Jack Nicklaus Quotes

Golf is a percentage game, and I play the percentages.

Think of golf as chess. You have to think two or three moves ahead every time you hit the ball. Over every shot, you should be thinking, 'Where do I need to put this ball in order to make my next shot as easy as possible.

You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run.

It's about getting the right balance and knowing on the pitch when is the right time to take risks.

As a player, it's better to wait a moment for the correct call than be let down by an incorrect call.

Football's always been cerebral. The most important thing is thinking fast.

I think it helps to know where you're at. I don't want to be coming down 18 knowing I need to make par, and trying to force a birdie or doing something stupid.

You just have to be smart and know where you're at within the game and find the right time to be aggressive and take a shot. If it's not the right time, then move on to the next down.

What I'm trying to do is play the game the right way, not force shots up. Whenever I have my opportunities, take 'em.

In some times of the game, you have to be more simple.

If you prepare well and you play smart, there's times you'll dirt the ball or throw it away if you feel it's not there, but there's other times when you have to be aggressive and let your guys make plays.

Play the shot you've got the best chance of playing well.

You can learn much about life from a checker game: surrender one to take two; don't make two moves at one time; move up, not down; and when you reach the top, you may move as you like.

Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.

It's not about the long ball or the short ball, it's about the right ball.

Certainly, if you can't manage your game, you can't play tournament golf. You continually have to ask yourself what club to play, where to aim it, whether to accept a safe par or to try to go for a birdie. You can't play every hole the same way. I never could.

Women play a finesse game: a real pattern game as opposed to flash and dash, power and strength.

I still play my fast-paced style but when the game slows down it allows you to see the little things - the right passes, where to lay the ball up.

Poker is all about comfort with uncertainty, after all.

I think of myself as playing against the board, and not against my opponent.

So, just make the right reads and the ball will always come back around to you. Taking the right shots and not forcing anything. Just let the game slow down and play free.

Nobody can really guarantee the future. The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them and then make our plans with confidence.

Do your worrying before you place your bet, not after the wheel stops turning.

That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices!

The best skill at cards is knowing when to discard.