Press Alt + R to read the document text or Alt + P to download or print.
This document contains no pages.
The Jack Nicklaus Story - Part 4 (PBP) 6-4-86am"� F'pfuy) T3W�ch Ros-r
P-qkrr
3urvI5 196 198 A 1/ 530,
Nicklaus'
0
main car. U,,,leil
1
business Of, being a family rrian
Last of four parts
0 Golf: A family affair, 4C
D The business interests, 4C
By Craig Dolch
Sraff Writer
Beyond the six Masters, five PGA Championships,
four U.S. Opens, three British Opens and two U.S.
Amateurs, there is one accomplishment that Jack
Nicklaus puts above all others.
The close relationship with his family.
Augusta National, Shinnecock Hills, Pebble
Beach, Baltusrol, Muirfield. Village and St. Andrews
must take a back seat to Barbara, Jack II, Steve, Nan,
Gary and. Michael.
Always have, always will.
"The most important thing in my life by a long
way is my family," Nicklaus said. "I am never satis-
fied that I have actually done my best for and with
Barbara and our children, but I am sure they know
that they have always come first in my scheme of
things and always will."
This - is not meant to be window. dressing. When
someone asked him what he will remember most of
the final -round 65 that vaulted him to his sixth Masters
title in April, he had a surprise.-- His eagle on No. 15?
His near ace on No. 16? His birdie to take the lead on
No. 17? *
None of the above.
Businessman,
Familv Man
"It was walking up the 18th fairway with Jackie,"
Nicklaus said. "To have a son share in an experience
like that is something I'll always remember."
Never away from home long
Nicklaus, despite his incredible drive as a golfer,
has never allowed his family to come second. It was a
commitment he learned earned through his parents, Helen
and Charlie Nicklaus, and something he hopes some-
day will be passed on to his grandchildren.
"When I had Jackie," Barbara said, "he promised
then not to 'be gone for more than two weeks at any
time. In 25 years, the only, time we've been away from
the kids longer than that was in 1966 when we both
took our parents to South Africa for 17 days."
Nicklaus sometimes has gone, beyond the call of
Turn to NICKLAUS, 4C
VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH
HISTORIAN
51 AH- f- ILE 1JHU I
Jack, Barbara Nicklaus hold newborn Gary, who Barbara calls 'a clone of his father'
duty to keep up with the activities
of his children. After winning the
1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, he
spent the night flying back from
San Francisco so that he could be
on hand the next day when Steve
and his teammates w ' er6 playing I in
an all-star baseball game.
And two weeks ago, three days
before the start of the Memorial
Tournament that he founded and
hosts, daughter Nan had a sorority
function at the University of Geor-
gia that she wanted her dad to at-
tend. So, despite all the pressing
obligations of Memorial, Nicklaus
arranged to stop by Athens on his
way from Florida to Ohio.
"I made up my mind early that I
didn't want my children* going
away to college saying, "Gee, I
wish I knew my father better,'
Nicklaus said.
"I don't think any of them can
say that," Barbara said. "There are
mothers and fathers that live half -
a -mile away that don't make an
effort to attend things that he'll fly
in for. I know they appreciate that
kind of commitment."
Even his closest friends marvel
at Nicklaus' resourcefulness in
finding time to deal with his f am-
ily, golf and business interests. As
much as he's achieved on the
course, he's done more off it. -
Combining golf with business
.Nicklaus, 46, decided early in his
professional career that his golf
game would suffer if he did not
involve himself with outside inter-
ests, particularly in the business
field. It's just that, occasionally,
he'd rather read a Wall Street Jour-
nal than a green.
It was this need to expand, along
with a few other considerations,
that caused Nicklaus to part with
his original manager, Mark McCor-
mick, and start Golden Bear Inter-
national in 1970.
"First off, I knew I was always
going to be third man on the totem
pole with McCormick as long as
Gary (Player) and Arnold (Palmer)
were still there," Nicklaus said.
"But, mainly, I left because I felt I
could do a better job in business by
myself. That's only natural."
I Nicklaus gradually started to
build a business empire that now
needs seven, maybe eight, digits to
fill out the ledger. All this from
someone who never received his
business degree from Ohio State.
Along the way, there has been Finally, Nicklaus had enough of
much criticism stating that Nick- doing nothing. "Chuck was expand-
laus' business involvement has en- ing the business so much, I ended
dangered his golf game. Not so, up not being involved," Nicklaus
said Nicklaus. Part of Nicklaus' said. "It got to the point where I
makeup is such that the busier he would come in the office and an -
becomes off the golf course, the sorer phones, sign autographs and
better he becomes on it. go to the course. I got bored with
"Barbara is always pleased to that.
see me busy because when my
mind is working is when I play my
best golf," he said. "I don't know
why, but I've always been able to
compartmentalize the things I
have to do. When I'm on the golf
course, I'm thinking about golf. But
when I'm in the office, I'm concen-
trating on business. I guess this
ability developed out of necessity."
Enough of doing nothing
Still, this philosophy was put to
the test last fall when Nicklaus as-
sumed control of his business from
long-time partner Chuck Perry. In
the past decade, Perry had gradu-
ally taken over the day-to-day
chores of running Golden Bear, to
the point where Nicklaus was bare-
ly involved with the decisions.
VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH
HISTORIAN
A reens is
hxC e in on the g
9
MV
f ly g es
in Nicklaus ami S en
By Craig Dolch
Staff Writer
Even without the famous father, the Jack Nick-
laus household is unquestionably the first family of
golf.
Excelling on the greens seems to be in its genes.
Jack Nicklaus 11, 24, won the prestigious North
and South Amateur last year to match his dad's 1959
victory in the event. The eldest son will follow into the
family business': later this summer when he turns
professional. In the meantime, Jackie will continue to
serve as his father's caddie.
Steve, 22, the second -oldest son, can occasionally
match par despite playing golf on a limited basis.
"He's the type of golfer you hate," said Barbara Nick-
laus, Jack's wife, "He won't play for six months, and
then he'll shoot 75."
Steve knows the ropes of the professional golf
circuit, working for Executive Sports, an organization
that produces golf tournaments throughout the coun-
try.
Gary, 17, is a scratch golfer who already has been
featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Benja-
min School junior recently was named to The Palm
Beach Post's All -Area team for the second consecutive
year. He looks, and at times, plays like his f ather.
"He's a clone of his father," Barbara said.
"They're the same height. They even have the same
shoe size."
Michael, 13, has played in junior tournaments,
but, like most of the family, enjoys all sports.
Women enjoy the sport, too
The sport isn't limited to the males in the Nicklaus
family. Barbara has seen professional golf throughout
the world, along with her globe-trotting husband.
While at Ohio State, Barbara took a golf class and
made three pars and two bogeys during a five -hole
`After I played that day (in college), I
wondered why Jack practices so much. But
1 haven't broken 60 yet (for nine holes). I
knew it was time to quit after Gary beat me
when he was 6.'
Barbara Nicklaus
examination when the students were let loose on the
campus course.
"After I played that day, I wondered why Jack
practices so much," Barbara said, smiling. "But I
haven't broken 60 yet (f or nine holes). I knew it was
time to quit of ter Gary beat me when he was 6."
And Nan, 21, showed enough ability on the prac-
tice tee to prompt the women's coach at the University
of Georgia to ask her to try out for the team. Twice.
"I can remember her being so nervous before the
first tryout," Barbara said. "She said, 'I'm not -ready
for people yet.' I thought that was cute. She's played
with her father before, but she was worried about
playing in front of a real gallery."
Nan's sport is volleyball, however, and she at-
tends the University of Georgia on a volleyball schol-
arship.
Just how competitive is this family? Jack Sr.,
possibly the best golfer ever to tee up, has admitted to
losing to his sons on the golf course. Really. Jack II
and, yes, even Gary have defeated the six -time Mas-
ters champion.
Dad doesn't mind. "I really enjoy playing with
them," he said. "The kids are always trying to get me
to play when I come home, and its always a lot of fun."
... Even when he loses. That's because with the
Nicklauses, golf truly is a family affair. 0 .
VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH
HISTORIAN
For Business:
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Nicklaus started Golden Bear International in 1970
I
.. his enterprise has seven -digit success, though he never got his degree
C t
no l
urb..f.'ale S.0.61.
nj en orvora ns.� le h
ear
. U
. ... . ...
*Use of G.:06.4de...' B1.
9�9
DWI_ t� A I
NOTE., iabk.�NlbklaW� hjj y: as W ys�i e
%A1,M,1W,.A.4E OF NORTH PALM HISTORMAW
M
For Pleasure:
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nicklaus, wu
with a 1,358-pond'black
-marlin, in 1978
Ptrying to be a fishing expert resulted in the nicknarne 'Boca Grande'
Pnc}s �1
,Immediately of ter regaining
control of Golden Bear, Nicklaus'
golf game became unbearable. He
missed the cut in -three of his first
seven events this year, and the ru-
mors began anew that Nicklaus the
businessman was ruining Nicklaus
the golfer.
That all changed in April, howev-
er. Nicklaus' victory in the Masters
was proof that his latest business
move had paid off, Even so, Barba-
ra said there are times when she
has to make sure his priorities are
in order.
"I remember watching him play
the first round at Augusta, and it
was obvious that his mind wasn't on
golf until the 13th hole," Barbara
said. "I told him so after the round.
Ile chuckled . at first, but he
agreed."
Soon enough, Nicklaus got back
to the business at hand — winning
another major championship.
When he did, the man he replaced
at Golden Bear was duly im-
pressed.
"It was taking 100 percent of my
time to run the company, and he
took over all my duties," Perry
said. "It's a miracle that he's been
able to play golf as well as he's
played."
A'mastermind and perfectionist
It's not a miracle to those associ-
ated with Nicklaus. "He has an in-
credible ability to quick -study a sit-
uation," said Dick Bellinger,
Ilinger,
Golden Bear's senior vice-presi-
dent. "He can take a rather com-
plex set of circumstances, analyze
them and make the right decision.
If Jack Nicklaus had not been a
successful golfer, there's no ques-
tion in my mind that t he would have
been a successful businessman.',
His close friends wonder if th6se
is an aspect of his personal life that
Nicklaus hasn't mastered.. He's an
accomplished fisherman, has de-
signed 62 golf courses throughout
the world and even is somewhat of
a specialist on Southern vegetation,
another of his hobbies.
"Anything that piques his inter-
est, he learns everything there is to
know about it," said Bob Hoag, a
long-time friend who's the chair-
man of Miairffield Village. "He's
such a perfectionist that he won't
do anything halfway."
Said Nicklaus: "That's the way I
am. Whatever I do, I do all day."
Sometimes, his drive for perfec-
tion causes problems. Pandel Sa-
vic, another of Nicklaus' close
friends, laughingly recalls a fishing
expedition they took when Nicklaus
was exhorting his novice compan-
ions not to let a big one get away.
"He wanted me to catch a fish so
PAg*s
badly, he was practically,.. trying to
catch it for me," Savic said. "He
kept screaming in my eaK� how, to
catch it. Finally, I turned, around
and yelled at him to shut upl,. That's
where he got his nickname„ 'Boca
Gtande' (big mouth)."
A few nicknames,
Nicklaus has a few other nick-
names that he'd rather not, hear
about. One Barbara gave him early
in their marriage was "Handy
Jack," and it had nothing to do with
the ovation he received at golf tour
naments.
"I made the mistake of asking
Jack to put upa' simple cup rack,"
Barbara said. "But about 45 min-
utes later, he was still trying to
figure out where the screws went.
Weestablished early that Jack
wasn't going to be much help
around the house."
He wasn't much help when the
children started to arrive, either.
Nicklaus was 5 -for -5 in fainting ev-
ery time he mt the newest Nick-
laus. Once again, he had mastered
another, albeit. unusual, art.
Nicklaus may not have been with
his family at the start, but he's been
there ever since. Consider that af-
ter all he's accom�.Iished — the 20
major championships, the 71 PGA
Tour titles
, the 897ictories world-
wide, the five Player., of the Year
Awards — he still looks .away from
the golf course when as,'ked to find
his true highlight.
"I think it's my relatior�iship with
Barbara' and the kids," -hesaid.
"The sole objective in 11',fe . is to
bring the kids up to be good" citizens
and contributors to society.', If, I can
do that, then that's my maj, n goal,
and that's something that ' T '11 re-
member for the rest of m 'y . life.
That's more important to m(>>than
winning the Masters."
VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH
HISTORIAN