Arguably the greatest golfer ever to nail a long iron, Jack Nicklaus began his remarkable career in Columbus, Ohio, where he grew up, and won the U.S. Amateur Championship while he was a student at The Ohio State University. What better place, then, to honor Nicklaus than a museum on the OSU campus.
The Jack Nicklaus Museum should be a pilgrimage for every player, from trunk slammers to low handicappers. The Golden Bear’s remarkable career included 20 major championship victories, including six Masters titles and five PGA Championships. His accomplishments are evidenced by an array of trophies, photographs, and mementos, including a Masters green jacket.
The challenge to enjoying the 24,000-square-foot museum, which opened in 2002, is pacing. Areas feature Nicklaus by the decades, the men Nicklaus battled, a gallery devoted to the golf courses he has designed, an art gallery and a family gallery. The family gallery is especially engaging, with a video of son Jack talking about growing up in a golf family.