Ranking the Majors

[Danielson]

2 minutes ago, SlothofDespond said:

 

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

 

Strength of field in the masters is actually usually not great though, right? Small field, of which many are not super competitive but are past champs and get to keep going. I think the course, presentation, and "mystique" are what makes the Masters great moreso than strength of field. I would think both Opens are considerably higher

[Berwick]

My personal favourites are:

 

1) The Open Championship

2) The Masters

3) The US Open

4) The PGA

[Ghostwedge]

3 hours ago, Konklifer said:

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?

Until you shoot a smooth 85-88 then.....

you get a note from Fred " Dear Mr Konk, upon further review we request that your participation in tournament play be limited to the par 3 contest and is permanent until your demise, " Sincerely FR Chairman ANGC.

paraphrasing of course. ☺

[Archimedes65]

28 minutes ago, Berwick said:

My personal favourites are:

 

1) The Open Championship

2) The Masters

3) The US Open

4) The PGA

 

This would be mine as well, though I’d prefer that the Players was also a major and I’d slot it in at #4.

[SlothofDespond]

1 hour ago, Danielson said:

 

Strength of field in the masters is actually usually not great though, right? Small field, of which many are not super competitive but are past champs and get to keep going. I think the course, presentation, and "mystique" are what makes the Masters great moreso than strength of field. I would think both Opens are considerably higher

 

Correct, smaller field and a bunch of older guys who likely aren't going to win (but might stick on the leaderboard a bit), which is better than a deep field. It's a tournament for the elite players. I don't think depth of field is meaningful. After the Top 50 it's basically a bunch of interchangeable parts. Let them find a way to become relevant and they can show up next year when they are...

Edited May 15, 2024 by SlothofDespond

[Jgolfer99]

I agree with Jack's ranking wholeheartedly in terms of course difficulty, strength of field and world-wide pedigree.  The Masters has a huge soft spot in American's hearts and minds because it does exactly what America loves - brand, image, promotion and repeat. 

[Need4spd]

This thread has it all and goes to show how different we all are. I’ve seen Augusta National referred to as a “mediocre” golf course and The PGA likened to a regular tour stop. Neither of which is a take I can remotely relate to.

 

Bear in mind, these are all just golf tournaments played on golf courses. The term “major” is, for all intents are purposes, artificial. The stature has been elevated because throughout history it was simply decided that it was going to be that way. Not trying to take anything away from the majors, I get as jacked up for them as anyone and respect the designation. 
 

One could make a fairly cogent argument though that some of the WGC events of yesteryear were every bit as good in a lot of ways. Maybe not the Match Play but you get my point. 
 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by Need4spd

[mukster]

Open

Masters

US Open

PGA

 

 

[Port and Starboard]

1.   Masters  ..........  Same great course every year, but the course also plays so much different from year to year.  

 

2.  US Open............ Hardest test in golf IMO, but the USGA also has a habit of setting up a course borderline insane.

 

3.  PGA Championship......... Similar to the US Open.

 

4 Open Championship  ............  yeah, yeah, yeah........the history........blah blah blah.    Played on mediocre courses where luck of the draw, quirky bounces, and blind potholes come into play. Can we please get a few female streakers once in a while?   

 

Just my opinion of course.😉

[iBanesto]

21 hours ago, Ferguson said:

 

 

The Qatar Masters is my field of dreams. 

 

Go the distance.

 

 

 

 

Joining some of the exclusive group of Qatar Masters champions is something to dream of...

 

- Andrew Coltart

- Rolf Muntz

- Darren Fichardt

- Wang Jeung-hun

- Sami Välimäki

 

Everyone knows these great champions.

[Ferguson]

26 minutes ago, iBanesto said:

 

Joining some of the exclusive group of Qatar Masters champions is something to dream of...

 

- Andrew Coltart

- Rolf Muntz

- Darren Fichardt

- Wang Jeung-hun

- Sami Välimäki

 

Everyone knows these great champions.

 

The unsung heroes of golf.  All deserving special exemptions to the HOF.  

 

In my humble opinion, a player has not served his career properly without playing The Qatar Masters at least once.

 

As once stated by the great Renton Laidlaw, "Oh, dear, dear, dear, if you have not seen Qatar, you are missing something."

 

 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

What ever happened to the Shot Clock Masters? If it were still around it be #4 on my list :) 

https://golf.com/news/european-tours-shot-clock-masters-debuts-to-rave-reviews/

 

[maxpeck]

The Open is my favourite without a doubt, followed by the Masters, then the US Open and the PGA.

 

I like the history of the Open and the courses combined with the varying weather. The Masters and the US Open are pretty interchangeable however.

Edited May 16, 2024 by maxpeck

[J-Blade]

2 hours ago, maxpeck said:

The Open is my favourite without a doubt, followed by the Masters, then the US Open and the PGA.

 

I like the history of the Open and the courses combined with the varying weather. The Masters and the US Open are pretty interchangeable however.

Good choices. 

 

By the way, love your NASA/Apollo referenced username. "If you know, you know." 🙂

[maxpeck]

Space will always be cool 🙂

[gato_plomo]

On 5/15/2024 at 4:34 AM, billyspan said:

British Open

US Open

Canadian Open

Australian Open

You just pissed off some Europeans 

[DoughBack18]

US Open

Masters

Bristish Open

PGA Championship

 

For me anyway! And can we put the PGA back in August?? This was a great tourney, but it sucks that we are half way through the major season already. Golf season is just starting to ramp up in the northeast and there’s only 2 majors left. Just feels off…

[me05501]

Coming off Valhalla this weekend it seems like the existence of "elevated events" on the PGAT really sucks some of the wind out of the PGA Championship. I'm sure it feels a bit different on-site but as televised it might as well be the BMW or the Wells Fargo.  

[cdnglf]

what players most want to win:

Masters

Open

US Open

PGA

Players

 

typical strength of field:

PGA

Open

US Open

Players

Masters

[Birdman62]

9 hours ago, DoughBack18 said:

US Open

Masters

Bristish Open

PGA Championship

 

For me anyway! And can we put the PGA back in August?? This was a great tourney, but it sucks that we are half way through the major season already. Golf season is just starting to ramp up in the northeast and there’s only 2 majors left. Just feels off…

 

Every 4 years it would have to be moved for the Olympics, such as this year.

 

Question about the (British) Open: are there top-notch courses in the UK which are NOT links courses per se, but have no chance of entering the rota precisely because of their non-links nature?  Sure would be nice to vary things once in awhile.

[StoutKing]

39 minutes ago, Birdman62 said:

 

Every 4 years it would have to be moved for the Olympics, such as this year.

 

Question about the (British) Open: are there top-notch courses in the UK which are NOT links courses per se, but have no chance of entering the rota precisely because of their non-links nature?  Sure would be nice to vary things once in awhile.

That would actually be okay IMO.  Go somewhere in the south where it would typically be too hot in August.

[golfheaven69]

Masters

US Open

Open

PGA

PLAYERS

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Us open.. masters.. pga

... the open...

 

Us open best trophy rich history.

Green jacket obviously. But gets a little boring being played every year in the same course imo. Also hate it in April.

Wannamake is an awsome trophy and underrated tourney imo.

I like the open and all.. but its very boring to me. The conditions are overly unrealistic sometimes too lol just my opinion. Clarret jug is cool though.

[ColinKelvin]

On 5/16/2024 at 10:22 AM, Port and Starboard said:

1.   Masters  ..........  Same great course every year, but the course also plays so much different from year to year.  

 

2.  US Open............ Hardest test in golf IMO, but the USGA also has a habit of setting up a course borderline insane.

 

3.  PGA Championship......... Similar to the US Open.

 

4 Open Championship  ............  yeah, yeah, yeah........the history........blah blah blah.    Played on mediocre courses where luck of the draw, quirky bounces, and blind potholes come into play. Can we please get a few female streakers once in a while?   

 

Just my opinion of course.😉

 

I realise your post is probably a fishing expedition and I am biting, but oh dear...

 

 

[Kai Slater]

Interesting to see all the responses and it really is tuff trying to rank the majors when so many of the factors that are subject to individual feelings.  From a personal point of view, I ranked the PGA much higher on the list because of the strong field, the extensive history, and the inclusion of a few club pros, who are, in some way, the backbone and foundation of the game that extends down to us regular people.  My wife's cousin was a top club professional for years and I grew to appreciate all he did surrounding the game of golf, which elevated my view of the PGA Championship.

[Kai Slater]

Throwing the Players Championship into the mix.  I would sign off on that one becoming a "major"

[jkumpire]

Hi Everyone!

 

I do not post often but I think the discussion is limited by the term 'majors'. We see it as four tournaments, but my list of 'majors' is quite different: 

 

1. Ryder Cup

2. Masters

3. Open Championship

4. President's Cup

5. US Women's Open

6. US Open

7. PGA

8. Solheim Cup

9. BMW PGA Championship

10. US Senior Open

 

YMMV

Edited May 21, 2024 by jkumpire
Typed a tournament name in incorrectly

[Dutch1008]

On 5/20/2024 at 2:10 PM, Birdman62 said:

Every 4 years it would have to be moved for the Olympics, such as this year.

 

Question about the (British) Open: are there top-notch courses in the UK which are NOT links courses per se, but have no chance of entering the rota precisely because of their non-links nature?  Sure would be nice to vary things once in awhile.

 

Adare Manor in Ireland is getting the Ryder Cup (Not UK). I'm sure there are a few London heathland courses that would be interesting, although the ones that are highly regarded may be too short these days. 

[Tpfol]

1) THE Open

2) Masters

3) US Open

4) TPC

5) US Amateur

6) PGA

 

Edited May 21, 2024 by Tpfol

[StoutKing]

I'm one of the biggest fans of championship British links there is.  That being said the work being done on those courses is taking them away from their original design and strategies every year, while the US Open courses are being restored to the intent of the great architects.  I'd like to see the British courses join the party and do some thoughtful restovations.  Was really visible last year at Hoylake.  Instead of bringing back some of the lost OB features they built a fake looking par 3.  Anyway - the Open is still awesome just some thoughts on the courses that would strengthen the championship.