Grouchy old Jack Nicklaus criticizing Augusta National again

Jack Nicklaus has made sort of a second career railing against the changes in the modern golf game, from improving technological advances in equipment to lengthening of golf courses to keep pace.

Now, he’s blasting Augusta National again, where he was a six-time Masters winner. Augusta has lengthened the course again, for the second time in five years, and Nicklaus says the old club is taking light to medium-length hitters out of contention.

“All I want is for Augusta to be Augusta, because it’s such a great tournament,” Nicklaus told AP. “But, when you take a golf course and limit the number of people who have the ability to win…their intention is not to do that. But, they’re doing that.”

If Nicklaus had his way, we’d all still be playing with “mashies” on courses never over 7,000 yards. Nicklaus was the greatest golfer of his time, and the problem is he’s never been able to escape “his time.” The game is changing dramatically and there is nothing anyone, including Nicklaus, who can do anything about it.

It isn’t as if everyone on the PGA Tour doesn’t have access to the same equipment. Nicklaus was a power golfer himself when he was dominating. If you want to win on today’s Tour, find some distance. The rest of us are certainly trying to.