Charlie Mechem sits down with his longtime friend, the legendary Jack Nicklaus. Jack and Charlie reminisce about the golf course they built together in Cincinnati nearly 50 years ago, along with the impact of past relationships with significant golfing names like Bob Hope, Jack Grout, and Arnold Palmer. Together they dive into anecdotes from Charlie’s book, “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer,” which can be found through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and our publisher.
Hard Work Reaps Reward
Jack remembers his youth when he would stay out on the golf course all day just practicing his swing. He loved the fact that he could play golf alone, that he didn’t need a team there to play with him, so he could practice whenever he desired. Because of this, he practiced like a madman, and in the end he was rewarded for his effort. His reward being the fact that he is one of the greatest golfers of all time. You get what you give, If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded.
Swing de Jour
Your swing will not always be the same each day, some days will be better than others. Jack calls this his “swing de jour,” or “swing of the day.” Some days his swing will be absolutely perfect, without flaw. Other days, he may totally miss his mark. Regardless of each particular swing de jour, Jack notes that everyone should make the best of what they have each day. Jack always asks himself: what can I make of what I have?
Visualize Your Next Swing
Imagination is paramount in any game of golf. Jack can create, what he calls, an “indescribable” feeling within himself when he imagines each of his swings. He can visualize how he wants his swing to go, and from his visualization, he is able to make it happen.
Who Makes the Biggest Impact?
The closest people to you are those who make the biggest impact. Jack has many thanks to give to his wife Barbara, his children, his teachers, and mentors, as well as his father. He found that throughout his life he has always been learning lessons from others. Jack found mentors in people such as Bob Hope, Arnold Palmer, Jack Grout (his long time teacher), and Charlie himself. All of these talented individuals were always teaching Jack important lessons. He learned how important humility is from Bob Hope, who he observed treating people who demanded pictures and autographs with kindness when he could have completely snubbed them. His past mentor and coach, Jack Grout, was always there for him, never wanting any publicity or to be on the tee with Jack. Grout just wanted to be there to support Jack. It is people like these that made a far bigger impact on Jack’s life than any kind of distant celebrity ever could have.
Some Days the Statue, Some Days the Pigeon
Some days you’ll win, and some days you’ll lose, that is something Jack learned early on in his golfing career. Some days his “swing de jour” would not be as impeccable as his “swing de hier,” his “swing of yesterday.” He always knew that he had to work with what he had each day and learn to lose just as good as he learned how to win. You can’t be a good winner without also being a good loser.
If you’d like to listen to more episodes of “15 Minutes With Charlie,” please visit charliemechem.com or search for “15 Minutes With Charlie” in your podcasting app. If you are enjoying the show you should check out “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer.” Learn more at charliemechem.com/book, or find it available through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and our publisher.