Muirfield Village Golf Club is one of Jack Nicklaus’s greatest designs. Its prestige has been solidified by hosting 50 editions of the Memorial Tournament, as well as other premier events, including the 1987 Ryder Cup and the 1998 Solheim Cup.
Naturally, Nicklaus knows the course like the back of his hand, having designed it and played it countless times. The Golden Bear even has a favorite hole among the course’s 18, where he had the opportunity to show off in front of a former U.S. president.
“I suppose if there’s one hole on the golf course you ask me about, I would probably say 14,” Nicklaus said.
“Yeah, I think 14 is a really challenging hole, it’s an easy hole, it’s a dangerous hole, it’s a pretty hole. It’s got all the elements there that you could want. I made three 3s on that hole — or three 2s on that hole.”
“And I don’t know any other hole that I’ve holed three shots from off the green to make 2s anywhere in the world. But, you know, none of ’em during the tournament, of course.”
“One in a pro-am playing with Gerald Ford…He thought it was a good shot. [Laughing].”
The 14th hole at Muirfield is currently a par 4 and measures 368 yards. The main difficulty lies in a creek that bisects the fairway and continues to the right of the green.
Like most occupants of the Oval Office, President Gerald Ford was an avid golfer. There are no records of his handicap during his youth, but it reached 12 after the end of his presidential term.
Ford was also the first former president to join the United States Golf Association (USGA). He is said to have once outdriven Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, which is no small feat.
Nicklaus played in 33 editions of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield. He made 25 cuts, won twice, and had four other top-10 finishes. His best round at this course was a 66, which he shot on the first day of the 1986 tournament, when he finished tied for fifth place.
At 57 years old in 1997, Nicklaus still managed to card two 69s, which helped him to secure a tie for eighth place.
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