerscousin said:

I'd rather win a season on the big break than the canadian open

I feel you.  That is what that event got after being taken by the PGA Tour and parked at Glen Abbey for years.  So many great venues in Canada!!

[mgoblue83]

Enjoy watching:

1. Open 

2. US Open

3. Masters

4. PGA

 

Want to win:

1. Masters (Does more for your career than any other)

2. US Open

3. Open

4. PGA

 

[Konklifer]

Masters

Open

US Open

PGA

So…I win the Masters once, then stink it up for the rest of my career. But once a year, FOR LIFE, I get to go back to that course, play in the tournament, and be treated like royalty?
 

What are we even talking about?

Edited May 15, 2024 by Konklifer

[Kai Slater]

1. Open Championship

2. PGA

3. US Open

4. Masters

[J-Blade]

2 hours ago, billyspan said:

Interestingly enough the PGA Championship was played after the Masters on several occasions.  In 1949 Snead won the Masters and PGA...headed to the US Open and came up one shot short of Middlecoff.

Back in the day, most U.S. players didn't cross the pond to go to The Open. Hence, Snead's infamous comment upon first seeing St. Andrews, "That looks like an old abandoned golf course." Still, Slammin Sammy won there in '46. 

 

Now that I think about it, because of the weather, which usually plays a role, as well as it's longer history, I may have to change my ranking and move The Open up to #2. 

 

I think at one point the PGA was held at the same time as the Open? I could be wrong about that. 

[kiawah]

I think my personal ranking is the Masters at 1, but the other 3 are subject to change based on venue. I love the US Open and would comfortably put it at 2 most years, but at courses where guys go low like Erin Hills I would put the PGA and Open above it. I think the PGA is amazing when it's at a Baltusrol, Bethpage, or a Kiawah, but at bland venues it can feel like a regular tour event. I think the Open is a good watch but I don't find it as interesting. I get the "purist" golf aspect, but I like American courses more. To each their own

[jrg75]

The Open, US Open and PGA are so venue dependent for me that the Masters is the one I can predictably rank first because ANGC feels familiar and sets up great for television.

 

But, an Open at the Old Course or Carnoustie can rival Augusta, same with a US Open at Oakmont or Shinnecock. I find some of the other venues less interesting and in those years, the Masters is the highlight of the year.

 

PGA in general is the lowest ranked for me.  The courses are less interesting (Kiawah and Bethpage as exceptions) and the event feels less prestigious.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by jrg75

[SurfDuffer]

To me, its in the following order:

 

1.  The Open Championship

2.  The Masters in a very close second.

.

.

.

.

3.  Lagging quite a bit behind the two above we have the US Open.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

4.  Lagging way waaaaaaaay behind the three above is the PGA Championship.

[tiderider]

the Open

Masters & US Open tied for 2nd

PGA

 

people always commenting about the pga being last ... something has to be last ... doesn't mean it's not a great tournament ... 

[SlothofDespond]

4 hours ago, WilliePPQ said:

I think it's difficult to rank without some other criteria to apply. I've come to appreciate the "strength of field" argument that also places the Players into the discussion. Masters is the one with the tradition and "cachet" and as an American I'm always going to rate US Open ahead of British. But for TV viewing pleasure Springtime Masters and quirky British Open set ups are always a fun view. It's a shame that a lot of the older more notable courses have become almost obsolete as a result of technology and physical development of the players, and hence PGA and US Open sometimes suffer from same kind of funky outcomes. But that's also part of what makes the game so much fun to watch and enjoy. The "where did that guy come from" discussion is always fun. So here goes:

 

Masters

US Open

Players

PGA / British Open

 

Strength of field is part of what makes the PGA the worst, and the Masters the best IMO.