most natural sportsman

[MashieNiblick]

Faldo natural?? Geez a break, he had a more mechanical swing than a Honda Civic!

Faldo is an interesting case. He is both a natural and a manufactured talent. Those who think he is just a mechanical player probably didn't see him when he first burst on the scene in the 1970's

Faldo took up the game as a 14 year old in 1971. Was English Amateur Champion in 1975. Pretty much self taught. Youngest Ryder Cup Player in 1977 when he won all 3 of his matches.

So from first golf swing to Ryder Cup in 7 years.

Won about 10 times on the pro tour including 3 PGA Championships with a natural willowy reverse C swing. I remember watching him on TV in those days and he did look like a "natural" golfer. However he got the nick name El Foldo for his talent to throw away a tournamant.

BUT he was also hugely ambitious and driven. He didn't think his natural swing could stand up under pressure and take him to the next level so he virtually disappeared for about 2-4 years in the mid 80's to build that mechanical swing with Ledbetter.

The rest as they say is history.

 

[MegaSteve]

Well said MashieNiblick :thup:...

 

[papyt]

id go along with faldo,pity he used to look like he got dressed in the dark thou!!

 

[fundy]

The african athletes always seem the most natural to me, especially someone like Haile Gebrselassie, there again i guess its probably easier to look natural running than swinging a golf club.

Another from a different field is the late Malcolm Marshall, always seemed effortless to him to bowl at 90+ mph and swing it both ways

 

[Karl102]

There are so many....... I would go for:

Ali,
Daley Thompson
Pele
George Best
Messi
Seve
Ian Botham
Tendulkar

 

[papyt]

The african athletes always seem the most natural to me, especially someone like Haile Gebrselassie, there again i guess its probably easier to look natural running than swinging a golf club.

Another from a different field is the late Malcolm Marshall, always seemed effortless to him to bowl at 90+ mph and swing it both ways

i hope you have proof that MR M.MARSHALL swings both ways as i have instructed his solicitor of your outrageous comment !!!!

 

[JT77]

Gazza, lacked in brain dept, so talent had to natural.
John Daly, same boat as gazza lol

 

[NWJocko]

Eoin Jess!
:cheers:

:thup:

There's a huge list probably depending on Sport and also different levels (i.e. Pele and Jimmy Johnstone)

Messi, Best, Ronaldo (fat one), Cruyff, Platini, Pele etc at football.

Senna, Valentino Rossi and Colin McRae in Motorsports

et etc.

A natural sportsman to me would be someone who can do a number of sports well also.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Golf~ Tom Watson
Fitba~Jim Baxter
Cycling~Chris Hoy
Athletics~Herb Elliot
Rugby~Serge Blanco
Multi Skills~ Dennis Compton

 

[AmandaJR]

I've long been interested in the natural talent versus hard work concept and for sure without both the brilliant sportsmen wouldn't achieve the heights and maximise their potential. How much is natural/genetic and how much is hard work is fascinating and The Gladwell Theory claims that 10000 hours of persistent, deliberate, focussed, concise practice is what's required and not any "natural" ability.

That could be true for technical disciplines like golf but less convinced when it comes to say Paula Radcliffe and endurance or sprint/power sports where you have to match your genetic make-up to the hard work. Paula could put her work ethic to being a 100m sprinter and she aint ever winning a title!

Anyway, I'm rambling but that's coz I'm not playing golf today!

I always loved to see Seb Coe run as it was graceful and appeared effortless. Jonathon Edwards was another athlete who just looked born to the sport he chose.

 

[freddielong]

There is one man that encapsulates natural talent more than any other

SEVE

 

[shewy]

Eoin Jess!

:cheers:

Agreed Craw! I did work with his brother who was supposedly even better but booze and women got the better of him!

 

[FairwayDodger]

Sorry but enthusiasm and hard work does it. You need 10000 hours of purposeful practice to become genuinely expert at something. All those quoted on this thread have that and more..... guys like Tiger and Rory epitomise it.

Very interesting book on this is "Bounce" by Matthew Syed.


If there is such a thing as a "natural" sportsman then I'd go with the point someone already made - it'd be a high level of achievement in multiple sports and without thousands of hours working on it.

 

[Mr_T]

Kevin pietersen, if the man hadn't become allergic to left arm spin he could have been one of the greats

 

[mouth]

To be honest the thread makes me think back to my school days and a lad who I schooled with. At 13 he received an invite to England schoolboy football trials but declined because he was racing his sponsored Cannondale mountain bike that weekend. Captained the school rugby and football teams, as well as being invited to play hockey at County level. To make matters worse he got 8 A's and B's in GCSE but went to 6th Form to study and learned to play bass guitar (which he does very well even to this day). At the age of 14 he also played off a handicap of 3 or 4. Can't remember which.

The funny thing is the last I heard of him he was working in some supermarket earning NMW and still lives with his Mum. Just goes to show that no matter what the talent if you can't be bothered to apply it then it will amount to nothing.

I don't think natural talent is really a true indicator of sporting ability without any kind of focus or commitment attached.

 

[JustOne]

Apparently Bobby Jones wasn't too bad, not sure if it was natural... was Butch Harmon teaching back then?

 

[bluewolf]

Can't disagree with any of the above. I'm also going to add Chrissie Wellington into the mix. The woman just astounds me. She makes Ironman look effortless (I know how hard she works). She is a machine, and a very down to earth one at that....

 

[pokerjoke]

Sugar Ray Leonard.
Surgey budka
Steve ovett
John Mcenroe

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I'd say Messi for football - he makes the game look stupid easy. Ian Botham for cricket and football (he had to choose which one to turn pro in). Michael Jordan as he was a very good baseball player, exceptional basketball player and now a very, very good golfer. Ronnie O'Sullivan, Phil Taylor, Daley Thompson and Carl Lewis also deserve a mention.
They say Sandy Lyle was pretty handy as well........

 

[richart]

Barry John
Roger Federer
Bobby Moore
Michael Holding

Just made their games look so easy, never seemed to break sweat.