Jack Nicklaus II essay on Jack Nicklaus the father

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In honor of Jack Nicklaus' 70th birthday, PGATOUR.COM recently asked some of the people close to the Golden Bear for their thoughts on various aspects of Nicklaus' extraordinary life. In this essay, Jack Nicklaus II -- also known as Jackie, the oldest of Jack's five children -- discusses Nicklaus the father.
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Jack Nicklaus II

My father is such a special man. I don't want to embarrass him, but I have learned so much from him. The most important thing is to always treat others the way you would want to be treated. He learned that from his father, and that's the way he has always lived his life. Dad was just lucky he made a few more putts than the other guy.

We all knew he was a great golfer, but he was always just "Dad" to us. My mom added the normalcy to our lives, of course. But Dad tried never to be away from our family more than two weeks at a time -- ever. I think he broke that twice. I know a lot of guys couldn't afford to fly back and forth in his day, so we were very lucky. He would fly back on Friday nights to see our basketball and football games so that even while he was playing in tournaments, he was still a part of our lives.

I remember one time in particular, my high school football team was playing a big game in Okeechobee, which is the middle of the state of Florida. He was playing in the World Series of Golf, but he still managed to make it to the game. When we won I remember him coming over and giving us all a big hug. Then he flew back to Akron, Ohio, so he could make his tee time the next day. Seeing him in the grandstands or in the audience at one of our other special events meant the world to all of my brothers and sister and I. He is a great example for me now as I have children of my own.

My mom and dad are very busy with their lives now. I am so happy they get to enjoy themselves. But they would drop everything for me or one of my siblings or their grandchildren. I know I am very biased, but my parents have been amazing role models. When celebrities stub their toes, it's like a splash of cold water in your face. You never saw that with my father, though. He is a very moral and ethical person. I have always tried to walk a path similar to the one my parents have, and I hope my children will turn out to be the kind of people they are.

In some ways, I may have taken my parents for granted a little because they always made the right decisions. They always took the high road, and I appreciate that example now that I am older. You know, I read a poem once called "Inheritance." I wish I could remember who wrote it, but the gist of it is that while a father might be able to leave his children a fortune, actually the most important things he can pass along are the skills you need to be a good person. That is so true, and it's the way my father has lived his life.

Happy birthday, Dad.