Jack Nicklaus on Today's players

[Ashley Schaeffer]

Cool. I was just wondering because we have a lot of plus handicaps (some former [then] Nationwide guys) who maybe hit it over 300 once or twice per round. But our course is pretty much all carry and about 400 yards from the ocean. I’ve found elevation matters a lot less than atmosphere for some reason. I definitely gain a club on the east coast, or in the southeast, even at sea level.

[gvogel]

I was being facetious. I think.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

Stopped reading after the title. Not working hard enough? I hope I never get so old that I can’t appreciate the youth.

[Guest]

Looks like two things being value of 5e dollar has dropped, and purses have gotten bigger in real terms.

A reality, both are the result of Fed’s never ending money creation, which both caused the value of the dollar to drop and the amount of resources put into golf (in real terms) to increase, a classic malinvestment and inefficient use of resources based on a belief actual wealth is greater than it is.

If people would apply a reasonable risk discount to the value of their assets, not a single club maker would survive.

[tannyhoban]

From 1962 to 1986 Jack averaged 18 PGA events. Wasn't exactly grinding out there. $140,000 is still a nice salary today.

Jack is a whiner.

[nsxguy]

 

[The Pearl]

The money and security is no doubt better on tour today, but a strong case can be made that it was far easier to stay on tour in Jack's era.

The culprit isn't the prize money per say, it is the "exemptions" allowing lower tour turnover. Perhaps somebody much more motivated than me can compare that variable today vs. Jack's era.

 

[Choclab]

Well Tiger is/was a legendarily hard worker, so no surprise most people don't work that hard. No controversy there.

I think the increased money sort of evens out. Some people can coast more comfortably, like Jack said. But that money motivates some, especially the younger ones who haven't made it yet, to work harder. That's a huge carrot that exists today where back in the day people probably wondered why they should even pursue this life if they could make more selling insurance.

I do think it's funny how younger people get so offended when older people say they had it tougher. In most ways, they did. I had it easier than my dad and my dad had it easier than his dad. That's the way progress goes. Don't take it so personally.