Michigan Golf Journal July 2019
held everyone’s attention with his insight and stories about golf. A personal story that Jack has shared a few times locally deals with a tree on the Oakland Hills South Course – which then rolled right into his memories of playing golf with Ben Hogan. Nicklaus came to Oakland Hills, while still an amateur golfer at Ohio State, to play in the 1961 U.S. Open. Jack said he played several practice rounds with Hogan, before later shooting 2-over the last seven holes to lose the tournament by three shots. “I’ll never forget the second shot I hit at 12,” Nicklaus said in June. “People will laugh about it because they can’t believe it can happen. There used to be a big overhanging Elm tree on the right side of the fairway about 100 yards short of the green. When I hit my second shot, a whirlwind came through. You could see people with their hats flying up in the air in the gallery, and the tree started whipping. And I hit the shot and the tree whipped out. “That shot was going on the green, I guarantee it. Hits the tree that blew out, (my ball) drops straight down. Hit my shot in the bunker. Out, made six instead of four, and ended up losing the tournament. I finished second the year before at Cherry Hills, came here and did that. Then I got lucky the next year and won at Oakmont” (in the 18-hole playoff over Arnold Palmer). “I played several practice rounds with Ben Hogan that week,” Nicklaus continued. “I enjoyed playing up here. I was very flattered to play with Hogan. I played with Hogan in ’60 at Cherry Hills in the last two rounds. The next year at Augusta, he walked in the locker room with a couple pair of shoes over his shoulder, and, he called everybody fella. He says, ‘hey fella, how ya doing.’ I said, ‘I’m fine Mr. Hogan, how are you?’ He says, ‘you got a game?’ and I said, ‘I do now.’ So, we went out and played a couple practice rounds at Augusta. We did the same thing when we got here (to Oakland Hills)…I was always flattered that Ben Hogan took an interest in a young kid. He was a big part of my life.” Speaking of Palmer, Nicklaus recounted the time he first laid eyes on Palmer but didn’t go up to meet him. Jack at the time was still a young teenager, Continues on page 6 >> 5 July 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com
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