COLUMBUS (Ohio) — Jack Nicklaus’s competitive contemporaries joke that he can win golf tournaments while sleeping. It’s not a joke.
Nicklaus, who spoke at the Legends Luncheon hosted by the Memorial Tournament on Wednesday, said: “Years back I dreamed about my swing.” “I would give myself swing lessons when I slept if I was having problems with it. Then, I tried it the next day and it worked. I put it in.”
Nicklaus explained that the dream sequence of a swing lesson usually occurs during a tournament. Nicklaus won 73 PGA Tour competitions, including a record-breaking 18 major championships.
He said that he would go to the range after a game, as he did almost every time. “I couldn’t figure it out,” he explained of his fix-it conscious routine. Then, it would suddenly hit me as I was asleep. This is the best time to think. “You don’t have any other things to do.”
The 83-year old’s dreams weren’t always as sweet.
He said, “I don’t remember having it lately, but it used to be a constant dream that I was supposed to reach the first tee on time and I couldn’t.” No matter what I tried, someone would always run into me and stop me from reaching the first tee. I never got there and I would always wake up before my tee-shot.
Before his eyes opened?
I would know the course, and I knew how to get there, but I had to go to the toilet, I didn’t have my ball, I couldn’t locate my caddie, just so many distractions. “Not getting to the first hole is a nightmare.”
