The wait will soon be over for those wishing to obtain tickets to the upcoming speaking engagement by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus in Pinehurst.

Officials with the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series have announced that tickets to the event will be available beginning Sept. 14 — and they likely won’t be around long.

The free tickets will be at three locations: Boyd Library on the campus of Sandhills Community College, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, and the Given Memorial Library in Pinehurst. Tickets are limited to two per person.

“We are proud to present golfing great Jack Nicklaus, who will have ‘A Conversation on Golf’ with Golf World Editor-in-Chief Jaime Diaz to begin this year’s Ruth Pauley Lecture Series at Sandhills Community College,” said Pauley publicity committee chairman Vince Greene. “This is a fantastic occasion, and the Rev. Dr. William E. Smith, who invited his friend Mr. Nicklaus here, has done an outstanding job in arranging for him to come.”

Greene asks that no phone requests for tickets be made.

“While tickets are free, they are required for admittance to this great event,” Greene said. “We invite everyone to visit one of the three locations listed for tickets and hope everyone enjoys seeing Mr. Nicklaus in this unique format.” 

While Nicklaus’ appearance in Pinehurst as a speaker may be unusual, the golfing legend is no stranger to the area. The National Golf Club of Pinehurst is the home of the Sandhills’ only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, personally designed by Nicklaus.

Excitement at Nicklaus’ appearance has been running high for weeks based on the phone calls and emails received at the Pilot from fans in search of tickets.

“(I) was thrilled to see that Jack will be at the SCC Ruth Pauley lecture series on Sept. 19,” said Pam Wase, of Pinebluff. “I would like to be there with my husband, who is a huge Nicklaus fan.”

Golfing fan Tom Brown emailed his request to the Pilot.

“How do I get tickets to the Jack Nicklaus lecture?” he asked. “My wife and I are fans of Jack and would love to see and hear him speak.”

Considered one of the greatest golfers of all time, Nicklaus won 73 PGA Tour events, including 18 major championships, in his 25-year career. He won the North and South Amateur Tournament in Pinehurst in 1959.

The Ruth Pauley Lecture series is sponsored by Sandhills Community College, the Moore County League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and Moore County Schools. Previous speakers have included Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen Ambrose, George McGovern, Ossie Davis, Patty Duke, Jack Hannah, Nicolas Sparks and Newt Gingrich.

For information on this and other lectures, call (910) 245-3132.

Contact John Lentz at (910) 693-2479 or jlentz@thepilot. com.