Sports fans always love to debate who is the "best ever" in every sport.
Golf is no different, and you cannot have a discussion on who is the best golfer without the name Jack Nicklaus. Most people know his record of 18 major wins. However, there are other stats that sometimes fail to get the recognition they deserve – his 19 runner-up finishes and 56 finishes in the top five, both of which are records held to this day.
Nicklaus loved to play golf, but it’s clear he was at his best when the pressure was intense, the bright lights were on, and it was his time to shine. But how did he deal with it so successfully?
I want to share a very short Jack Nicklaus story with you and then link it to a question every American should ask themselves.
I will never forget watching a tribute show on TV where players were being interviewed about all of Nicklaus' accomplishments. So many spoke about how hard it was to win one major, let alone 18. They were amazed at his success and career. However as always, there is another side to the story.
Jack Nickalus.
Tony Jacklin remembered a conversation he had with Nicklaus about majors. Nicklaus felt majors were sometimes easier to win than regular tournaments. Was this confidence or a very positive attitude of self-belief? Was there a reason and method behind this thinking? The thinking was not only simple but ingenious.
During a regular season, there are over 30 tournaments with the four majors. Nicklaus believed the difference between a regular tour event and a major was who honestly believed they could win that week.
During a tour event with 150 people in the field, the vast majority - if not all - feel they can win that week. However, a major has a lot of added pressure because it has greater significance, is usually played on harder courses with more demanding conditions and always has the most competitive field of players.
So how many of the golfers really believed they could win a major?
Simply put, Jack felt it was easier to win majors because the amount of people who believed they could win that week was heavily reduced. This story got me thinking about America today and the future of your country.
America, I have news for you: You have so many issues facing you today that you are no longer playing the regular tour where anyone can win. America, you are now playing the majors; the pressure is extreme, the spotlight is on, and the whole world is watching.
How you respond will define how the rest of the world responds. We are all waiting to see what you really believe in your heart and how you are going to fix the mess you are in.
(AP Photo/The Elkhart Truth, Jon Garcia)
The whole world is watching because America really is the last great hope for man on Earth. Can you really imagine the world without the American people? Can you really imagine a world without the American people who believe in God-given inalienable rights and that we are all created equal? Can you imagine a world without America being a beacon of light and hope for the world?
I can only speak for myself, but I don’t want to live in a world without America because it would turn into the darkness of Utopian statism that so many of our ancestors fought and died to stop.
I cannot tell you what the future holds for your great nation. However, I can tell you what I believe in the deepest place in my heart: I believe there is only one answer to tyranny. That answer is not just offering less tyranny than those currently in government or being more benevolent than others. The only answer is by offering real freedom, real liberty, where individualism is critical and where everyone regardless of age, race, sex, religion, education or sexual orientation can achieve their dream.
However, this cannot be achieved by a politician or by a party – this can only be achieved on the battleground of ideas.
How America responds will determine a lot for the future of the world. America will either return to its roots and become a beacon of light and hope for the world and more individuals will feel empowerment to chase their dreams, or America will continue down this Utopian statist road to Marxism and Communism and the world will be in chains.
What do you believe and which do you choose?
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