From The Gallery - Letter to the Editor

Additional greats

July: The 50 Greatest Golfers of All Time

Although the majority of your choices for the 50 Greatest Golfers were superb, you made one glaring error. Leaving out Fred Couples was unjustified. He possesses one of the best golf swings ever.

Larry Sadinsky, Toronto

You omitted someone who should have been in the top 20. Tom Morris Jr. won four British Opens in a row. He is second to Tom Morris Sr. for the largest winning margin. His phenomenal career was cut short, probably before he reached his prime.

Jim Matthews, Sebastopol, Calif.

Why aren't Leo Diegel and Denny Shute included? Between 1920 and 1934, Diegel had 29 tour victories, including two PGA Championships. Between 1929 and 1939, Shute had 15 tour victories, including two PGA Championships and the 1933 British Open.

Michael Altman, Warwick, N.Y.

I couldn't help but notice that Francis Ouimet was not on the list. I half-expected him--not because of his ball striking, but because of his role in the development of golf worldwide.

Vince Gomez, M.D., Manila

Your top 50 best golfers did not pick JoAnne Gunderson Carner. You owe this all-time "Big Mama" an apology.

Fred L. Mueller, Punta Gorda, Fla.

The article on the 50 Greatest golfers was puzzling. First, the selection of golfers goes back only to about 1900. In the 1850s, Allan Robertson, a golf professional from St. Andrews, was considered the best golfer. His death in 1859 inspired the founding of the British Open as an annual event to determine the "best golfer." Surely he and Willie Park should be on your list. Although you include several women, there was no mention of Joyce Wethered. Alister Mackenzie and Bobby Jones regarded her as the greatest shotmaker they had known.

Rick Bradley, Bloomington, Ind.

A case for rule-bending
July: The ghost of dead, old Henry

I have some comments and disagreements concerning Jerry Tarde's column. I usually play golf to enjoy myself. If I use preferred lies, whom do I hurt? If my handicap is too low, so what?

The game is very hard. No matter how much time I have, how much I practice, or how fancy technology gets, I will never be an expert. If a little bending of the rules allows me to have a much less frustrating time, so what? It's only a game.

However, the main reason I don't follow the Rules of Golf is because I find them confusing, arbitrary and inconsistent. I have multiple college graduate degrees. I have read the rules and decisions cover to cover several times.

At one time, I was determined to learn the rules and decisions. It became a matter of personal pride. I read, I studied, I made flash cards. I drilled. I could keep it straight for about six months, and then it all got blurred. I actually made up a "cheat sheet" on the rules--simplified, easy to understand, to carry on your golf bag.

The USGA would not let me distribute it. I carry one on my bag and find it very helpful on the rules--even when I don't follow them.

John Velikoff

Unequal pay
July: LPGA purses versus the PGA

The fifth-highest money-maker on the LPGA Tour would not be among the top 50 on the PGA list. Women work just as hard but are not as recognized.

Jill Mooney, Jackson, Miss.

RELATED ARTICLE: Question of the month

Should there be two sets of rules--one for amateurs, another for professionals?

Send correspondence to: From the Gallery, 5520 Park Ave., Box 395, Trumbull, CT 06611. Fax: 203-371-2162. E-mail: editor@golfdigest.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: What you're thinking: Golfdigest.com surveys

How many major championships will Tiger Woods win in his career,
including his three U.S. Amateur titles?

19 or more         57.4%
15-Nov             20.1%
16-18              14.1%
10-Jul              6.3%
Six (present total) 2.1%

How many more senior majors will Jack Nicklaus win?

None               70.3%
Two                11.5%
One                11.0%
Four or more        5.5%
Three               1.6%

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