Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus was named “Golfer of the 20th Century” or “Golfer of the Millennium” by almost every major golf publication in the world. He was also named Individual Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century by ESPN.

In June 2018, the Golden Bear received the Lincoln Medal from the Ford’s Theatre Society, making Jack Nicklaus just the fourth person in history—and the first athlete or sportsperson—to be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005), the Congressional Gold Medal (2015) and now the Lincoln Medal.

Nicklaus’ competitive golf career spanned five decades, and his legend has been built with 120 professional tournament victories worldwide, including a record 18 major-championship titles (six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, three Open Championships) won over a 25-year period (1962-1986). He is one of only five golfers who have won all of golf’s modern majors—referred to as the career “Grand Slam”—and the first golfer to have done so on both the regular and senior Tours.

The legacy Nicklaus has left as a player can be rivaled only by the legacy he is leaving as a golf-course designer, businessman and philanthropist.

Since 1962, Nicklaus has added the moniker of “businessman” to his lengthy résumé. He is co-chairman of the privately held Nicklaus Companies. For a record six consecutive years, Golf Inc. magazine ranked Nicklaus “The Most Powerful Person in Golf,” due to his impact on various aspects of the industry through his course design work, marketing and licensing business, his ambassadorial role in promoting and growing the game worldwide, and his involvement on a national and global level with various charitable causes. Nicklaus has designed almost 315 golf courses over a six-decade career, and was voted 2017 Golf Course Designer of the Year by the World Golf Awards. Nicklaus Design, the thriving business he founded almost 50 years ago, is considered the industry leader, with over 425 courses in 45 countries and 41 states.

Among his most recent work, Nicklaus has donated his design services to a number of courses that impact charities. Included is recently opened American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan, which benefits Folds of Honor—an initiative that provides educational opportunities to the spouses and children of our fallen or disabled soldiers. The response to the project has been so overwhelming, American Dunes has sold out all available tee times for 2021.

Tireless philanthropists, Nicklaus and wife Barbara are the guiding light for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which supports numerous pediatric health-care services in South Florida, as well as nationwide, and has raised close to $150 million since its inception in 2004. Renowned Miami Children’s Hospital and Miami Children’s Health System have been re-branded to Nicklaus Children’s, and along with the flagship hospital, there are 20 Nicklaus Children’s Outpatient Centers spread across Florida. Recently, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation of Canada was established.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has treated children from 119 countries and every state in the union.

The Foundation is part of an alliance with the Memorial Tournament and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which is the primary beneficiary of the prestigious PGA TOUR event founded in 1976.

Focused on growing the game of golf, Nicklaus is a Trustee of The First Tee. Three times he has spoken before the U.S. Congress on the character-building aspects of The First Tee. Nicklaus is also a Trustee and spokesperson for PGA REACH—the charitable arm of the PGA of America, with focuses on youth, military, and diversity and inclusion.

Residing in North Palm Beach, Fla., since 1965 and in the same home they have lived since 1970, Nicklaus and Barbara Nicklaus are parents to five children and grandparents to 22.