Jack Nicklaus has spoken up about what he does not like in the current state of professional golf. Given his place in the sport’s history, it is worth paying attention.
Nicklaus sits on top of the major leaderboard with 18 titles, and his 73 PGA Tour wins only add to his legacy.
Even now at 85, he remains a well-respected voice in the game.
Nicklaus has said that he could be just as dominant today as he was 50 years ago if given the opportunity to use modern equipment.
The Golden Bear has recently been vocal about what frustrates him in today’s game.
One thing that stands out is how much pressure is placed on the upper body and torso these days, compared to when more was built into leg strength and movement during his era.
But beyond swing mechanics and equipment, there is another part of today’s game that bothers him even more – one he first raised concerns about back in 2008.
Jack Nicklaus has never been a fan of this part of modern golf
Jack Nicklaus made it clear 17 years ago what his biggest concern was about how golf was changing.
Speaking to Golf Digest in 2008, Nicklaus talked about how much the sport had shifted from the game he once knew.
“I don’t think The Masters is diminished, but it’s another type of tournament than the one I won.
“Removed from the competition, my life is very full. My business has never been more brisk, but I pay attention to the issues in golf. From a greater distance, I look at the game a bit differently and probably more accurately than when I was a competitor.
“Even though I don’t enjoy playing as much, I love the game, and I care about it. I’ve been thinking on a variety of topics and issues in today’s game.”
“The best golfers should be better today than the best golfers of yesterday. At the moment, I’m not sure that’s the case. I realize I’m an old fuddy-duddy, and that previous generations always say that their game was better. I guess I’d plead guilty – in part. But here’s the difference. The game in terms of equipment barely changed for 60 years. Then with the equipment revolution that began with metal clubheads in the 1980s and accelerated with dramatic ball technology in the late 1990s, the game changed radically.
“The best players suddenly found themselves able to hit shots more easily and consistently, as well as pull off shots they never would have tried in the past. It made the game for elite players simpler and easier.
“As a result, I don’t care as much for today’s game as I did for the one played for most of my career. I like the old game of moving the ball both ways and using strategy with angles, and hitting all the clubs in the bag. My greatest concern, because I believe it has the most effect on the most parts of the game, is the golf ball. I’d very much like to see the U.S. Golf Association and the R&A institute at least a 10-percent rollback in the distance the golf ball travels. I know the ruling bodies are looking at limits on equipment, including possibly reducing the size of driver clubheads and eliminating square grooves, but that’s treating an effect more than a cause. The desired results from such moves could be taken care of by a rollback in the ball. In fact, there would be much less need to limit equipment innovations that help amateurs play if the ball were rolled back.”
Today, the increased focus on distance and raw power, rather than control and creativity, has made it even more challenging to curve the ball effectively in both directions.
Jack Nicklaus speaks on Scottie Scheffler’s biggest strengths
Butch Harmon has drawn comparisons between Scottie Scheffler and Nicklaus, pointing out their similar strengths in distance control, composure, and patience under pressure.
Scheffler’s ability to wear down the field with steady play echoes how the Golden Bear used to go about his business.
After the 29-year-old clinched the Memorial Tournament in June, Nicklaus did not hold back on his praise.
“I always was a – I just asked Scottie if he watched the leaderboard. He says, Yeah, I do. Well, I did too. I always watched the leaderboard and found out what my competition was and always felt like what level I had to play to fight that competition off. Sometimes you would have to fight it off because you knew they would self-destruct.
“So, obviously, you just don’t make dumb mistakes, play solid golf, and you win. He is such a good player, and he drove the ball beautifully today. Like he said, he drove the ball but he never put himself in jeopardy. He didn’t put himself in a position to lose the golf tournament. He was always in a position to win. And if he had to do something more spectacular he was in a position to do so. But he didn’t have to.
“So you don’t take any chances to do that. I mean, the most risky shot that I saw him play, I thought today, was 16. 16, by hitting the ball pin high, he actually gave the opportunity to have the water in play. I thought he would hit it in the front right of the green there.”
Nicklaus added: That was the only place he could lose the tournament, and he hit it on the far right side of the green, which was all right. Even if he went in the bunker, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But there’s places where you play when you’ve got to finish and finish properly that don’t put you in jeopardy. That’s what he did. That’s what good players do.”