Serious Jack Nicklaus question, 1-iron @ Pebble

[LICC]

> @JAMH03 said:

> > @twidener said:

> > I was with a friend at the 1970 PGA Championship at Southern Hills on Sunday and we followed Nicklaus around. He was too far behind to win but had a good round going. Most of the gallery were following Palmer who was very much in contention so we were able to stand right next to Nicklaus on the tee. At the 13th hole there was back then there was a ravine about 20 yards wide. It was fairway but if your ball was down in the ravine you had a blind shot to the green. The ravine started around 260 off the tee and it was 283 to carry it. The hole played as a par 5 for members but the PGA was playing it as a par 4 for the tournament. Nicklaus comes to the tee and my friend an I are the only people there. His playing partner, can't remember who, lays up short of the ravine but that leaves a long shot to reach the green. Nicklaus takes out his driver and hits his shot so high and carries the ravine. He looks at us standing there and gives us a wink. He went on to shoot either a 65 or 67 that final round. One of the lowest rounds in the tournament. He, like a lot of the good players back then, could hit the ball as far as they needed.

>

> @LICC ^ ^

 

Thanks @JAMH03 for showing me this. I think you’re coming around on this debate ;)

 

The accounts of Jack’s 1-iron shots above are also impressive. 238 uphill off the fairway with a 1-iron and balata ball. Not many golfers could have hit that shot.

[LICC]

> @JAMH03 said:

> > @twidener said:

> > I was with a friend at the 1970 PGA Championship at Southern Hills on Sunday and we followed Nicklaus around. He was too far behind to win but had a good round going. Most of the gallery were following Palmer who was very much in contention so we were able to stand right next to Nicklaus on the tee. At the 13th hole there was back then there was a ravine about 20 yards wide. It was fairway but if your ball was down in the ravine you had a blind shot to the green. The ravine started around 260 off the tee and it was 283 to carry it. The hole played as a par 5 for members but the PGA was playing it as a par 4 for the tournament. Nicklaus comes to the tee and my friend an I are the only people there. His playing partner, can't remember who, lays up short of the ravine but that leaves a long shot to reach the green. Nicklaus takes out his driver and hits his shot so high and carries the ravine. He looks at us standing there and gives us a wink. He went on to shoot either a 65 or 67 that final round. One of the lowest rounds in the tournament. He, like a lot of the good players back then, could hit the ball as far as they needed.

>

> @LICC ^ ^

 

Here is another account from the thread linked in a post above. This is consistent with Jack’s comments a few years ago that he remembered a tournament in New Orleans where he drove the par-4 greens several times:

 

“Nicklaus: I watched him play at the N.O.Open at the old Lakewood CC in New Orleans in '69 and '70. He was crazy long by comparison to his contemporaries. In onr tournament he hit 2 par 4's in 1, holes that were not set up as short par 4's, both doglegs right. No 16, 385 yds. + with a towering tee shot over large, mature trees and no. 12, 375 yds. with another towering this time 3 wood. He played 43", persimmon drivers with smaller heads than today's 3woods, and a 3wood smaller than today's 5woods. By today's standards he played: a 7iron that might spec almost as good as a modern 9 iron or W; a ball that wouldn't sell for more than $20; a $50 cheap used wedge; ... he putted like a genius on bumpy greens, when head to. He hit towering low lofted irons and woods, towering - his strength.”