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How Much Success Would Jack Nicklaus Have Today?

JB

JB

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Would he still dominate?
Are fields too deep?
Would modern equipment make him unbeatable?

Dive in and give your thoughts
 
He was a bomber in his time so he’d be a bomber today. He hated losing. He had a swagger that intimidated his opponents. I think honestly he would do very well. I think the amount of money available in being mediocre has lessened the hate of losing in today’s golfers. Swagger is just a rare commodity in athletes that makes them hard to beat.
 
Would he still dominate? I think it would be similar to what we are seeing with Scottie. I think modern equipment would make his game even better but it would also do the same for the field he is playing against.
 
He would dominate, similar to how Tiger would have still been insane in Jack's day too. Both have been unreal talents. Jack was shooting in the 60's at like 13.
 
Hard to think he wouldn't play well, I mean the dude has 37 top 2 finishes at majors with 18 being wins. His fields might not have the depth of today, but he battled against some of the greats of the game to win those.

The biggest thing that would be fun to watch is how he would have played with the modern golf ball.
 
I still think he would dominate. Some people just have this drive and I think Nicklaus had that, he knew how to put himself into a position to win and how to win and he had that drive to do it. Some of that is a mentality that doesn't change with just better equipment. I don't think it would make him unbeatable but he would still be dominant like he was in his era.
 
The mental game of golf is very hard.
How do you avoid getting pumped up and hitting the ball a yard farther into danger.
Or the reverse, losing momentum and hitting the ball a yard less into a fairway bunker?

Only a few rare individuals have that.
 
kind of funny how this just hit my youtube shorts

 
Imagine how far he'd hit a modern driver.
 
I’m guessing a lot of success. Probably not 18 majors good but he’s the best player in the world right now or right there with Rory and Scottie.
 
I think he would be successful and modern equipment would help him. I am not sure he reaches the heights he did, but I would think he would be in line with what Scottie is doing, maybe a touch better.
 
He is ultra competitive. He would dominate given today's improvement in equipment and technique.

As an aside, I started reading the sports in an actual newspaper when I was 10 in 1965, and remember the articles about Jack's drought in Majors. Followed him for 2 rounds in 1968, when he and Palmer played at least one round on Sunday together and Jack won in a playoff when Arnie's drive went into a bunker and he could not overcome it. Ah, memories. Jack was great if unloved by many for so long.
 
I think he would do well. I’m not sure 18 majors well, but still in the teens for sure.

It would be fun to see how far he could hit a modern day driver in his prime though!
 
I think he would be very competitive. Would have have been as dominant? I have no idea these generational questions are super hard to answer. I only ever saw him play in senior tour events so I cant say with my own eyes like I could with Tiger who I watched his whole career.

But, I 100% think he would be top tier.
 
Nicklaus could drive well over 300 yds with a balata ball and persimmon wood when he wanted to... If he could make a direct comparison, today's game off the tee would probably feel like child's play. He was the bad guy for much of his early career (public opinion) so giving a damn about what fans or the press (or his opponents) thought wouldn't be an issue. Yeah... He would dominate.
 
Jack would be insanely good. He was a long hitter then and had that killer mentality. His putting was top notch and really good under pressure and I think that is where he could dominate again.
 
WICHITAREJECT said:
His mental side would make him competitive IMHO
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This. Him and Tiger were on another level with it, which in a game like golf it's absolutely massive.
 
Equipment would help however something that never gets talked about: TPI knowledge and training equipment have improved dramatically. The travel access and comfort would make life easier.
 
ddec said:
kind of funny how this just hit my youtube shorts

Click to expand...

I agree with this as well. But he was still an incredibly gifted golfer. I do agree that I think Tiger overall is better and played against better overall competition.
 
Jack was an elite golfer then, he'd be an elite golfer now. Assuming that he adopted modern training/nutrition rather than what was the usual in his time. A guy downing a fifth of whiskey and two packs of smokes a day isn't going to keep up with the modern gym rats and their posse of trainers, nutritionists, massage techs, etc.
 
BigMac said:
Jack was an elite golfer then, he'd be an elite golfer now. Assuming that he adopted modern training/nutrition rather than what was the usual in his time. A guy downing a fifth of whiskey and two packs of smokes a day isn't going to keep up with the modern gym rats and their posse of trainers, nutritionists, massage techs, etc.
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I don't believe he was doing that though. Wasn't he in pretty good shape?
 
I think he would be at least as good, maybe more. The fields are deeper today but in his era he was always competing against at least 1 other person who was also among golf's all time elite. I'm not sure the tour is quite so top heavy today, especially with the LIV fracture. I could see Jack really dominating.
 
CBaker said:
I agree with this as well. But he was still an incredibly gifted golfer. I do agree that I think Tiger overall is better and played against better overall competition.
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No doubt he was incredibly gifted. Plus imagine what he'd experience on the modern courses in modern conditions?
 
A young Jack in today's golf world, he would definitely be a dominating player.
 
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