What's up with Tiger?

[Paul77]

Tiger Woods before he joined Nike was an absolute joy to watch. Such a role model for the sport, and one I followed everywhere on TV to watch. The wee hours in the morning on a work night till 3am watching on Sky Sports, and then at the weekends trying to Tiger shot it down the fairways when we played. My playing partner and I would talk about the previous round of his mostly around the course, and I remember enjoying Golf so much then.

After watching him at the Memorial there at the weekend, it was like watching an empty man. The media just seem to love to jump on his every mistake. A far cry from the support he got years ago. It's just such a shame to watch and to be honest, I'm finding it hard to see anyone else slot into the shoes these days. Everyones just a walking advert then when Nike take over, they fall apart.

Maybe he feels there's no one to prove a point to anymore? After his dad died, he kind of just fell away from it all. Naturally of course, and has never really bounced back from it.

I still live in hope that one day, that fire that made him so unstoppable returns, because I've never seen anyone play as well as he used to. He just used to go for shots that you would never even try on a game console let alone on a course.

175 Yd shots from the rough, with 12ft of green to work with an two bunkers protecting, and a tree in front, and he sticks it 4ft from the pin. Then drives on to the next hole with pure confidence. Instead it's looking like he's worried about every small shot.

It's a shame to see.

 

[GMAC88]

If you haven't already, you should read Hank Haney: The Big Miss. Gives a great insight into Tiger, both on and off the course!

 

[Dan2501]

Before he joined Nike? He signed with Nike in 96, the year he turned Pro. :/

He had a bad round. When you're playing competitive golf every 5 weeks it happens. If he's serious about winning majors and Tour events again, he needs to take up a full-time schedule. He doesn't need to play every week, very few of the pros do, but playing 3 out of 5 weeks at least would give him much more of a chance to play some proper golf. There's been signs of good golf recently, but mixed in with some awful stuff. His putting on Thursday was excellent, taking just 11 putts on the back nine, but his driving became increasingly erratic as the week went on. It'll come back though, he just needs to play more competitive rounds.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

It's called old age. In golfing terms, he is nolonger a spring chicken and all the strains of competitive golf are taking their toll on his body. He has always played a power game and that is going to wear things out (knee being the obvious example).

He needs to learn to play within himself and if he does, he can still compete. I don't think the media are jumping on him, they seem quite sympathetic towards his woes IMO.

 

[Paul77]

After reading a few sites on that book, it's fair to say he's led quite a life so far. If he was such a tormented soul who didn't make many friends then fair enough, I can see where it's all gone wrong for him. We're only human I guess. When I left golf, I left looking into it all as well, Only really seeing how things are now, and comparing them to what they were like back when he wasn't a bad boy.

I still see his dad dying as it being a pivotal point in his life/career. No one to guide him and give him a skelp around the lugs when he stepped out of line. Obviously everyone around him allowed him to break out into the person the media so nicely portrayed.

 

[TheCaddie]

His driving, in particular, is absolutely killing him. If he hit it at 75%, he'd still be in play, and able to captalise from there. These wild swings are not helping at all. In fact, despite the 85, his other scores were incredible given where he was playing his second shots from most of the time!!

 

[ger147]

His head is like a plate of Spag Bol and in my humble and unqualified opinion, he hasnt yet made his peace with the fact he's gettig older and also has some war wounds he has to carry which mean he can't hit the ball as far as he used to, especially off the tee.

And as long as he persists trying to recapture his 20's, he will continue to fail.

 

[Paul77]

I was reading golf stories on Flipboard on my phone there, and they were all digging into Tiger in different articles, during and after this weeks tourney. I agree, he just needs more time on the grass so to speak, like me

Joined Nike in 96? I must have been watching him longer than I thought then. Always liked his play when he used Titleist stuff. I guess he's been around a good while as far as pro sport goes.

 

[Paul77]

His head is like a plate of Spag Bol and in my humble and unqualified opinion, he hasnt yet made his peace with the fact he's gettig older and also has some war wounds he has to carry which mean he can't hit the ball as far as he used to, especially off the tee.

And as long as he persists trying to recapture his 20's, he will continue to fail.

Probably summed up well here.

Clear mind, tends to mean a good day golfing.

 

[la_lucha]

I was reading golf stories on Flipboard on my phone there, and they were all digging into Tiger in different articles, during and after this weeks tourney. I agree, he just needs more time on the grass so to speak, like me

Joined Nike in 96? I must have been watching him longer than I thought then. Always liked his play when he used Titleist stuff. I guess he's been around a good while as far as pro sport goes.

He used Titleist for a number of years after signing up to WEAR Nike. He was still using Titleist Irons in 2001. I believe the original deal with Nike was purely to Wear their clothing and not to use their equipment.

 

[virtuocity]

Reading social media and golf forums, it would appear that Tiger has 1000 different wrong moves in his swing.

 

[Paul77]

He used Titleist for a number of years after signing up to WEAR Nike. He was still using Titleist Irons in 2001. I believe the original deal with Nike was purely to Wear their clothing and not to use their equipment.

That's where I'm getting that from then. Cheers for ironing that one out in my head

I kind of fell away from Golf not long after he start using Nike equipment. Not becuase he did, of course. Thinking back it just all felt like a shorter time frame.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Everyones just a walking advert then when Nike take over, they fall apart.

Rory has been poor since joining Nike, only 2 Majors last year, rubbish

 

[Khamelion]

Trying to hard. Everyone and their granny are asking:

"What's wrong with Tiger?"
"Where's it all gone wrong?"
"Will he get his game back?"

Who knows? But the longer he continues to play poorly the worse it will get. Someone will say/write, but he's got the best coaches in the world, surely they can sort him out. The simple answer is no they can't, they can advise him to the Nth degree of their professional expertise, but ultimately it will be Tiger himself who will sort himself out.

Who knows what pressure he is under, on the exterior he'll be handling the media, who knows what he's got going on in his personal life, pressure can manifest itself it lots of different ways.

Maybe he's not under any pressure from anyone or anything, maybe he just couldn't give a toss anymore, unlikely, but you never know. It's quite possible he's playing because he has to, because of his sponsorship with Nike, perhaps written into that deal is that he has to make X amount of appearances, so he's turning up to fulfil that obligation and just going through the motions.

Perhaps we are witnessing the very public fall from grace of a once great player, maybe we are just witnessing a blip in his career.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

The bad:

1. He's approaching 40, the odds are stacking against him winning more (according to other serial winners in history that is)
2. No coaching continuity - legacy of methods must litter his mind. Starting over every few years must be mind-blowingly difficult
3. Numerous injuries we know of leave scar tissue physically and mentally
4. Still tries to play a power game when he has little chance against the youngsters
5. Probably misses some good advice, particularly from his father and is trying to charter his own course - there will inevitably be mistakes and errors in judgement
6. Personal problems probably make life harder than most of us realise

The good:

1. He's tenacious and driven like few others in the games history
2. Still shows flashes of short game brilliance
3. Significant loyal support who want to see him win
4. Knows how to win
5. Excellent technical support from Nike who will do anything to help him and protect their investment
6. Has kids who will provide perspective on life

Don't know the bloke personally but would thank him for some sublime sofa golf moments if I met him. Just hope he has a couple more hurrahs left...

 

[Deleted member 1147]

The bad:

1. He's approaching 40, the odds are stacking against him winning more (according to other serial winners in history that is)
2. No coaching continuity - legacy of methods must litter his mind. Starting over every few years must be mind-blowingly difficult
3. Numerous injuries we know of leave scar tissue physically and mentally
4. Still tries to play a power game when he has little chance against the youngsters
5. Probably misses some good advice, particularly from his father and is trying to charter his own course - there will inevitably be mistakes and errors in judgement
6. Personal problems probably make life harder than most of us realise

The good:

1. He's tenacious and driven like few others in the games history
2. Still shows flashes of short game brilliance
3. Significant loyal support who want to see him win
4. Knows how to win
5. Excellent technical support from Nike who will do anything to help him and protect their investment
6. Has kids who will provide perspective on life

Don't know the bloke personally but would thank him for some sublime sofa golf moments if I met him. Just hope he has a couple more hurrahs left...

Sometimes you read a post and think, "this guy talks sense..."

 

[bobmac]

He needs to learn to play within himself and if he does, he can still compete.

which mean he can't hit the ball as far as he used to, especially off the tee.

Still tries to play a power game when he has little chance against the youngsters

Everyone can see he's trying to hit it too hard and that includes his team of advisors/coaches/gurus etc.
What I don't understand is why he doesn't listen to them. He must know he can't keep up with the likes of Rory anymore so why does he keep trying?
I would advise him to play a few rounds with Luke D or Zack J and learn how to play with his brain.

 

[Papas1982]

I think it's age and injuries.
He probably over did muscle work when younger. They didn't all have fitness teams like they do now.
he seems to wanna keep up with youngsters. At his age his can still drive long enough. I'd love to see him turn up to Us Open with a 4 iron.

Just see see how he scores hitting more fairways. Obviously he needs to sort the driver. But his short game has shown good signs lately. But when scrambling for 72 holes over four days eventually even that breaks.

maybe a few rounds playing comfortable he can then relax with the driver slightly?

either way, if this is the final end. It's been a cracking journey.

 

[Papas1982]

Whilst I fully agree re what he's trying to do.

Im not sure how someone as successful as woods is gonna look at those two, or many others as examples........

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Molinari would be another good example. Doesn't try to destroy it off the tee but puts it up the middle over and over again. Tigers excellent iron game can then help him even things up.