Jack: "You're supposed to suit your game to the golf course."

Neat lines from Jack Nicklaus today, who was on hand at Olympic Club to announce the renaming of the gold medal given the U.S. Open winner and to unveil plans for a Nicklaus room at Golf House.

Talking about what makes it tough to win back-to-back U.S. Opens.

A lot of people say, this golf course doesn't suit my game.  Which to me is the most ridiculous statement you ever hear, for the reason that the golf course is not supposed to suit your game.  You're supposed to suit your game to the golf course.  That's why we play a different site every year, otherwise we'd play on the same site.

Comments

[Backnine]

Jack's right again, Another Jack (Fleck) said something similar in this interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwaiRVcSkxs&feature=related

[gov. lepetomane]

Then again, every golfer has particular skills, has strengths and has weaknesses.
What does Corey Pavin, known as as short dirver of the golf ball, do when he is preparing to play a very long course, practice hitting the driver off the deck or change his full swing to hit the drive 60 yards further? More probably, he focuses on fine tuning his putting and short game to compensate.
Does Tom Lehman start practicing hitting fade shots on a course with numerous left to right doglegs?

It is very reasonable to ask how a golfer is preparing for the characteristics of a difficult course, but I don't think it is ridiculous to comment on whether a particular course suits someone's game. There is a reason Lee Trevino never won The Masters golf tournament.

[BTW]

And if you can't suit your game to the course, build golf courses that suit your game!

[Hawkeye]

Strangely enough, Jack had this to say about Olympic: "There's a lot of holes on this golf course that didn't shape well for a left to right player. Fourth hole didn't shape well for me, 17th didn't shape well for me. You had to take the ball and turn it back into the hill on both of those holes."

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Ahem, it's a major, it's supposed to be tough.

[johnnnycz]

Some good ole common sense from Jack...unfortunately, his comment may go over the heads of today's "modern" Tour Pros and their swing gurus.

[bs]

It's all semantics - it's fair do's to compare a course with your natural game, right to left, left to right and so-on. Everybody agrees that to win what counts is how you try to adapt your game to each course you play.

Nicklaus is right in a sense, but he's setting up a straw man because I don't think anyone is saying what he is implying.

[No Longer Used to be Former Stack & Tilt Convert]

Jack is right of course. However, most players have a few more flaws in their game than Jack did.....

[Press Agent]

As I grew up playing and practicing golf, and dreaming as we all do about being a tour pro, I always assumed a starting point was to be able to shape the ball in both directions reliably. Sure, sometimes a golf course will not be perfectly suited to a players stock game, but in my mind a true champion and master of the swing should be able to adjust and play the shot that is required. A player who is shorter off the tee should work on their long irons and fairway woods etc, and a player who only draws the ball, should learn to hit a fade when required - IMO.

[RickABQ]

"That's why we play a different site every year, otherwise we'd play on the same site."

Otherwise, the US Open would be the Masters.

[Buffett]

Niclklaus' comment raises the question of whether a player can ever aspire to be considered a great player if he declines to play certain courses because they do not suit his game. IMO the answer is no. Can you hear me Rory?

[John Morris]

@bs
'Faid do's, haven't heard that expression in about 50 years, where did you pick it up
John

[John Morris]

@bs
'Faid do's, haven't heard that expression in about 50 years, where did you pick it up
John

[John Morris]

I intended to add that it doesn't matter if Jack is right or wrong LOWEST SCORE WINS
John

[DG]

Yeah, because Nicklaus is right about everything. Had Bubba said that, folks would be screaming for him to shut up.