It’s easy to think of Jack Nicklaus as the most accomplished golfer in the history of the game, but there was a time when he was just a up-and-comer with a bright future, who struggled with the decision to turn pro.
On this day in 1961, 21-year-old Nicklaus announced his decision to forgo his amateur status with a fantastic letter which his official Twitter account shared with his followers on Monday.
In it, the man who would go on to become the Golden Bear stated that writing the letter “has not been a pleasant chore” but that it it would have been unfair to his family to not turn pro “due to the several sources of income available to me at the professional level.”
One of the big sticking points for Nicklaus was not being able to defend his USGA Amateur title in 1962.
The full letter is below, it is a great read:
One of the toughest decisions I had to make as a young man was turning pro 56 years ago. Looking back, I can't imagine it any other way. pic.twitter.com/R7tL1WhUu7
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) November 7, 2017
