Jack Nicklaus the Right Person for the Job of Golf's "Global Ambassador"?

He holds the highest distinction in all the game—the record for most career major wins.

He is widely regarded as the greatest golfer of all-time and is now one of the most successful golf course designers in the world.

But is he the right person to serve as a "global ambassador" in the effort to make golf an Olympic sport in 2016?

There is little question of Nicklaus’ tremendous ability on the golf course. However, some of Nicklaus’ personality traits and comments made in recent years might not make him the best man for the job.

Throughout his career, Nicklaus often came across as very egotistical.  He walked with an arrogant swagger that gave off an impression that he always thought he was just a little bit better than everyone else, both on and off the course.

Now, many believe Nicklaus to be grossly misunderstood and that his reputation as being arrogant has a lot to due with the fact that he happened to play at the same time as arguably the most popular golfer of all time, Arnold Palmer.

Not only did Nicklaus play during Palmer’s era, but he also swooped in and literally stole the second half of Palmer’s career, an action that Palmer’s massive "army" of fans were none to happy about.

Until Jack showed up on the scene right smack in the middle of Palmer prime, Palmer had won seven majors in seven years and was well on his way to becoming one of the best, if not the best golfer of all time. 

After 1964, Palmer would never win another major championship while Nicklaus would go on to win 18 career majors.

Golf fans so despised the way Nicklaus, who was considered to be a wealthy frat boy, showed up and stole their lovable Arnie’s career that at times they actually booed Nicklaus’ good shots and cheered his bad ones. 

Nicklaus is probably one of the only golfers to have to deal with a large heckling crowd as if he were a member of the New York Giants playing the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in the NFC Championship game.

So, it is in a way understandable how Jack’s reputation as being conceited might have been blow out of proportion due to the fact that he was quickly branded by the fans and press alike as the "villain" who had come to steal tournaments away from the ultra-likable Palmer.

However, Nicklaus did little to ease this reputation throughout his career and even in recent years he has not done much to rise above this surely unwanted reputation as being a very arrogant man.

Speaking at the 2008 Memorial Tournament, which Nicklaus hosts yearly in his home state of Ohio, he spoke of how he believed Tiger Woods will not remain as competitive during the second half of his career due to the fact that he does not have any real competition on the PGA Tour right now. It was not a very diplomatic thing to say, especially because he was hosting a tournament with upwards of 150 PGA Tour players.

Speaking prior to the 2008 British Open, Nicklaus stated his view that many players today have lost the drive to succeed due to the extravagant money they are receiving from sponsors. Nicklaus happened to make this statement as he was on his way to the British Open to do some promotional work for one of his sponsors, the Royal Bank of Scotland.

And most recently, Nicklaus has said that he would like Tiger Woods to get better but not break his records; a very understandable thing to think, but maybe not the best thing for a "global ambassador" of the game to say publicly of the most popular golfer on the planet.

Speaking to Golf Digest, Nicklaus said, “Tiger, I want you to come back and be full strength. I obviously don't want you to break my records...but I don't want you not to break them because you're not healthy."

Nicklaus is also known to be an extremely ruthless businessman when it comes to obtaining large course design deals and is rumored to be a very difficult man to work for and work with.

Whatever the truth is to Nicklaus’ approach to business, he has been extraordinarily successful, just as he has been extraordinarily successful on the golf course.  

Now, almost every great athlete in any sport has a confident, borderline arrogant personality.  Ali had it, Jordan had it, and Woods also has it, although he seems to do an excellent job of hiding it. 

It is a personality trait that is almost a necessity to enable an athlete to go out there day after day, year after year, and continually dominate their competition. 

If an athlete does not believe he is better than everyone else, chances are that mindset will carry over into his performance on the field, court, or golf course.

Although Tiger is on pace to shatter Nicklaus’ record of 18 career major wins, at this very moment, Nicklaus is still the greatest player of all time and a man whose incredible achievements on the course should not soon be forgotten.

But the best ambassador for the game of golf? Probably not.