“The Golden Bear,” Jack Nicklaus, has won 18 major championships, a record no player has broken, not even Tiger Woods. In fact, Woods himself has long considered Nicklaus one of his idols. And Nicklaus also had an idol. Or should we say more of a friend?

Bobby Jones. Their bond blurs the generational gap between Nicklaus and Jones. Nicklaus grew up learning about Jones from his father and later from the members of Scioto Country Club in Ohio, because they were obsessed with Jones, as he won the U.S. Open in 1926 there. The Nicklaus-Jones relationship all started from a splendid first impression. 

Jones introduced himself to Nicklaus when he was just 15, playing for the U.S. Amateur in Virginia. While practicing, Nicklaus hit a solid approach shot into the 18th green, which was a pretty rare shot to hit, and Jones watched it closely and got impressed. “Only three people have reached the green; that was nice shot you played in there.”

“He took a great interest in me and I was very flattered by that,” shared Nicklaus in an interview with Graham Bensinger. There onwards, something about Nicklaus made the legend Jones connect to him. And their bond only grew stronger. 

When Nicklaus qualified for his first Masters at just 19, he might not have expected a personal note waiting for him.

Sitting in his locker was a handwritten message, “Jack, welcome to the Masters. Welcome to Augusta. I’d like to invite you and your father down to my cabin to talk.” Any guesses who that would be? Obviously, it was Jones. But back then, it was a surprise to Nicklaus.

Nicklaus and his father accepted the invitation, and that started something special. It turned into a yearly tradition. Every year, another note would appear in Nicklaus’s locker, and every year, he’d head down to Jones’s cabin for a quiet, meaningful chat.

“He couldn’t have been nicer. Just a wonderful guy.” Jones has played a role in Nicklaus’s career that no one else could have, not even his father. He made time for Nicklaus. He invited Nicklaus and his father into his personal space, things he didn’t owe a 19-year-old rookie but offered anyway. And the affection went both ways; Nicklaus respected Jones just as much, if not more.

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The respect Nicklaus has for Jones runs deep…

Nicklaus never misses the opportunity to honor Jones.

He started the Memorial Tournament about 40 years ago to honor golf’s greatest players, showing his affection towards the game. Even though the club makes the official selections, Nicklaus chose the first and most important honoree, who was none other than Jones.

For Nicklaus. Jones is the essence of golf.

Nicklaus often tributes Jones through his social handles, too. 

“Hard to believe that 56 years ago today I won my first @themasters at age 23!…I remember after Arnold Palmer slid the Green Jacket on me (it was actually NY Governor Tom Dewey’s jacket), I handed the golf ball to my boyhood idol Bob Jones.” Nicklaus posted on his Instagram, remembering his victory. In the 2nd slide, Palmer is helping Nicklaus with the jacket, but Nicklaus’s eyes were stuck on his idol, Jones.

Well, Nicklaus may be the Golden Bear, but even legends have heroes, and for him, it was always Jones.