Capelle On Golf

The week of the Memorial Tournament is Jack Nicklaus’ time to shine. Although his playing days are well behind him, he can still fire off some deadly accurate shots – verbal ones that is. During the course of a 70-minute interview/speech on media day, Nicklaus ventured far and wide, offering his well considered opinions on golf course architecture, the golf ball, and the lack of communication skills among today’s younger set. His talk was peppered with references to this being a “different day.” And so it is.

Take the subject of self reliance. This is sure to be a major talking point as the Tiger vs. Jack debate heats up and context is added to the discussion. Nicklaus would begin each season with a tune up with his instructor, Jack Grout. Then he was pretty much on his own. If he was lucky, he might see Grout two or three more times during the year, but never at a tournament. According to Nicklaus, “… never one time in all the years that he worked with me did he ever step on a practice tee at a tournament. Not once.”

Nicklaus learned from Bobby Jones that the key to tournament golf is the ability to fix his game at any time, any place. This skill is invaluable in keeping a bad shot or stretch of holes from taking him out of a tournament.

“Jack Grout secondly, who taught me how to play golf and who taught me how to understand my own game and how to teach myself and how to prepare myself mentally on my own so that when I had my problems, if I did, I at least had a basis somewhat to fix that, rather than running back to somebody.”

Nicklaus scored a rare verbal bogey when he mentioned that Woods had acquired this ability as well. This is forgivable given that Nicklaus and Woods share so many positive characteristics, and that he is a very busy man.

“I don’t see Tiger running back to somebody every time I turn around. I’m sure he’s got somebody. I used to go to Jack Grout three or four times a year and I’m sure that Tiger working with Haney? He probably sees — I bet he sees him three or four times a year. I bet he doesn’t see him a lot.”

I’m sorry Jack, but you lose this bet. In fact, Woods and Haney are joined at the hip. A day before this year’s WGC-CA Championships in March, Haney revealed just how much time they do spend together.

“Everybody assumes what his goals are,” Haney said. “I’ve never heard him say that and I’m around Tiger 150 days a year. The only thing he’s ever talked about is trying to improve.”

At some point a great debate will be held to determine who is the greatest golfer of all time. When it is, a big point in Nicklaus’ favor is that he compiled his 46 top threes in the majors at a time when gurus did not hold their player’s hands. Yes, in Nicklaus’ time, it was a different day.