I thoroughly enjoy working with kids, whether it's The First Tee or the lesson tee with my grandkids.
My ability to concentrate and work toward that goal has been my greatest asset.
When I fly in a helicopter, I insist there be two sets of controls, one for me in case something happens to the pilot. I'm no expert, but I know enough to at least get the thing on the ground. Nothing scares me like the thought of not being in control.
When I want a long ball, I spin my hips faster.
Did you know there's probably more golf played in Iceland than most places in the world? They play 24 hours a day in the summertime and the northern part is warmer than the southern part.
It's hard not to play golf that's up to Jack Nicklaus standards when you are Jack Nicklaus.
Whether it's pool or Ping Pong, I can't stand to have my kids beat me. Especially Ping Pong! And when they beat me, they just needle the devil out of me. That's fine. I'd rather have that than let them win a shallow victory.
Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.
Sometimes, I'm an ogre. I can be short. I'll walk into the office some days and I've gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, and everybody knows it. I'm a perfectionist. I like to be organized, and I like to get everything done today.
The fact is, I diet every day of my life. I have to work at it. But I diet so I can pig out.
Focus on remedies, not faults.
Well, the biggest rival I had in my career was me.
A Nicklaus Design golf course is done by the guys in my company that I work with, that have been trained in my vision, and they do what they think I might do. They might come in the office and ask me questions and I'd certainly answer their questions, but I'm not involved in the site visits or anything else.
Golf is game of respect and sportsmanship; we have to respect its traditions and its rules.
In 1979, when I was 39, I had such a bad year, I thought it was all over. Thankfully it wasn't.
If I were to look back on my work, I think I accomplished probably about 70 to 75 percent of what I could have. Maybe 60 percent. Somewhere in that area; two-thirds of what I could have accomplished. If I had been a really dedicated person, and really worked hard, I think I could have accomplished more.
