Jack Nicklaus reveals what he ‘can’t stand’ about modern golf

There was one thing Ben Griffin did during the Memorial Tournament on Friday that didn’t sit well with Jack Nicklaus.

The 18-time major champion, of course, hosts the annual PGA Tour stop at Muirfield Village, which is the penultimate Signature Event of the season.

Griffin, 29, was tied for the second-round lead when he pulled his drive on the par-4 17th into some thick rough.

As he walked off the tee box and towards his ball, the American was approached by Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard for a walk-an-talk interview.

“Joked yesterday, I asked you what your energy levels are like,” Hoggard said, “and your wife had one answer. She said she was exhausted, you said you were fine. How are you?”

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After Griffin answered the series of questions, coverage headed back to the broadcast booth where Nicklaus was a guest. Safe to say he unloaded.

“I can’t stand that,” the 85-year-old said, “the interview on the golf course.”

“Let me tell you how I think, how I feel. “I mean, seriously, here’s a guy who’s leading the golf tournament, he’s just hit the edge of the rough, he’s got a very difficult shot on a very difficult hole, and you’re talking to him about stuff that totally takes his mind off of what he was doing.

“How would you think [Ben] Hogan would respond to that question?”

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Terry Gannon, who was on TV duty, quipped: “Times have changed.”

Nicklaus replied: “You would not have any teeth left if you did. “He’d [Hogan] hit you right in the face with it.”

The interviews have become somewhat of a phenomenon in the professional game in recent years.

One of the more noteworthy examples came at the 2023 Masters, when Rory McIlroy popped a pair of AirPods in his ears.

As you’d expect, it didn’t go down too well, although Rory himself seemed to enjoy the chat with CBS commentary duo Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.