Best Seat In The House

LITERARY REVIEW

The Best Seat in the House

A Conversation with Jack Nicklaus II

By Jadan Hoyrn & Margaret Luce

Jack (Jackie) Nicklaus II had a unique childhood. As the son of arguably the world’s greatest golfer, the expectations for his own success were and are immense, and yet that same famous father taught him how to bear the burden of fame while also being a loving husband and father. Jack Nicklaus II sat down with Metropolitan Magazine’s Features Editor Jadan Horyn and Creative Director Margaret Luce to share the accumulated wisdom of “The Golden Bear” in Jackie’s recently published memoir Best Seat in the House.

What do you think this book says about your Dad? It’s more a profound appreciation for both of my parents. My mother Barbara truly needs to be mentioned each time I talk about my father and their parenting. As a father I am still learning so this was my way of sharing the wisdom both of my parents passed to me. To show them I didn’t always appear to pay attention, but I was listening. That I did learn some things along the way. And I hope to

pass a lot of those lessons on to my children.

What have you learned from your Dad about being a father? (Laugh) Well when you take your children home from the hospital, they don’t come with an instruction manual. As a father I am still learning; I think all fathers are. Each child is different. That is something my father taught me. We all have different makeup and components, and one child’s going to react differently than another. My brother Gary and I both learned how to play golf from Dad. Yet Gary was able to take instruction while I was more defensive for some reason to take instruction from Dad. But again, I think that’s not unusual or unnatural. It’s just that everybody processes things differently. Family is critical; clearly your dad instilled that in you. What is your advice to those parents who struggle? My parents never said “here is a lesson you must learn.” Rather, they lived their lives as examples of right living. My dad taught us the golden rule. He is fair and believes in fair business deals; that no deal is a good deal if it’s not good for both sides. He’s lived a Godly life with a solid foundation of good ethics. My dad has always had this ability to see things from 30,000 feet, to see the big picture and that is essential for understanding how to act.

The Nicklaus family has always been very active in giving back to the community. Why is that so important? Our foundation of faith provides a base for our love for others. Mom and Dad have always been involved with helping people. As they have been increasingly blessed they have felt the need to give back. As a result of a nearmiss with my sister Nan, they formed the Nicklaus Children’s Heathcare Foundation. It’s not just money, it’s about time. You give of yourself and hopefully even more important is the time and the love that you give back. I would encourage anyone to just see it as love they can give to others.

Best Seat in the House offers a number of important lessons that fathers can pass on to their children either through word or deed. The biggest take-away from this book, the perfect Father’s Day Gift, is the abiding love and devotion that Jack Nicklaus has for his

Barbara and Jack Nicklaus

family, and how that is the greatest lesson of all in how to be a father. Covering eighteen themes, Best Seat in the House is part parenting advice, part memoir. Its life lessons and personal reflections are rich wisdom for fathers and would-be fathers alike, and it offers insight into the personal character of the beloved Golden Bear, a man who has left a lasting imprint not only on America and golf, but also on his son and family.