Jul 23, 2021 5 min read Email

THE STARTER SHACK

We're two and a half day's into The Open Championship and the couch is starting to mold to our bodies. We may never leave.

🔪 Old Tom Morris had to fashion his own Twist Face Technology

🪑 There is one old bird that has the best seat at The Open Championship

🎯 See how real golfers save par

⛳️ Jack Nicklaus' record at The Open is a GD thing of wonder

PGA TOUR

The Golden Bear's Golden Run

Golf is not a game of perfect. Golf is a game where the good is taken with the bad. These two truths are especially exposed during the Open Championship and the golf played on unforgiving links courses.

Jack Nicklaus, during his prime in the UK, was absurd and damn close to perfection

15 year stretch from 1966-1980, worst Open finish was T-6 (1969)
3 wins (1966, 1970, 1978),
6 runner-ups
3rd (twice), 4th (twice), 5th (once), 6th (once)

Let’s make this more eye-watering than watching Craig and Kevin Stadler at a Golden Corral buffet - over this 15 year span, only 25 players total beat Jack Nicklaus. 25 players!

Expanded even further to look at all majors contested from the 1970 Open to the 1978 Open, Nicklaus finished outside the top 10 just twice!

For all of the talk of golf’s lovable second place major finishers (Oosthuizen, Norman, Palmer, Mickelson), let’s not be remiss to consider Jack’s “loser’s record”:

bagged 19 runner-ups in majors in his career
five came in a playoff or by one stroke (three of these to The Merry Mex, Mr. Trevino)
37 top 2 finishes in majors

There are Tour regulars who don’t even play in 37 majors in a career nowadays!

Looking beyond the Open Championships results, other bananas results from Jack’s prime

From 1970 to 1979, Nicklaus' worst finish at the Masters was 8th
In 44 majors from 1970-1980 Nicklaus missed one single cut
That same span- 38 top 10’s, 30 top 5’s, 10 wins
From 1971-1982, Nicklaus finished outside the top 10 just once in the U.S. Open

Let’s just say that the Golden Bear feasted during his prime. No, we aren’t referring to the “fine” English cuisine rammed down his gullet during the Disco Decade... nor was he doubling back with Jeff Foxworthy at the Golden Corral buffet.

GIMME

Wanna play Royal St. George's?: if you want to put your game to the test at Royal St. George's you better fill your wallet and lower your handicap. You will be required to shell out $350USD and have a handicap of 18.4 or less. 18.5? Nope, you suck and must leave the property.
John Daly bribed for $1 million: Daly details how he was approached to "tank" the 1995 Open for a cool million dollars. What's a million dollars to a guy who's lost between $50 and $60 million dollars between 1995 and 2007. Actually, he probably could've used that million.
That's huge!: No, we're not talking about Bryson's ego, we're talking about Jon Thomson who makes Bryson look l. Thomson, a Challenge Tour player, stands at 6 foot 9 inches. Excuse me, can I get a shaft extension?!
Don't bet on Brooks: he's not going to be in his best form this week. How do we know? He explained that his personal chef couldn't make itto The Open this year. I guess it's just bangers and mash for the week—or he can gorge on the breakfast at Royal St. George's.
New tools for Speith: Jordan put the smooth looking Titleist T100 irons in the bag for The Open. If these irons could talk, they'd sound like Marvin Gay..."Let's get it on".
What shot are you playing: take a spin on Golf Digest's interactive "How to Save Par" experience. Pick the location around the green, select the shot type, and see how "real golfers" pull these shots off.

PIC OF THE DAY

30th Open: When Ernie Els first started playing in The Open, bowl cuts were still in...so were persimmon woods.

W(was)ITB

Old Tom Morris: We're going waaaaaaaaaaay back. Old Tom Morris didn't have the toque wrenches for his drivers like we do today. Looks as though he had to whittle his own Twist Face Technology into his "woods".

INSIDE THE ROPES

My Driver Sucks...says Bryson DeChambeau, much to the chagrin of Cobra.

DeChambeau hit 4 of 14 fairways and says he's living on the razors edge, as he's been telling people for a long time.

Apparently, Bryson is living in 2025, playing with 2021 equipment. That's a real bummer dude.

This will most likely be a W(was)ITB very soon, since we don't think this driver will be in play much longer.

OUTSIDE THE ROPES

VIP seating: this fine lass has the best seat in the house in her garden hut behind the 4th green.

GOLF GEAR

Summer Style

Even though we're watching a summer tournament where the guys are wearing sweaters and jackets doesn't mean you have to. Get in summer style with these items over at Golf.com.

*not a sponsored post

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