The Timewarp Championship

Team 1
Young Tom Morris
Willie Anderson
Bob Ferguson
Harry Vardon

Team 2
Walter Hagen
Bobby Jones
Henry Cotton
Gene Sarazen

Team 3
Sam Snead
Bobby Locke
Peter Thompson
Ben Hogan

Team 4
Arnold Palmer
Gary Player
Jack Nicklaus
Lee Trevino

Team 5
Seve Ballesteros
Nick Faldo
Greg Norman
Tom Watson

Team 6
Ernie Els
Tiger Woods
Colin Montgomerie
Paidraig Harrington

Team 7
Westy
Brains
Kaiser
Lookie

Now the MAGIC starts.
Each team has to step into each others timewarp to play home and away.
18 holes strokeplay league.
Who would win and why

For me must be team 4 Jack, Arnie, Gary and Lee, I think those 4 in their prime would win on any course anywhere at anytime, against any other golfers.

Thats because I have watched those 4 play in their prime, and they would beat, any others that I have seen, but quite a few of the ones in other teams I have not had the pleasure of watching( not often I can say I was to young to have seen them play).

So going by what I have seen team 4 miles ahead of the rest.

Not sure it would make a difference but maybe squeeze Byron Nelson onto team #3 or maybe add another team. Researching Cotton found it interesting that he won the 1936 Italian Open as well as the 1937, '38 and '39 German Opens. Talk about playing right up to the precipice.

I'd go with Team Four as well but if you were to swap Paddy and Monty for Mickleson and Singh then that would be a better team IMO.

Team 4 for me as well, because they were transitionary. All could work the ball, which was a prerequisite for earlier years.

But I also really like team 2 as well!

Just a personal belief, but I think the modern players would struggle more with older equipment, than vice versa. They would of course sort it given time, but not sufficiently well in 1 round. Whereas the modern game would be fairly simple for older players to convert to as all clubs, courses and balls are designed to be easier to play.

By the way - welcome Doon.

Thanks OS.

Quite interesting this.

I would see Trevino as the strongest player in group 4 and Hogan as the weakest player in group 3.
Tom Watson would cross the divide easily wheras Seve and Tiger would be forever lost in the gorse/ heather on the early rougher courses and without the crowds to find thier balls.
Locke and Thomson would be good, they could deal with stymies and 'play the ball as it lies' rules.
Young Tom would be the pick of the bunch of Team 1, remember he only played for a few years.
I think on balance I would go for group 3.

Would be between teams 4 and 5 for me

I wonder how a "current" team of Luke, Westy, Coco and Kaiser Kaymer would fare?

I shall add it Davie, In time Lookie and Brains [ex Coco]........ maybe

I know insufficient about team 1, but from 2-7 and knowing you can't really compare golfers over the generations, I would put team 7 at the bottom by some way, in fact struggling to stay with their contemporaries above.

Maybe Lefty and VJ should be in team 6 as digs says, but they still would not be above 4, 3, or 2 in my book. Not because they are not as good golfers, but because they are not as controlled and as Doon says, they would be hacking out of the 'umbala'.

So my league table would be:-

4
2
3
5
6
1
7

Doon; just to balance things up a bit can I suggest Team 8; comprising Tony Jacklin, Ben Crenshaw, Payne Stewart and Sandy Lyle.

For me it would be either Team 4 or 5; but I'm erring towards Team 5 (especially if links golf is played) because the likes of Tom Watson has proved himself consistently over the past 40 years.

If Noshank's Team 8 was added, there could be a 8 team round-robin matchplay league. The dynamics would definitely change and I'd have to give Teams #1-3 more consideration with #2 the favorite. (One drawback: they would have to adjust their tactics and overall strategy with the elimination of the stymie play. Or maybe we bring it back into play?!)

For strokeplay:
4 Arnie +
3 Snead +
5 Seve +
6 Ernie +
2 Hagen +
7 Westy +
1 YT Morris +

Being a bit unfair to Team #1 but can't assess them. Interestingly, Team #2 could easily be at any of the top spots. Team #7 needs more time for 2 of them.

What scares me is that I have watched 23 of the 28 golfers playing live.
3
5
4
2
1
6
7
For me.

Noshanking
I think your four players would be in Team 4's era and for that reason I shall keep it at seven. Hard to replace any of those four players in Team 4.