There is no doubt that Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods are both legends of the game. They have both played great, beautiful golf and have cemented their legacies as golfers whom the world will remember for years to come, influencing many golfers of future generations.

But the question remains: who is the greatest of all time? We can look at their track records to see what the numbers tell us and perhaps learn something new about two of the greatest golfers to ever grace the sport.

What do the numbers tell us?

Arnold Palmer was born in 1929 and turned pro in 1954 after winning the U.S. Amateur Championship. His style of golf was aggressive and focused on winning. He had his most wins during the four years from 1960 to 1963, where he won 29 titles, dominating the field and becoming the Athlete of the Decade, according to the Associated Press. Tiger Woods was born in 1975 and turned pro in 1996. He has dominated the golfing world since turning pro and has won almost everything multiple times. Due to injuries and form issues, Woods has had a rocky 2010s and 2020s but still remains a towering figure in golf.

That brings us to the nitty-gritty of their career records. Arnold Palmer, or “The King,” as he is called by fans, has 62 PGA Tour victories to Tiger Woods’ 82. If we count Palmer’s total victories, which include senior tour (12) and international (18) wins, the number goes up to 92. However, Tiger Woods still hasn’t joined the senior tour yet, so that comparison might be somewhat unfair. In terms of PGA Tour wins, Tiger Woods is tied with the legend Sam Snead.

In terms of Major Championships, Arnold Palmer has won 7 total majors to Tiger Woods’ 15 pro wins. Here, Tiger Woods again surpasses Arnold Palmer by more than doubling his achievements. Tiger Woods also has a career Grand Slam to his name, having won all five majors, a feat Arnold Palmer could not accomplish. Only four other players have achieved this feat: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus. Bobby Jones accomplished the only amateur Grand Slam in history, which occurred in 1930. Tiger Woods, however, achieved the “Tiger Slam,” winning four majors consecutively, though not in the same year. This incredible feat occurred when Woods won the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and Open Championship in 2000 and then won The Masters in 2001.

Another reason why many consider Tiger Woods to be the greatest of all time is because he is second only to Byron Nelson for the most consecutive wins. Tiger Woods accomplished 7 wins in 2006-2007. He is also fourth on the list with 6 consecutive wins, which he achieved in 1999-2000.

Although Arnold Palmer is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in history, Tiger Woods’ sheer number of wins eclipses those of the hero of the 1960s. On the course, Tiger Woods is maybe, probably, the greatest of all time. But what about off the course?

What is their off-the-course legacy?

Tiger Woods started the TGR Foundation in 1996 to support inner-city kids’ education, focusing on STEM subjects. It then expanded to include education globally. He founded TGR Design in 2006 to design courses like all the greats have done. Tiger Woods, now 48, has designed 11 golf courses around the world.

Arnold Palmer founded the Arnold Palmer Design Company in 1972, and his firm has designed and remodeled more than 300 courses over his lifetime. He left his mark on 27 countries and designed the first golf course in mainland China. He was also a golf club creator and modifier, obsessively working on his own clubs in his workshop. Additionally, two tournaments are played in his honor: The Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Arnold Palmer lived a long and fruitful golfing life until the age of 82. He lived through the golfing boom of the 1960s and popularized the game, leaving an enormous legacy in golf. Tiger Woods, on the other hand, is still playing and won his last major in 2018. He will surely be a force to reckon with for years to come.