Nicklaus | Lifestyle

by DeniseISmithson

Jack William Nicklaus, well known as "The Golden Bear," was born on January 21, 1940 and may well be, as his fans will tell you, among the greatest pro golfers ever. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, a pharmacist's son, he was a student in Upper Arlington High School and beat a mild case of polio as a youth. Turning to golf at ten years old and shooting an amazing 51 for nine holes, he broke 70 at age 13 on eighteen holes.

When only 16, Nicklaus won the 1956 Ohio Open and won the US Amateur in 1959 and 1961. He came in second in 1960, to no less a player than Arnold Palmer. He would make up for this by playing on the Eisenhower Trophy winning team and establishing a as yet unbroken 269 score in four rounds that year.

Nicklaus was playing on the pro circuit by 1962, when he won his first US Open. Defeating Arnold Palmer in this tournament made him a household name overnight. He would win the Masters twice in the 1960's even though it would be 1970 before he would win his next US Open. He took nine more major titles in the 1970s, breaking the 13 title record held by Bobby Jones. His last major tournament can in 1986, when he was 46; the oldest player to win this tournament.

Joining the Senior PGA Tour in 1990, by 1996 he had an impressive ten wins, eight of them being that tour's majors. He made his last appearances at The Open Championship and the Master Tourney in 2005. Golf wasn't the only thing on Jack's mind and he has been involved in golf course design, writing, and organizing and holding his own tourney on the PGA Tour, The Memorial Tournament. His golf course design company is one of the largest in the world and his writing skills range from instructional to autobiographical to titles on how to play golf-his way.

Nicklaus, like Palmer came to fame with the advent of televised golf games. By 1962, he had won an unprecedented $60,000 as a pro golfer, becoming the third-highest paid player in the sport as well as winning the Rookie of the Year award. The following year was one of his best, winning bith the Maters and the PGA championships.

In 1964, he won the British Open at St. Andrews and established a new record for lowest score in the last thirty-six holes-66-68. His Masters win in 1965 set a tourney record of 271-which stood until Tiger Woods shot 270 in 1997. In the 1968, The Golden Bear let his physical condition slip, which most felt affected his playing skills, but Jack improved in the fall of 1969 where he returned to top form. Sadly, he lost one of his biggest supporters and mentors, his father, Charlie Nicklaus in 1970.

Asked to describe himself and his career in a 1970 interview given shortly after the death of his father, Nicklaus remarked: "I was playing good golf, but it really wasn't that big a deal to me one way or the other. And then my father passed away and I sort of realized he had certainly lived his life through my golf game. I really hadn't probably given him the best of that. So I sort of got myself back to work. So 1970 was an emotional one for me from that standpoint-it was a big boost." This may be the case; Nicklaus was certainly a record setter - he was the first player to win all four major tournaments twice in the course of his career.

Nicklaus won his third PGA player of the year award in 1974 and became one of the first additions to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The following year, he took his fifth Masters and fourth PGA championship titles. He was named the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the year the same year. Unbelievable for anyone but the golden bear, he won his sixth Masters in 1986. In fact, Nicklaus shares the record for having won all major championship three times with Tiger Woods. For his record breaking achievements in the game and his support for the sport off of it, The Golden Bear will always be a legend to golf fans. He remains an active force n the golf world and is still continuing to contribute to the game - Jack Nicklaus is nothing if not impressive.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

When you want a question answered about sports, be sure to visit http://nothingbutsports.info. Here you will find sports trivia, tips, quotations, and resources about all kinds of sports activities. Visit us today at Nothing But Sports.