With his size, strength and fluid golf swing, hed challenge j. Kind of reminds me of the adam sandler movie happy gilmore, which i always felt was based on early jack nicklaus. Jack nicklaus was the longest straightest driver in golf. Jack nicklaus eager to help usga rein in golf ball distance. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. Ill never forget the first time i remember hearing jack nicklaus talk about distance in professional golf. Lost 20 yards of carry with driver actually rolled out to not too disimilar. Here we look at jack s driving tips from that classic. Nicklaus looked to renowned designer, clay long, to handle the technical and engineering side of the nicklaus golf club product line.
Nicklaus cranked a 341yard blast to win the pga championships. List of career achievements by jack nicklaus wikipedia. Dustin johnson hits jack nicklaus old driver, 1iron golfweek. The leader in driving distance in 1980 the first season the pga tour has. Why jack nicklaus would dominate modernday golf golf digest. A players driving distance is partly at the mercy of environmental considerations such as wind. Swing slower not harder to drive it longer october 16, 2016 18time major champion jack nicklaus teaches how swinging at the correct speed can help add distance to your drives.
Watch best lessons ever tuesdays 7pm et on golf channel. Jack nicklaus has said for years that he believes the golf ball travels too far. Nov 03, 2008 the most powerful player in the history of the game. Dan pohl led the tour with an average driving distance of 274. Diminishing driver distance swing surgeon don trahan. The average driving distance among golfers in the pga varies from event to.
The average driving distance among golfers in the pga varies from event to event and from year to year, but typically stays within a few yards of the same number. Jack nicklaus is known as one of the best putters in the history of golf. The most powerful player in the history of the game. Over a quartercentury, he won a record 18 major championships, three more than secondplaced tiger woods. Does anyone know what were the average drives of ben hogan. The width of my stance and the distance from the ball to my stance line is dictated by the length of the club. In the series jack nicklaus wrote for golf digest in the 1970s, he made the point that he was a target driver. As nicklaus states, the ball has played a large role. Jack nicklaus wrote the book on drawing the ball with his driver. Asking jack nicklaus, davis love iii, john daly and greg norman a few questions about driving the golf ball is a nobrainer.
Select the subscription option that works best for you. Not bad, considering jack nicklaus led the tour in driving distance in 1968, averaging 276 yards in 11 recorded events. Jack nicklaus eager to help usga rein in golf ball distance golf. Youre right about that 200 yard driving distance lol. Unique address positions video by pete styles now, lets have a little look at jack nicklaus setup position and some of the quirky movements he makes in his golf swing. Jack nicklaus says golf ball is reason golf courses closing. Get the best deals on jack nicklaus driver golf clubs when you shop the largest online.
Sep 14, 2017 jack nicklaus was the longest straightest driver in golf history. Dustin johnson hit jack nicklaus old 1iron and persimmon driver. Aug 10, 2011 what was jack nicklaus average driving distance. Jack william nicklaus born january 21, 1940, nicknamed the golden bear, is an american retired professional golfer. I bought this jack nicklaus ezup club set of three in. He explained then that he tried to hit the ball to a specific part of the fairway. Holmes, bubba watson and dustin johnson are perennially among the longest hitters on tour. Jack nicklaus, who is seen by many as the ultimate authority in golf, is personally involved in the design, testing and production of all nicklaus golf equipment. Dustin johnson hits jack nicklauss persimmon driver. Jack nicklaus said you should move your head a bit to the right at address. It was at the 2016 masters, the event danny willett won and jordan spieth lost. Thin, cyrogenic supersteel face allows maximum golf ball rebound velocity for increased distance. Jack nicklaus fundamentals of golf swing grip, setup and. But if youve got ample clubhead speed and seek better.
In this case, jack nicklaus would aim left side of the fairway and fade the ball back to the center of the fairway. More distance for golfers over 50 golf power and distance are one of the primary limitations for senior golfers and golfers over 50. Jack nicklaus was invited to play a friendly match with arnold palmer and several other players at a local ohio golf course. Meet the golfer who could smash the pga tour driving record. Jack nicklaus was the longest straightest driver in golf history. Founded in 1992 by legendary player jack nicklaus and nelson doubleday, the mission of the nicklaus golf company is to manufacture and distribute highquality golf. The nicklaus companies and its largest worldwide licensee, kosugi inc. Jack nicklaus routinely hit drives well over 300 yards and was always among the tours longest drivers. Nicklaus focused on the major championshipsmasters tournament, u. This is one of the most famous shots in golf as jack peeled off his trademark yellow sweater on the 18th tee at st andrews in the play off with doug sanders in 1970. He always hit real far but his drives with his woods were controlled than his irons so he said in an early autobiography, hence the 1 iron. Shop the golden bears clothing, hats, golf balls, gifts, and memorabilia. The driving distance report that didnt go very far.
As nicklaus points out, being a great driver is all about having sound fundamentals, playing to your strengths and making smart decisions. I bought this jack nicklaus ezup club set of three in summer and immediately grew to like it them good distance and control. Jack nicklaus was invited to play a friendly match with arnold palmer and several other players at a. Nicklaus companies extends landmark agreement with japans kosugi, inc. Nicklaus is the youngest twotime champion of this event. Apr 10, 2017 so, ive shared online before some statistics that can be found about how far jack and arnie and others could hit a ball years ago. When nicklaus played, golf clubs and balls werent as technologically advanced as in todays game.
Power fade for most amateurs, the best way to maximize distance is by hitting a draw, which flies right to left for right handers and hits the ground with lots of roll. Jack nicklaus in his prime using modern equipment roy nix. Dustin johnson hit jack nicklaus old 1iron and persimmon driver really, really far. When he played with masashi jumbo ozaki in japan about 12 months earlier, their drives had traveled about the same distance. Jack nicklaus gives pointers for a great golf grip golf channel. Nicklaus played macgregors tommy armour 693 driver not pictured in 1975 during major triumphs at the masters and the pga championship. Macgregor jack nicklaus muirfield 20thused by jack. Many golfers strive to hit a draw shot with the driver.
For a righthanded player, this means the ball curves moderately from right to left. A 40yearold jack nicklaus led the pga tour in total driving in 1980, which is a combination statistic measuring where a player finished in driving distance jack was 10th and where a player finished in accuracy jack was th, giving the golden bear a total driving number of 23. As tony finau climbs the world rankings, his driving average is on pace to. Gary player made it clear thursday after hitting his tee shot as an honorary starter at the masters when it comes to jack nicklaus and tiger woods there is no comparison. Although wulkotte described jack s driver going from 43 to 43. What many dont seem to realize is that, whatever their height, their hands probably hang at pretty much the same distance from the ground as everyone elses, which explains why the majority of golfers are well suited to standardlength clubs. Feb 09, 2014 this is one of the most famous shots in golf as jack peeled off his trademark yellow sweater on the 18th tee at st andrews in the play off with doug sanders in 1970. The official site of jack nicklaus, nicklaus design, and. Nicklaus ranked 10th in driving distance and won two majors during that 1980 campaign, but his 269 yards off the tee would have been dead last on tour in 2019. Palmer and nicklaus were in their prime in the mid sixties and technology. If you slice it 21 yards, you are going to miss a fairway. Nicklaus was the first champion to successfully defend the title having done so in 1966.
Driver distance secrets what manufacturers wont tell you. Get the best deals on jack nicklaus driver golf clubs when you shop the largest online selection at. Jack nicklaus pga tour profile news, stats, and videos. With the putter, jack nicklaus grip is a bit odd looking. Does anyone know what were the average drives of ben hogan, sam snead, byron nelson, arnie and the golden bear.
Played with my uncle and two of his buddies that can hit 270 with their driver. Jack nicklaus fundamentals of golf swing grip, setup and stance instruction online video golf lesson. Back in his heyday, jack nicklaus had an enormous distance. The company used the distinctive multicolor insert in 19521957. However after 6 months the note changed when striking then 2 games later the head was in pieces. Aug 06, 2014 jack nicklaus and his wooden driver, in 1966. When jack nicklaus burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, his fans and opponents were awed by his distance off the tee. Jack nicklaus drive from 1963 would have won the 2014 pga longdrive contest for the win.
Nicklaus makes quality product, but jack doesnt pay anyone to play his clubs. Jack nicklaus fundamentals of golf swing grip, setup. From that article, i would guess that was maybe when the slightly longer driver shaft came in. Nov 30, 2016 jack nicklaus again on tuesday at the hsbc golf business forum in ponte vedra beach, florida said the reason golf courses are closing is because golf balls go too far. If you look at tour pros, most of them probably dont raise or lift their front foot during the backswing. To answer the first question, i have previously stated that we need to examine the following items. Holmes, who led the pga tour in driving distance in 201516 314. This made nicklaus right arm dominant in the stroke, whereas most golfers today favor neither arm. Shorter drives lead to longer approach shots, longer approach shots lead to fewer greens hit, which leads to higher scores and a lot less fun. Ibm recorded driving distance data at 11 pga tour events in 1968. Does choking up on the golf club cause you to lose distance. Well, on the jack nicklaus show on the golf channel it covered how jack won the long drive contest in 1963 the day.
Jack nicklaus said mike davis pledged to address the distance the golf ball is flying and the problems nicklaus believes the distance explosion is creating in the game. Nicklaus said he never tried to hit a straight shot with his driver. Nicklaus shot individual rounds of 67 or better a total of 14 times which equates to a combined 80under par. Jack nicklaus turned 70 years old this week and the golf channel celebrated his birthday with a documentary about his life and career. Stay with fundamentals, regardless of height illustration by jim mcqueen oldtime golf analysts used to say that bob jones, at 59. Jack nicklaus routinely hit drives well over 300 yards and was always among the. Here is what nicklaus actually said, fact is, more golf courses have closed in the u.
If you try hitting straight shot to a 40 yard wide fairway, you only have 20 yards to work the ball with. For those of us who grew up in the 2000s, our image of jack nicklaus is, well, that of an older gentleman. Aug 30, 2018 while practicing at the exclusive bears club in jupiter, fla. Join the email list for special offers and new product alerts. Right from the horses mouth you can hear how jack hit a 341 yard drive at the pga long drive competition with his persimmon headed 42 driver and a rubber ball. If were going with jack nicklaus circa 1965, then were talking about a legend who was about to enter the prime of his career. In 2012, the pga tours top 10 in driving distance were 20. Gary player, jack nicklaus hit out at todays golf ball. Jn was a real strong young buck and he had a huge distance advantage over his contemporaries. Drivers dont have much loft so if you close the face too much, you cant get the ball airborne and lose the distance. Nicklaus has long been outspoken about the dangers that modern technology could cause the game, and on thursday, the 18time major champion railed against the modern day golf balls, believing the extra distance they now provide players with has gotten out of hand. Whatever was said between jack nicklaus and usga chief executive mike davis didnt show up in the annual report on driving distance. Choking up on your driver may not cost you much, if any, distance, simply because having better control of the club can help you to hit the ball on the clubs sweet spot. What was jack nicklaus yardage from driver to pw during his best years in the tour.
His left hand is perhaps a touch on the weak side of neutral, but his right hand is much more underneath the handle in a markedly strong position. So, ive shared online before some statistics that can be found about how far jack and arnie and others could hit a ball years ago. The draw is the preferred shot off the tee, because it adds distance to your. Oct 06, 20 when jack nicklaus burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, his fans and opponents were awed by his distance off the tee. Ap for the first time in 50 years, the pga championship held a longdrive competition, with players testing their length on the 10th hole of tuesday. Could jack swing a modern driver faster than his wooden head, steel shaft driver. No, jack nicklaus is not a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints the mormon church. Jun 09, 2014 jack nicklaus fundamentals of golf swing grip, setup and stance instruction online video golf lesson. What is the effect of a higher spin rate on jacks club head speed and distance. How far would golfs legends drive the ball using modern. Received the ambassador of golf award in latejuly at the world golf championshipsbridgestone invitational the same day his designed jack nicklaus gc korea was named the host site of the 2015. Nicklaus won this event three times in his first five attempts as a professional. Oct 16, 2016 18time major champion jack nicklaus teaches how swinging at the correct speed can help add distance to your drives.
His putting style is unorthodox, but i think we can learn a lot of things from him. He seemed to make all the crucial putts to win major tournaments. He was one of the few players who could routinely drive the ball more. Remains one of golfs driving forces off the course. What was jack nicklaus average driving distance answers.
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