“She keeps me in line,” Jack Nicklaus said of his wife, Barbara Nicklaus, in 2005. Of course, Mrs. Nicklaus has also always done her best to keep him away from any negative news. At the height of his career, Nicklaus wasn’t immune to criticism, so a younger Barbara Nicklaus cut out negative articles in print so that Nicklaus never saw them. Of course, that should be enough to exemplify their love, but, according to Nicklaus, his wife has gone to extreme lengths to show her love for him.

If you’ve heard Barbara Nicklaus affectionately calling her husband “Dishpan Jack,” you might wonder about its origin. The nickname, while humorous, stems from both a tragedy and Mrs. Nicklaus’ love for her husband. In 1967, during the third round of the Sahara Invitational, Barbara was pregnant and experienced a miscarriage on Saturday night. Instead of waking Jack, she let him sleep through the night. The next morning, she told him, “Jack, I think I need to get to a doctor.” Shocked, he took her to the hospital and made sure she was alright. He then went on to win the Sahara Invitational and handled chores while Barbara rested, leading to the nickname.

Though painful, Jack Nicklaus never shies away from talking about that particular day. Recently, he sat down for an interview with Graham Bensinger and shared the story: “I shot 62 on Saturday, and Barbara’s pregnant. Barbara had, uh, she was having a miscarriage during the middle of the night. She didn’t tell me. She did take it to an extreme. She ended up, uh, finally waking me up about 8:00 in the morning, and she says, “I think I’m having a miscarriage. I think I need to go to the hospital.“ I mean, she had been there most of the night, but she wanted to make sure I got a good night’s sleep. She didn’t care about herself. She made sure I got a night’s sleep, took her to the hospital, and, of course, then I went out, I won the golf tournament, came back, picked her up, and then I was Mr. Mom for about the next week, taking care of her. But, uh, it was, um, she’s, she’s always been great that way.” Considering the impact of the moment, it isn’t surprising that Jack Nicklaus has talked about the incident several times over the years. In 2023, for instance, he shared the same story with Graham Bensinger. Before that, in 2008, he shared the story in an exclusive with Golf Digest.

In fact, Jack Nicklaus shared another cherished memory of his wife in 2008. After their marriage, he entered the Cajun Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana, where a local invited them to go duck hunting despite the rain. The next morning, Jack decided he wouldn’t shoot any ducks unless Barbara did. After several flights of ducks flew away without a shot, Barbara asked why he wasn’t shooting. When the third group arrived, Jack heard a bang and saw a duck fall. Barbara exclaimed, “Nice going; you got one,” to which Jack replied, “I didn’t shoot. It was you!” Their secret to a long-lasting marriage also lies in mutual respect.

Jack Nicklaus and Barbara Nicklaus’s secret to a long-lasting marriage

Of course, the answer to that is pretty simple, at least in Jack Nicklaus’s understanding. Talking about the secret to their long-lasting marriage in 2020, Nicklaus said, “Barbara says this: ‘It’s about 95 percent give and five percent take.’ If you both do that, it’ll end up pretty well. Barbara gave me, when I played, and when I was doing the golf courses. And the health-care charities now are more her thing, and I am more giving to her.”

For the first 45 years of their marriage, Jack Nicklaus relied on his wife as his primary support. She understood his need for a tranquil atmosphere while he golfed and took care of family responsibilities, which made his journey easier. Now that he has the means to help her achieve her dreams, he prioritizes her passions above all else. Her passion? Helping out the kids in need.

In 2004, Nicklaus and his wife became significantly engaged in supporting children, inspired by his wife, Barbara, who had long wanted to make a difference. Together, they established the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. 12 years later, in 2016, after making a substantial financial contribution to the Miami Children’s Hospital, they renamed the hospital and its 14 affiliated outpatient facilities across Florida as Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Of course, their love for helping kids in need worked out in the 2025 season as well. On March 25, 2025, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation announced that it had raised over $1.1 million, setting a new record for exceptional pediatric care during its annual Golden Heart Luncheon. The event occurred at The Country Club at Mirasol on February 28 and honored Barbara Nicklaus on her 85th birthday. Honestly, it makes sense why their love is so strong.