Ryan Smither
Super Moderator
Sad news...
Byron Nelson passed away today...
- Thread starter Ryan Smither
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davidmac00
New
a true champion of the game and a gentleman,he will be sadly missed.
david
david
birdie_man
New
Great player....great swing:
http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6236&highlight=nelson+audio
http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6236&highlight=nelson+audio
Steve Khatib
Super Moderator
Know for being the father of the modern golf swing with his knee anchor, he still had such great lag loading!
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Byron Nelson
Byron Nelson passed away today.
I “met” Mr. Nelson quite a few times. By “met” I mean shook his hand and said hello.
I have met several thousand people over the years, some plain old folk, some famous. But I remember “meeting” Byron Nelson. He probably was—and this is by all accounts—the nicest famous athlete of all-time. He was also possibly the best golfer who ever lived.
The Best ?
He won 5 Majors (and several other Major-of-the-day that history put in the “regular” category) and 52 tournaments. He finished in the money in 112 straight PGA Tour events and once won 18 in one year, including 11 in a row—a streak stopped by New Orleanian and great friend, the late Freddie Haas. Nelson retired at age 34.
If Nelson had had a similar career after age 34 as his contemporaries, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, he would have won approximately 70 tournaments and a dozen majors. Of course we will never know.
He did continue to play in some events—albeit very few—and always played very well. This includes a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf event at Pine Valley against Gene Littler.
He became a TV color analyst, and taught several players including Ken Venturi, Marty Fleckman, and Tom Watson.
I saw Nelson do a clinic for his long-time sponsor, Wilson, in 1977 at New Orleans Country Club. In all my years of golf, nobody came close to hitting it as straight as him.
He hit a few shots off line, but the ball never curved. It just went a yard or two to the left or right.
The fairway he was hitting drivers down was very narrow—maybe 30 yards wide—but after a few tee shots, it was obvious he could hit balls all day and never come close to hitting the ball off line.
He wanted win enough money to purchase a farm to retire to, and did it by 34, which is why he hung it up when he did—he reached a goal.
Byron Nelson was a religious man, and wanted to live a righteous life.
Another goal achieved.
Byron Nelson was 94
Byron Nelson passed away today.
I “met” Mr. Nelson quite a few times. By “met” I mean shook his hand and said hello.
I have met several thousand people over the years, some plain old folk, some famous. But I remember “meeting” Byron Nelson. He probably was—and this is by all accounts—the nicest famous athlete of all-time. He was also possibly the best golfer who ever lived.
The Best ?
He won 5 Majors (and several other Major-of-the-day that history put in the “regular” category) and 52 tournaments. He finished in the money in 112 straight PGA Tour events and once won 18 in one year, including 11 in a row—a streak stopped by New Orleanian and great friend, the late Freddie Haas. Nelson retired at age 34.
If Nelson had had a similar career after age 34 as his contemporaries, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, he would have won approximately 70 tournaments and a dozen majors. Of course we will never know.
He did continue to play in some events—albeit very few—and always played very well. This includes a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf event at Pine Valley against Gene Littler.
He became a TV color analyst, and taught several players including Ken Venturi, Marty Fleckman, and Tom Watson.
I saw Nelson do a clinic for his long-time sponsor, Wilson, in 1977 at New Orleans Country Club. In all my years of golf, nobody came close to hitting it as straight as him.
He hit a few shots off line, but the ball never curved. It just went a yard or two to the left or right.
The fairway he was hitting drivers down was very narrow—maybe 30 yards wide—but after a few tee shots, it was obvious he could hit balls all day and never come close to hitting the ball off line.
He wanted win enough money to purchase a farm to retire to, and did it by 34, which is why he hung it up when he did—he reached a goal.
Byron Nelson was a religious man, and wanted to live a righteous life.
Another goal achieved.
Byron Nelson was 94
jpvegas1
New
Golf lost a true gentleman. A very good friend of mine is a telephone installer in the Dallas-Ft Worth area and he installed a phone line into Byron Nelson's house. He told me that Byron couldn't have been nicer to him. After he was done, Byron showed him around and talked to him about golf for over an hour. If his boss hadn't called sending him to another job he would have stayed the entire day.
birdie_man
New
How come he's not thought of (in general) as a Hogan-like ballstriker....or Moe or w/e.....he sounds like he's right there from what I've read.
birdie_man
New
...
Was just watching TGC....
He retired the next year....!
Wow...
Talk about in your PRIME.
Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
Mr. Nelson will be greatly missed.
He possessed a swing that I feel most everyone could use as a model.
He possessed a swing that I feel most everyone could use as a model.
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