Playing links golf on courses like St Andrews, Royal Troon or Muirfield is a tough ask so if Jack Nicklaus is offering up the advice, it’s a good idea to listen up.
18-time major winner Nicklaus won The Open three times between 1966 and 1978, triumphing at Muirfield once and St Andrews twice.
With that in mind, it’s safe to assume that Nicklaus knows as much about links golf as anyone out there.
Over the years, the now 85-year-old has taken to using his experience to offer up what are often golden nuggets of advice.
And speaking back in 2022 ahead of The Open at St Andrews, Nicklaus explained just how you have to be as a golfer to succeed in the links game.
Jack Nicklaus’ big tip for playing links golf
Speaking ahead of The Open at St Andrews back in 2022, Jack Nicklaus offered some more of his unique insight into how he played the course and crucially, the mindset needed.
“If you really play well, play smart at St Andrews, like most of the seaside golf courses, you’re playing on where the bunkers are. If you play smart, you’re probably going to take just a couple of chances during the week but most of the time you don’t,” Nicklaus said.
“When I won at Muirfield, I planned it out and I hit four drivers a day and I had a little smile on my face at 14 and instead of electing to hit three-wood I hit the driver. I knocked it right in the bunker and it almost cost me the tournament.
“Discipline is such an important part of playing over here. You get frustrated, then when you get frustrated it’s ‘bye-bye’ and we’ll see you next time. You’ve just got to be patient and play by what the golf course gives you. Don’t try to take anymore.”
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Why Jack Nicklaus was left baffled by St Andrews in 2022
Jack Nicklaus has had more than his fair share of trips to the ‘Home of Golf’ over the years and back in 2022, he had plenty to say.
Indeed, speaking about the famous old course, Nicklaus admitted to still being shocked how it tests the very best in the world.
“When I came here in 1964, I couldn’t believe that St Andrews was a golf course that would still test golfers of that time,” Nicklaus explained.
“Now, that’s, what, 60 years ago? Close. Anyway, I didn’t think — it still tests the golfers at this time. It’s a magical golf course.
“The conditions, the weather, where you actually choose to put the pins, whether the golf course gets dry, whether the golf course gets wet, all those things that make St Andrews a magical place.
“And to believe the game of golf essentially started here, and it is just absolutely mind-boggling to me that it still stands up to the golfers of today. I tell you, if you get a little bit of weather, anytime you get it, it will tell you real fast how fast it makes you stand up to it.”
It would certainly be interesting to see a prime Nicklaus go up against the likes of Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy around St Andrews.
Not that it can ever happen, but it would make for seriously entertaining viewing.
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