Golf - Lee Trevino on Jack Nicklaus' "flawless" putting
The legend himself Lee Trevino joined Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz for a bucket-list interview. The 6-time Major Champion talks Jack Nicklaus and his putting game.
Jack Nicklaus’ putting was nothing short of legendary, a perfect blend of precision, nerve, and an almost supernatural ability to rise to the occasion. While his towering drives and strategic course management often stole the headlines, it was his flatstick that sealed so many of his 18 major championships. Unlike the smooth, rhythmic strokes of modern-day putting maestros, Nicklaus had a unique, upright stance and a pop-style stroke that seemed unconventional—but under pressure, it was unshakable. His putts didn’t just drop; they were willed into the hole, often at the most crucial moments.
What set Nicklaus apart was his ability to make clutch putts when they mattered most. Think about the downhill 40-footer on the 16th at Augusta in 1975, breaking just perfectly into the cup to send the patrons into a frenzy. Or the knee-knocking birdie putt on the 17th in the 1986 Masters, where he raised that famous putter in triumph before the ball even found the bottom of the cup. He read greens with a masterful eye, had an impeccable sense of speed, and had the mental toughness to trust his stroke when everything was on the line.
Nicklaus always said that confidence was the key to putting, and no one exemplified that better. He believed every putt was makeable, and his results proved it. In an era before modern green-reading books and ultra-customized putters, his skill came down to sheer feel and relentless practice. While many players have excelled with the putter, few have ever matched Nicklaus’ combination of technical mastery and mental fortitude. When history was on the line, his putter never let him down.
