‘For Some Strange…’: Jack Nicklaus Once Publicly Admitted About Having Issues to Talk to His Son Right After His Birth

Jack Nicklaus is not only a golf legend but also a devoted family man. He has five children and 22 grandchildren. However, he has always made his family a top priority, even during the height of his career. 

He is a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Moreover, he is known for his patience and kindness towards children. 

For, the ‘golden bear,’ family always comes first. His dedication to his family is evident in the way he interacts with his grandchildren on and off the golf course. He shows them the same love and passion for the game that he has always had.

Jack Nicklaus shy around children

Nicklaus has often spoken about how much he values family. Moreover, how important it is to him to be a good father.

However, despite his devotion as a father, Nicklaus has admitted to struggling with first impressions with children. “I believe I’m pretty good with the kids, but for some strange reason, I’m not the first time I see them,” he said. 

He feels shy and reserved when he meets a child for the very first time. In an interview with the Golf Digest, the legend recounted his first time meeting his newborns. Nicklaus was away playing a match when his wife went into labor with their first child. He rushed to the hospital to meet his son. But his dizzy spell upon seeing the baby ruined his first impression.

“When Barbara went to the hospital in Columbus to have Jackie, I was out of town playing a match. I rushed home and out to the hospital. A nurse carried my new son out so that I could see him, and as I was walking forward, I sank to the floor and collapsed,” Nicklaus said. “Another nurse revived me with smelling salts. Terrific!”

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He had a repeat incident when his son, Stevie Nicklaus, was born. “When Stevie was born, I waited patiently at the hospital and then, when he was brought out, I collapsed — another gutsy performance.”

Despite this, Nicklaus has always been a loving and supportive father to his own children. And continues to be a positive role model for families and children in the golfing community. 

Nicklaus is a role model for his children

Nicklaus is a great influence in his children’s lives. Not only was he a successful professional golfer, but he also instilled strong values and a love for the game in his children. 

Nicklaus has been a dedicated father, often seen on the sidelines of his children’s tournaments, providing support and guidance. His eldest son Jack Nicklaus Jr. even wrote in the book, ‘Best Seat in the House: 18 Golden Lessons from a Father to His Son,’ to share his father’s teachings with the world.

Nicklaus’s legacy not only lives on through his golf accomplishments but also through the close bond and success of his family.

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