What's up with Tiger?

[Tommo21]

If I was Tigers coach..I would show him recordings of the likes of Zach Johnson. When Tiger is on the range he hits the ball with a nice rhythm, ball after ball. When he's on the course much of that goes out the window. He jumps, slashes and tries to thrash the ball and all that gets him no where. He just seems determined to hit the ball as far as possible with as little club as he can use. Using an extra club or laying up is something Tiger needs to learn or re learn in order for him to at least compete. This age thing is a bit of a red herring if you ask me, 40 is not old these days and when you look at the likes of Tom Watson who's had a hip replacement. I would get him a strong caddie who can say, lay up, take an extra club. A caddie who can be trusted to guide him to a more conservative game until his confidence comes back. What do I know, I know he cant go on what he's doing and there are other ways to get the ball round with both feet on the ground.

 

[Dan2501]

Apparently Tiger's on-course tempo is completely different to his range tempo. He's striping it on the range, and looking great with the driver. It's when he gets on the course that he has a problem. He just needs to play more.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I actually sympathise with Tiger...

I am in the middle of trying to get a fault out of my swing that's been there for 30yrs and that became completely ingrained in my swing and almost more importantly how I thought about my swing. Unfortunately it is a calamitous fault and I have to address it as it causes me to shank every iron shot (I don't exaggerate) - but so ingrained is the fault that it is proving hellish difficult. The first thing I don't want to be doing when addressing the ball is to think about the mechanics of what I am about to do - but I must. If I don't then my head and body instantly go back to my old swing - and I shank it. Guaranteed - 100%.

Happened last night - out for a few holes of a lovely evening I was feeling a bit tired after a busy weekend golfing and gardening but relaxed by myself of a lovely evening. Had hit some really cracking irons (best striking for years) and feeling good about new swing when out of the blue on a par three - shank, shank, smother. I lost both shanked balls.

It's really, really tough changing habits of a lifetime - and it does your head in - every shot I play I know the fault is there and just waiting for me to relax or not concentrate - and so I guess on the astronomically higher plane that Tiger is operating on he is experiencing a similar torment.

So despite my past thoughts on Tiger I rather find myself rooting for him these days. I need him to show me there is a way though this hellish uncertainty and torment.

 

[Paul77]

Interesting contrast in the comments.

I'm not really bothered about what he does in his spare time, as I've not exactly led a straight forward life either. Maybe he just thinks he needs to grip it and rip it for the crowds and is getting pressure from the sponsors to put on a show using their gear. Who knows.

Maybe his personality and his need to show off to his peers is also his downfall. You can't go into any round with gusto. The course will tend to show you up.

 

[SugarPenguin]

I personally believe he is shooting the white stuff up is nose or something similar. Call me crazy - but thats what I think is going on.

I think its a personal problem which is then in turn causing him to be erratic and not able to function properly on the golf course

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I personally believe he is shooting the white stuff up is nose or something similar. Call me crazy - but thats what I think is going on.

I think its a personal problem which is then in turn causing him to be erratic and not able to function properly on the golf course

Are you a Sunday Sport journalist?

 

[Jimaroid]

I think Tiger's only problem is that he's grown up in a bubble by excelling with natural talent. Being in that bubble for so long he lacks some life skills when it comes to dealing with the other end of the spectrum and has clearly struggled to adapt to the physical, emotional and psychological stress of the situations he's been in recently. Some pros have to battle these issues in the first couple of years to gain and keep their tour card but Tiger never went through the doldrums of those experiences until recently. He needs to learn how to tough it out on tour like others have had to do and that's a hard lesson for someone with his successes behind him.

He just needs to learn that he can't be the person he thinks he can be all the time, he cannot be the 20 year old Tiger ever again and he seems to be struggling with the reality of that. He needs to learn to see himself as a veteran like Ernie Els or Tom Watson, both capable of contending and winning Majors well into their twilight years.

 

[Paul77]

It's weird. I prefer myself as the golfer I am now compared to my younger self, when I worshipped Tiger. I had all the same Titleist gear and it was all about attitude, POWER!! and how new my bag was. Now I have banged up used clubs in a Benross stand bag, unassuming and it's the way I like it. A far fall from grace from an old daft mentality. Maybe Tiger needs to do the same.

 

[Baldy Bouncer]

I agree that the death of his Dad would have had a massive impact on his Golf, I also think that being found out as a lying, cheating scumbag, who would go out after dark and try to nail everything in a skirt, whilst his gorgeous Wife was at home looking after his kids and his then supposedly sincere public apology(yeah, right!) had a more massive impact on his Golf.

 

[Hobbit]

At 39 I don't think he's that old, although his injuries and indiscretions are well documented and must have a bearing on his ability to swing the way he did.

However, he gone down the road of a number of good/great golfers and he's now suffering for it. He had a great swing that he's tinkered with so many times till it fights with his former swings. Sandy Lyle & Padraig Harrington are two that spring to mind who've done the same. Lyle was one of the best on the planet, and was competing for top spot almost every week at a time when there was real competition, e.g. Faldo, Ballesteros, Langer, Stewart, Couples et al.

Until he settles on a decent swing from a decent coach that he ingrains till it repeats naturally he'll struggle.

 

[Alex1975]

Life, a wife, kids, controversy might mean he is getting in his own way a little bit.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At 39 I don't think he's that old, although his injuries and indiscretions are well documented and must have a bearing on his ability to swing the way he did.

However, he gone down the road of a number of good/great golfers and he's now suffering for it. He had a great swing that he's tinkered with so many times till it fights with his former swings. Sandy Lyle & Padraig Harrington are two that spring to mind who've done the same. Lyle was one of the best on the planet, and was competing for top spot almost every week at a time when there was real competition, e.g. Faldo, Ballesteros, Langer, Stewart, Couples et al.

Until he settles on a decent swing from a decent coach that he ingrains till it repeats naturally he'll struggle.

100% on BiB

 

[lobthewedge]

Tiger needs to phone up the lads, get a suite booked in Vegas and go hell for leather at it again.

He is denying who he is, caged his true self and got his pretty wee head full of overblown swing thoughts and other muck. He needs to open the valves that were shut all those years ago when he decided to 'become a better person' and unleash the beast. He's young, loaded and single with the world still at his feet and he needs to remember that.

You go for it Tiger, blow off some steam, clear your head and the golf will come back naturally.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Tiger needs to phone up the lads, get a suite booked in Vegas and go hell for leather at it again.

He is denying who he is, caged his true self and got his pretty wee head full of overblown swing thoughts and other muck. He needs to open the valves that were shut all those years ago when he decided to 'become a better person' and unleash the beast. He's young, loaded and single with the world still at his feet and he needs to remember that.

You go for it Tiger, blow off some steam, clear your head and the golf will come back naturally.

I don't think it will. He can't play his natural game any more - that's why he's having to change, If he just tries to fall back on what he used to do it'll be a disaster - physically as well as scoring-wise.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Tiger needs to phone up the lads, get a suite booked in Vegas and go hell for leather at it again.

He is denying who he is, caged his true self and got his pretty wee head full of overblown swing thoughts and other muck. He needs to open the valves that were shut all those years ago when he decided to 'become a better person' and unleash the beast. He's young, loaded and single with the world still at his feet and he needs to remember that.

You go for it Tiger, blow off some steam, clear your head and the golf will come back naturally.

And if that doesn't work he will still have had a great time :whoo: No point being rich and miserable.

 

[lobthewedge]

And if that doesn't work he will still have had a great time :whoo: No point being rich and miserable.

Said like a true Lannister!

 

[User62651]

He's not hungry anymore, he says he is but he's not, that's what wealth and all its trappings does along with getting older and more mature. If he was hungry he'd be playing most weeks to be tournament sharp. He's not far off 40, has nothing to prove.
I think he just wants to play majors, in a delusional kind of way he has the 18 majors target so deeply ingrained mentally and somehow can't quite give that up despite knowing in his heart of hearts it's gone. There may be a last hurrah (St Andrews?) but there's no way he's going to get four or 5 more majors.
He's super wealthy, in decent health and hopefully has a decent social circle of family and friends to enjoy, all he needs is a partner now Vonn has left. Golf has benefitted enormously from him and him from it but he's yesterdays champion.

 

[Crawfy]

He needs to pick up the phone to Butch.

 

[Imurg]

I think he simply reached his peak, got injured, had the fracas with HID and has been declining ever since.
Nothing mystical or strange about it.
You can't stay top of the tree forever
Sooner or later your ability declines whether you like it or not and no matter how hard to try to reverse the process it just ain't gonna happen .
He's on a slippery slope and his ass is grass...

 

[MizunoGreyhound]

I know we live in a different society today than the one of the 80's, but was the furore the same when Seve started to lose his game?

Tiger has had, and for all we know may still have, injury issues forcing him to change the way he swings a club. What he has not embraced is now he may have to change his game to suit the new way he is swinging. As others have said previously, get him to watch some of the less powerful guys on tour and remember at 80% power, he is still longer than they are.