"Everybody got enough?"

Jack Nicklaus speaks at a dinner of the Golf Writers Association of America, which rewarded him for his accessibility. (Travis Dove/Staff)

That is the standard question Jack Nicklaus asks reporters at the end of one of his news conferences.

It doesn't matter how long the session has gone on or how tough the questions are; the man considered the greatest golfer in history is always willing to answer more.

"He always knew we had a job to do, and he knew he had to help us do it," said George Sweda, the golf writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer who has dealt with Nicklaus on the beat since 1973.

The Golf Writers Association of America honored Nicklaus on Wednesday night at Savannah Rapids Pavilion.

He won the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award, which is given to a pro for his cooperation, quotability and accommodation of the media, and for reflecting the most positive aspects of the working relationship between athlete and journalist.

Sweda introduced Nicklaus, saying the honoree had probably spent more time in press rooms than any golfer in history.

"I've been in front of you so many times," Nicklaus told the group.

Nicklaus showed his accommodating side to the media in March, when he had a news conference at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Fla., to fulfill numerous media requests as the 20th anniversary of his sixth and final Masters victory approached.

After about an hour of questions, a Nicklaus representative tried to wind the conference down, saying Nicklaus would answer only a few more after the teleconference portion of the conference was over.

"Aw, these guys came a long way," Nicklaus said, and he continued to talk about another 30 minutes.

Tiger Woods receives the association's Male Golfer of the Year award at the dinner, which was held Wednesday at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. (Travis Dove/Staff)

"He took care of the guys that were there; that's typical," said Sweda.

"I think all the (tour players) now ought to be forced to sit in on an Arnold (Palmer) or Jack interview sometime in their career just to see how they should handle themselves," Sweda said.

Nicklaus, who retired from the Masters after the 2005 tournament, held court again Wednesday morning in the media center at Augusta National. At the start of the interview, he pretended to go through what clubs he hit in a round, just as he had so many times when he came in for an interview.

In his playing days, Nicklaus was a straight shooter with the media.

"You ask him a question, you're going to get the full answer," said 87-year-old Furman Bisher, a columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1950. "Don't butt in and don't try to guide him, as some of us do when we're looking for a certain answer. He's going to give his answer, and he's going to give you the whole dose.

"The way he feels about his answers is he's clearing the air, he's letting you know exactly where he stands. That's it," Bisher said.

"When someone asked me a question, I usually answered it," Nicklaus said Wednesday night. "I think most of you know I haven't dodged very many questions through the years. Maybe I answered some of them with too much honesty and I got myself in a little trouble.

"I've taken the philosophy that 'Maybe I'll get myself in trouble a few times, but you've got a job to do, and you need answers that will allow you to do what you have to do.' If you've got a question, even if it's a bad question, if you've got guts enough to stand up and ask it, you at least deserve an answer."

Nicklaus told the gathering that "you all treated me very nice, and I appreciate that."

After his comments, Nicklaus was presented a plaque that includes a replica of the first tee marker at The Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, where Nicklaus won two British Opens and concluded his competitive career in July.

Reach David Westin at (706) 724-0851 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.