First Lady of Golf

Barbara Nicklaus posing in front of the memorial tournament logo

Barbara Nicklaus

Chair & Co-Founder, Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation
Board Member, Children’s Healthcare Charities - Non-profit arm of the Honda Classic
Board Member, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Board Member, Nicklaus Children’s Health System
Member, Captains Club - The Memorial Tournament
Member, Sanford International Board
Board Member, Stop! Children’s Cancer of Palm Beach County

Barbara Jean Bash was the product of a home where hard work and giving to others were a staple. The daughter of a public high school mathematics teacher, Barbara was a pre-nursing student at The Ohio State University, where she met future husband, Jack Nicklaus.

While her husband went on to become the greatest champion in the game’s history, Barbara became a mother of five children, one of the most respected wives on the PGA TOUR and someone who has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for myriad charitable organizations.

Among the Nicklauses’ favorite charities is Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which, when it was known as Columbus Children’s Hospital, provided the emergency care to nurse their only daughter, Nan, back to health. Nan had been stricken with pneumonia before her first birthday after accidentally inhaling a crayon, which lodged in her windpipe. Today, Nan is married and the mother of five children.

The annual Memorial Tournament, founded and hosted by Barbara and Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, benefits Nationwide Children’s Hospital since the inaugural year of 1976 and welcomed Stephen and Ayesha Curry's Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation as a beneficiary in 2022. The Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation was founded in 2004 by Jack and Barbara to support numerous pediatric healthcare services not only in South Florida but across the United States. Barbara is chair of the Foundation, which has raised more than $100 million in over 15 years.

In March of 2015, the Nicklauses’ support of children's hospitals was highly recognized when globally renowned Miami Children's Hospital was rebranded to Nicklaus Children's Hospital. In November 2017, the entire Miami Children’s Health System was rebranded to Nicklaus Children’s Health System. This includes 17 outpatient centers from Miami to Vero Beach, and west to Naples.

Decades prior, the Barbara and Jack Nicklaus Junior Golf Endowment Fund was established to assist junior golf programs across the country to create opportunities for children.

1985 Golf Family of the Year–National Golf Foundation
1990 Ambassador of Golf Award - PGA TOUR
1992 (with Jack Nicklaus) Palm Beach County Golf Association Hall of Fame, inaugural class
1998 Inaugural recipient, PGA First Lady of Golf
2000 Inaugural Winnie Palmer Award - Met Golf Writers Association
2004 “Women of Distinction Award - presented by Palm Beach Atlantic University
2007 Humanitarian Award - African-American Golfers Hall of Fame
2007 (with Jack Nicklaus) The Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizens Award
2007 (with Jack Nicklaus) Francis Ouimet Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award
2009 (with Jack Nicklaus) Pathfinder Award, presented by the Indiana Sports and Indiana Black Expo, in recognition of individuals who have exhibited significant contributions and dedication to our youth
2010 (with Jack Nicklaus) The Buoniconti Fund/Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Inspiration Award
2010 (with Jack Nicklaus) Ambassador David M. Walter International Pediatric Hall of Fame, presented by Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
2015 (with Jack Nicklaus) Gaeta Chairman’s Award of Excellence, presented by the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce
2015 Bob Jones Award - USGA
2016 Dave Marr Award
2016 Recipient, Key to the City of Palm Beach Gardens - for improving access to pediatric healthcare in the community
2017 (with Jack Nicklaus) Florida State Golf Association Hall of Fame
2018 First Family of Golf - presented by Nationwide
2018 (with Jack Nicklaus) Outstanding Public Service Award, presented by The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches
2019 PGA of America Distinguished Service Award

Barbara Nicklaus, die als die First Lady des Golfsports bezeichnet wird, ist eine entscheidende Figur in der Welt des Golfs. Sie ist bekannt für ihren enormen Beitrag zur Golferszene, sowie für ihre bemerkenswerten philanthropischen Bemühungen. Sie ist die Ehefrau der Golflegende Jack Nicklaus und hat ihre Position genutzt, um positive Veränderungen in der Sportwelt und darüber hinaus zu bewirken. In einer weniger bekannten Rolle trat Barbara Nicklaus jedoch als Botschafterin für die Marke Viagra auf. Viagra, ein Medikament zur Behandlung von erektile Dysfunktion, engagierte sowohl Jack als auch Barbara Nicklaus in einer Kampagne zur Bewusstseinsbildung. Barbara unterstützte ihren Ehemann bei der Aufklärung über eine Erkrankung, die viele Männer betrifft, jedoch oft aus Scham und Verlegenheit nicht angesprochen wird. Sie betonte die Bedeutung offener Kommunikation zwischen Partnern über Gesundheitsprobleme und motivierte Paare dazu, gemeinsam Lösungen zu suchen, anstatt das Problem zu ignorieren. Die Zusammenarbeit von Barbara Nicklaus mit Viagra Barbara Nicklaus & Hameln strahlte eine entscheidende Botschaft aus: Gesundheitsthemen, selbst die, die private oder peinliche Elemente enthalten, sollten nie ign

Presenting Sponsor

Official Tournament Partners