Rubenstein: Don't Forget Nicklaus In '66

Lorne Rubenstein writes in his latest column (if the first link doesn't work, try this Google Canada search page) about a similar no-driver strategy employed by Jack Nicklaus in 1966.

Jack Nicklaus did something similar when he won the 1966 British Open at the Muirfield Golf Club in Gullane, Scotland, except that he used his driver 17 times out of 56 opportunities.

The ball didn't fly as far then, even for Nicklaus, so the strategies are comparable.

Nicklaus, then 26, and golf's powerhouse as Woods is today, used his driver on most holes during his first practice round. He used the driver fewer and fewer times in subsequent practice sessions, until, as he wrote in The Greatest Game of All, his early autobiography, he came to a conclusion.

"By the eve of the championship there was only one hole, the long fifth, where I planned to drive with my driver in any wind, and there were only a handful of other holes, all lengthy par-fours, where I planned to take my driver in certain kinds of wind," Nicklaus said. "Everything considered, this amounted to the best preparation I had ever given a tournament in terms of learning a specific course."

Rubenstein also shares some of his email exchanges with Donald Steel on the Hoylake and his design career. 

Comments

[Rick]

I'm sorry, what's the point, Jack hit 17 drives to Tiger's 1. This isn't comparable, in fact Tiger didn't have to hit a single driver all week in reaching par 5's in two with iron + iron. The golf ball goes to far today, laying up short of deep pot bunkers ensures being up or around the green in regulation, which Tiger choose as a wise strategy but was never "tested" off the tee in having to hit driver. Just more evidence and proof that the game is in shambles at the pro level. I believe pro's should be tested with every club in their bag like was the case back in 1996. Tiger with no driver needed and Phil with two drivers in his bag at the Masters is all the evidence I need to pronounce the sport dead at the pro level. It's time the port drinking fuddy duddies take back the game we use to love watching by reining in the golf ball and the rediculous equipment manufactured for beginners. Bifurication wouldn't hurt a thing, might even increase golfs appeal to the masses, the pro's need the training wheels taken off.

[Ryan]

Rick,

Well said! This has become the year of the Driver or Driver's or is that No Driver........! For a couple hundred years the ball use to spin and thus curve more making square contact on the ball paramount, not so anymore. Players can actually swipe it and not see any significant movement in ball flight. Thus it's traveling a travesty in distance. Because of the facts, proof, evidence Phil implements draw bias, fade bias driver's for the Masters, Tiger never has to hit driver at Hoylake.

Fuddy duddies is ironic, appears the only thing their cranky about is entry forms and the port they drink being over 150 yrs old. With the facts relating to distance, proof and evidence that players are playing a different game because of the ball, courses brought to there knees, pins stuck on slopes and cut in corners of greens, I'm afraid there is more to the fuddy duddies vises. Dawson isn't quick to adopt drug testing, maybe he's afraid it will include himself and the executive committee first. It's my opinion that there is more to all of this than simple port drinking........

[NRH]

What Tiger did is equivalent to Pujols being Ichiro for a week because he couldn't hit anything between the foul poles. He proved he could do it so he is the man. However, the Cards pay him to hit if out of the park and Nike isn't pushing 2 irons. Right Hank, right Rock, right Tom?