Classic Swings--Young Jack Nicklaus

Here's a gem bought to us by our friend Bradley Hughes. It's a 15 year old Jack Nicklaus. Remember Young Jack was being taught by Jack Grout, who in addition to being a world class tour player was an Assistant Pro under Ted Longworth at Glen Garden Country Club. Both Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan were caddies at Glen Garden. Given that Grout was an Assistant, it might be safe to assume that he played a part in both Ben and Byron's development.


Here's an excerpt from Jame's Dodson's "Ben Hogan An American Life"

" Nothing about Hogan's golf swing initially made an impression on Byron, or on anybody else around Glen garden, but the saga of Hogan's battle to get down the basics of a grip and swing remains one of the most beguiling mysteries to emerge from this time. Hogan claimed he was naturally a lefty--probably true--but in those days left-handed clubs were rare to nonexistent. The story goes that Ted Longworth was the first to place a right-handed club in Ben's oversized hands and correct his "hog-killer" grip. Hogan himself cites brother Royal Hogan (who took up golf about this same time) as the one who actually switched Ben from left-to right handed playing, assuring him no athlete was ever successful playing left handed. "I was a southpaw who never stopped playing baseball right handed until my brother, Royal, made me switch," he told reporters following his breakthrough win at Pinehurst in 1940. "My brother would slap me every time he saw me use that right." Still others maintain it was Longworth's newly arrived assistant Jack Grout (who much further down the fairway would shape the swing of a promising Ohio youngster named Jack Nicklaus) who realized the game would be a lot easier for him if Bennie Hogan played it from the right side.
Whoever finally got Hogan squared away, the early switch in part explains the incredible power he was always able to generate from his left side, including his tendency to hook the ball. Years later, Hogan ruefully joked that he wished he'd been born "with two left hands," reflecting the commonplace view that a dominant left hand was an asset to the right handed golf swing."
--It's interesting that the debates below seem to revolve around Hogan wishing he had 3 right hands, when there was also a time when he wished he had 2 left hands. I think it's important to properly research the subject matter before jumping to conclusions.

Back to Nicklaus:

This swing is the epitome of unrestricted, free flowing motion and a very powerful leg action.This is one of the reasons why he is among the longest hitters in history.



This next video is a testament to Nicklaus' power.
The circumstances were as follows:

Nicklaus needed a birdie on the 18th hole to tie the U.S. Open scoring record held by Hogan, but he had 238 yards for his third shot -- uphill, all carry, into the wind. He hammered his 1-iron to about 20 feet and made the putt to finish at 272.



Here's Nicklaus:






Here's Hogan






Hit em Straight