The Jackapalooza Continues

Celebration of Jack's 75th birthday continued even after my post the other day, and why shouldn't it?  Golf.com also posted this gallery of Jack's 1960's era swing sequence with commentary by Mike Malaska, head pro at Superstition Mountain.  The swing sequence is well worth a look, though my favorite photo below is from the introduction, showing his amazing footwork.

I love this Michael Chwasky item about some of Jack's favorite clubs:

After honing his game at Scioto Country Club in the 1950's Jack Nicklaus went on to

The MacGregor Tommy Armour SS1W Eye-O-Matic 60 Driver

win the U.S. Amateur in '59 and '61, his first U.S. Open in '62 (over Arnold Palmer, no less) and then completed the career grand slam in '66. 

Though Big Jack later went on to found his own equipment company that would produce modern oversized clubs, Nicklaus won all of his majors with gear that was about as traditional as you can get, which isn't surprising considering the era in which he learned the game. 

The "White Fang" putter with which he won the '67 Open.

But while persimmon drivers, forged irons and wound golf balls were the norm for the Golden Bear his sticks were hardly "off the rack," models. As you might imagine he was very particular about the clubs he played and he didn't change much over the years other than the addition of a new putter here and there. Below you can learn a bit about some of Nicklaus' most noteworthy weapons over the years, almost all of which you can find in The Jack Nicklaus Museum located on the Ohio State campus.

As you can see, everything old is new again.  A few years ago white was the new black, but Nicklaus got there decades before, using a Bullseye putter that had been painted white.

I've not yet watched the Nicklaus documentary that aired on Fox last weekend, but it's teed up on my Utah DVR for my next excursion.  In that vein, I'll recommend this walk down memory lane, the original Sports Illustrated account of Jack's win over The King at Oakmont in 1962, included as a bonus in this week's SIGolf+Digital.   

Golf.com also has a gallery of Jack's best course designs, with Muirfield Village predictably taking the top spot (though they're remiss in not mentioning Desmond Muirhead, who co-designed the course with him).  But riddle me this, Batman, as ranked second is Harbor Town Golf Links.  This is their write-up:

2. Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, S.C.: A favorite of PGA Tour pros for

more than 40 years, Harbour Town boasts the iconic candy cane-striped lighthouse backdrop on the 18th hole -- and so much more. Mixing live oaks, lagoons, tiny greens, bunkers banked by railroad ties and a closing stretch along the Calibogue Sound, this Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus collaboration delights and terrorizes at every turn.

Ummmm...really?  As far as I've been aware, that's a Pete Dye course, and the club's website seems to think so as well: 

The crowning achievement of famed designer Pete Dye, this celebrated PGA TOUR golf course is a true test of the game of golf.

Just swap it out for Dove Mountain....ugh!  Jack may be my golf God, but it's only for Jack as a player.  

Lastly, earlier this week Golf Channel aired highlights from Jack's miraculous 1986 Masters win, and

The irons Jack used in winning the 1986 Masters.

it's as amazing and improbable as ever.  But something in the commentary made me curious, so l'd like to throw it out for discussion.  As the events were unfolding, Ken Venturi and the entire announcing crew (including, I believe, a pre-bikini-wax Gary McCord) repeatedly indicated that if Jack were to win it would be his twentieth major.  And they felt no need to explain that concept, it was the accepted number.

Now we universally speak of Tiger attempting to eclipse Jack's record of eighteen majors, and for anyone who might have a life the delta here is Jack's two U.S. Amateur wins.  We all have to remember that Jack viewed himself as chasing a record held by Bobby Jones, who won thirteen tournaments that some considered majors, including five U.S. and one British Amateurs.  

What amuses me is that this changed at some point, and I don't remember being consulted.  Jack's two U.S. Amateurs were worth including from his perspective, because it was unlikely that any player could do likewise.  Unlikely perhaps, but then a kid named Eldrick won three, and in the blink of an eye we've changed the test to professional majors...  I'm just curious as to how and when that happened, because it had to come as news to Ken Venturi.

And just to tip our cap to the immortal Bobby Jones... those 13 majors were won from 1923-1930 in only twenty starts, not to mention that the six amateur titles were at match play.  Wow!