Members of the First Tee of Tampa Bay met with Jack Nicklaus on 12 April.
The golf legend—who has won a staggering 73 PGA TOUR events including a record 18 majors during his illustrious career—gave young golfers pointers, answered questions and signed autographs.
While at the event, which was held at Rogers Park, Nicklaus also evaluated some golf swings from the group, which was mostly made out of young middle and high school students.
All this was part of the Hall of Famer’s day trip to the area, during which he also stopped at Tampa General Hospital’s pediatric unit and attended a fundraising dinner.
Inspiring young golfers
During his visit to the First Tee of Tampa Bay, Nicklaus, 78, answered young members’ questions about his golf career, revealing how he got started playing the great game, his favorite golf course and his favorite moment in golf.
At the end of the much-anticipated event, members of the First Tee of Tampa Bay lined up for autographs and pictures with Nicklaus.
A freshman at Florida’s Steinbrenner High told the Tampa Bay Times: “Getting to meet a legend like that is something you’ll never forget.”
The professional golfer said helping a new generation of golfers was “fulfilling”.
“It’s all about teaching the lessons learned through golf. I saw a bunch of really good kids today. They all want to learn not just about golf but about life. That’s what it’s all about.”
The First Tee: Developing values
Through the great game of golf, The First Tee provides young people with the chance to develop important values like confidence, perseverance and judgment through various programs.
The organisation’s goal is to show children that golf is not just a game, but a great opportunity to grow into the best versions of themselves the can possibly be.
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