If Jack was born ’90 instead of ’40

Same genes and same upbringing but born later. How would he have been perceived now? A bomber, like Rory or Justin?

Didnt see much of Jack in his hey days. One thing, he had probably worked out more.

He would be way behind Tiger for most majors won.

Too many Tiger body clones these days at 6’1” 190 pounds swinging an easy 116mph to really say how Jack would fair?

Tiger’s not doing too bad?

As with Tiger it has nothing to do with being 6' 1" 190 and 116mph and every thing to do with what is between the ears. Just ask Rory, DJ or Rickie.

Jack would be Jack in this or any era for me. Someone who is a good as he was would have figured out how to go about it whether he was using persimmon and balatas or titanium and urethane.

He’d constantly be compared to 22 year old Ben Hogan? Play with Secretary of the Navy Roger Staubach at Pebble? Wonder what would have happened if George Bailey had actually been born?

Good is always good, but just no way to wish people in and out of eras and get much out of it, IMO.

At 30 though I’m giving him 22 majors since 2008. These softies are nothing compared to Palmer, Miller, Player, Trevino, Watson.

Make that 1978...he and TW would have had some epic battles. I read an article...forgot where...that said today Nicklaus would average around 319 off the tee. And, he loved pressure. He said, "That's what makes it fun."

Jack would still be considered an all time great, assumptions outlined as they are. Just my opinion.

He’d probably wear a hoodie around all day with AirPods in listening to YouTube videos about people who build box forts.

he probably wouldn't have played football as long as a youth (sports are so dedicated at a young age these days) so he might have switched to golf even earlier and been even better.

Although he would have grown up worshiping tiger so who knows how that would change the dynamic of the goal post he was chasing.

barbara would most certainly have to go to jail for living with an under-aged man ...

We might compare Rory with what Jack would look like if he were Rory’s age?

There are just too many Tiger clones to beat. It's a much harder era today to win as much as Jack did than back in his day.

At some point the entire tour will be level, and any of them could win any given day. A couple strokes could differentiate the winner from the rest.

Us Millennials love doing that but don’t laugh at us for it, it hurts our feelings.

He'd be 30 and the most hated man in golf for beating Tiger at The Masters in 2019.

Jack would have dominated the last decade with Tiger away from the game much of the time.

And he'd be winning all those majors, tournaments and money at a pace that would make JB Holmes look fast.

Everybody in the forum would have been telling Tiger he needs to go see Jack Grout.

He probably plays at Ohio State for just one year.

How mad are people going to be when he concedes that short putt to Rory at the Ryder Cup for the draw?

There would be at least fifty Youtube videos of him standing over a ball before putting that are 10 hours long.

Jack would still be great and be about as beloved as a Chinese supervirus.

Two things....

First, "too many" and "much harder" is easy to say but not very precise. If it's "much harder", how does a 44 year old with back fusion come back from nowhere and get to #6 OWGR in a year and win the Masters, an event that BK, Rory, DJ, etc. have never won? Think about it. TW now is probably about 70% at best as good as TW 1.0. If the is how a Senior Citizen TW performs against the Uber Young Guns, how would TW 1.0 have done?

Second, and back to the OP. I think Jack, if in his prime now, would be a lot like Rory. Only as good a putter as Tiger 1.0. Imagine if Rory could putt like TW? That's how Jack would be. So, that's pretty scary. He wouldn't have the TW 1.0 wedge game but still be the best on the planet compared to the guys out there now.

A lot of the posters here do not know the story of how Jack lost a lot of weight. When he made that decision, he played a lot of golf at La Gorce with 4 or 5 clubs and he ran between his shots. Got himself into pretty good shape.

And then there was the tennis. He built a grass court and played lots of tennis to stay in shape. That is actually how he became really good friends with Rod Laver. Tennis is probably more beneficial than weight lifting - easier on the back and such. Jack did require a new hip, just like Tom Watson, but I think that the golf swing really takes it out on the hips.

great champion. He would be long and great in any era. Would adapt. Not 18 majors though.

If my grandmother had wheels she'd be a wagon.

I agree. The fields are deeper.

JN born1990 would dominate just like JN of the 60's 70's & 80's. He would likely be just as long as Rory but with an iron game and putting game like Tiger Woods. And to cap it off one of the best and strongest minds to ever play the game.

I'd say a modern Nicklaus would've won just as many majors or more. If Tiger stayed healthy the last 10 years he would've won another 5-6 more majors so if Tiger should've won 20ish than Jack would've won that amount too.

He’d have to practice And improve his short game a lot more

Jack was great and was born in the right place at the right time.

If he was born in the 90s. Some coach would have changed his swing. It would not have that classic reverse C, and would look much more like how swings look now. I would say Jack would not be Jack if he were born in the 90s. You may not even know who he was.

GOAT-- bear in mind, he didn't live in the gym like Bruce or train with the seals like Tigre, but IF HE DID....

Really His greatest asset is between his ears, and that doesn't change whether, 1990, 2000, 2010 or 2020.

I'd wager he'd have 25 majors by now, probably be averaging 350+ off the tee (clearly longer than Champ), and advocating for a ball roll back. We wouldn't have ever heard the name Tiger Woods for sure. Jack was THAT good folks

Yes. Very much spot on

When he was young, Jack was a big guy. With modern training, he might have come out of Ohio State actually the size and shape of a LB. Imagine a long drive guy who could really play, with Jack's mind and attitude.

Jack had a short game. Not sure why it gets so underrated. You don't win 18 majors and all those 2nds and all those top 10's without a short game.

A 46 year Jack Nicklaus way past his prime and virtually given no chance to win another major opened a can of whoop arse on the youngins of his day. Greg Norman was perhaps that eras BK? There was a young and brash Seve in the field too. GOATs will be GOATs in any era. MJ would be MJ in todays era as well. He wouldn't have to deal with all the banging he received when driving to the hoop and he'd have more room to be MJ in todays light defensive era.

I just think the game then and now are just not comparable. These discussions are fun and all. There are sooooo many other factors in play. Many outside the game of golf it self that help Jack become who he was. Drop him in the 90s with suede shirts and gangster rap being huge things.. He ends up watching way to much 90210 and does not play golf at all. Who knows what happens.

Maybe being as gifted athletically as he was, he see's the potential money in other sports and chases a different dream. It is really hard to say..