Michigan Golf Journal June 2021

Michigan Golf Journal American Dunes are all grateful for the huge words of congratulations from literally thousands of people tied into Folds of Honor, or who golf, or media that cover such stories. But truly, getting there was not all fun and games. “I’m not a big guy to say, ‘what have you accomplished, but more of what have you overcome.’ I am so proud of what we overcame, from the first meeting at the Bear’s Club to where we are today,” Rooney said. “We’ve been flying into the wind and he’d (Nicklaus) always tell me that ‘greatness doesn’t come along very often, and for this place to be great we’ve got to push’,” as Nicklaus nodded his head in full agreement while sitting next to Rooney. But as Rooney told me in a personal interview in late May, taking the nervous risk to approach his ‘boyhood hero’ was just the start (and this comes from a U.S. fighter pilot). Rooney knows human nature enough to have said it’s a huge gamble to get to know your boyhood hero because they are the ones who could let you down the most – based on what could be your inflated perceived dreams and vision. Nicklaus never let Rooney down. In contrast, Nicklaus was the rock for Rooney. “One of the coolest, most meaningful journeys of my life,” Rooney said, “and it’s taking shape in a really powerful way.” Rooney went on to say he recognizes three levels of human relationships. The first is surface interaction with people you like that does not go very deep beyond ‘how are you today?’ The second are nice friends you can eat dinner with and hang out and help a little if needed. But it’s level three he is feeling blessed to have reached with both Jack and Barbara Nicklaus. “There’s Level 3, the deepest relationships in your life,” Rooney told me. “The gift. And I describe my relationship with Mr. Nicklaus (whom he calls Jack in private) as a level one starting out, like most of us; great admiration … we know his persona, but we really don’t know him. And to some of the same extent, Barbara. “Yet, on this three-year journey, I got to go to what I call Level 3 with the greatest golfer of all time and my boyhood hero. It’s just such a gift and I’m truly grateful to the good Lord.” Getting to Level 3 never happens if there are no struggles, all smooth sailing he added. “It’s through the struggles, and through the honest conversations,” Rooney