Swing It Like Jack

Watching the Golfchannel special, Jack, I am reminded of just how great a player Nicklaus was. And it wasn't as though he came along at a time when there were no other great players.

Jack played against Arnie, Gary Player, Billy Casper, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson... all legends of the game. And, he generally beat them all. In his prime he inspired just as much fear in his opponents as Tiger did. The field knew that if Jack was on his game, just like Tiger, they were playing for second place.

I've loved watching that magnificent, powerful golf swing again. It was the swing I tried to copy as a youngster. But more than the swing was Jack's mind. He simply played the game better than anyone of his generation. His focus and intensity was second to none.

To compare Jack to Bobby Jones, or Tiger, might be a temptation. But the reality is that all you can do is beat the guys you are playing against at the time. And the benchmark is Majors. Jack's record in the Majors is rivalled only by Bobby Jones and Tiger. Bobby retired early, and Tiger made swing changes and had career-shortening injuries that might have prevented him from possibly even surpassing Jack's record. But, for now, the Golden Bear stands alone at the top of the pack, if it's Majors you're counting.

Nice to see the Golfchannel recognizing this fact. To the golfers who grew up watching Tiger; I hope you are watching, or will watch, Jack. Tiger was the best of his generation. But don't for one minute think that Jack would have folded like a cheap suit against him. 

As for me, I'm back trying to swing it like Jack.