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I watched Jack Nicklaus' final few competitive holes this afternoon.
I have to admit to having a lump in my throat watching him coming down the last and when that birdie putt fell I jumped out my seat just as high as when Lyle rolled that final putt in at Augusta in '88.
I am probably a member of the last generation to be influenced by the great man. I am old enough (30) to have read new editions of his great instruction books (most of which I own, theres a few of them) and through it all I find the most remarkable thing is that I learned very little about striking a golf ball from Jack.
What I did learn was the mental approach to the game, the strategy and the importance of course management and above all else self management. There are times when I have not been hitting the ball at all well and the principles I learned in his books have saved a score for me. Most importantly, when I have blown a score I look back and realise that I did all the things he said not to.
Perhaps the enduring memory of Jack Nicklaus will be different for different people there are so many to choose from.
Hand aloft on the 16th green at Augusta in 86 as the putt falls
The putter sailing into the air after the playoff at St Andrews in 1970
The unexpected handshake offered to Tony Jacklin upon conceding the 3 foot putt at Birkdale in 1969.....the list goes on but those are three of my favourites
The last mentioned there perhaps the most generous gesture ever made on a golf course with so much at stake. It embodied the man and it embodied his vision of how a player should play the game. He shaped the commercialism of the modern era as much as Palmer and yet he remained above it. He continues to be the standard for all golfers. Tiger chases his record and may one day match or even break it (or someone else might, for that matter) but for now Jack Nicklaus is the greatest and for me will remain so.
Thanks, Jack, may all the rounds you play from now on bring as much pleasure to you as the ones before gave to us.
I have to admit to having a lump in my throat watching him coming down the last and when that birdie putt fell I jumped out my seat just as high as when Lyle rolled that final putt in at Augusta in '88.
I am probably a member of the last generation to be influenced by the great man. I am old enough (30) to have read new editions of his great instruction books (most of which I own, theres a few of them) and through it all I find the most remarkable thing is that I learned very little about striking a golf ball from Jack.
What I did learn was the mental approach to the game, the strategy and the importance of course management and above all else self management. There are times when I have not been hitting the ball at all well and the principles I learned in his books have saved a score for me. Most importantly, when I have blown a score I look back and realise that I did all the things he said not to.
Perhaps the enduring memory of Jack Nicklaus will be different for different people there are so many to choose from.
Hand aloft on the 16th green at Augusta in 86 as the putt falls
The putter sailing into the air after the playoff at St Andrews in 1970
The unexpected handshake offered to Tony Jacklin upon conceding the 3 foot putt at Birkdale in 1969.....the list goes on but those are three of my favourites
The last mentioned there perhaps the most generous gesture ever made on a golf course with so much at stake. It embodied the man and it embodied his vision of how a player should play the game. He shaped the commercialism of the modern era as much as Palmer and yet he remained above it. He continues to be the standard for all golfers. Tiger chases his record and may one day match or even break it (or someone else might, for that matter) but for now Jack Nicklaus is the greatest and for me will remain so.
Thanks, Jack, may all the rounds you play from now on bring as much pleasure to you as the ones before gave to us.
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