My (free) Advice to Tiger
by golfbookie on May 14, 2011 2:22 PM EDT
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Here's my free advice to Tiger; I hope he will take it.
1) Drop Foley. It obviously isn't working.
2) Relax and enjoy your life for awhile. Read the Dalai Lama. Spend more time with your kids.
3) Research players, both past and present, that use a swing that creates the least amount of stress on the left leg and knee.
4) Find a coach that teaches that swing.
5) Trust in your inherent athletic ability to learn that swing.
6) Go forth and Play The Game.
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Mini Golf
Eh, golffbookie….There are a number to tournaments. As you know no stress on the left leg and knee. Extra bonus. The kids can participate as well.
Actually, I think he is on to something — it may be time for Woods to let common sense triumph over being bullheaded.
Like most men
Woods thinks he can do at 35 what he did at 25. Often, we need a painfull reminder we are past our prime !
I'm not sure Foley has anything to do with TW's problems
After all he can’t execute the shots or make the putts for him. I agree with the “common sense approach” and just relaxing a bit and I think it may very well be time he took an extending leave of absence from the game. But the real issue here is the knee, if that doesn’t improve, it won’t matter what swing method he uses. For all we know, this has been the limiting factor for the last 2 years. Maybe he just can’t put in the practice time like he used to. And I’m not saying Foley is the guy (Tiger will indeed drop him if he’s not), I’m just saying the top priority has to be trying to get the knee reasonably healthy. Then he can worry about which teacher to employ. I whole heartily agree he should just kick back and enjoy his life; enjoy the fruit of his labor. Forget the records for a bit and just be proud of the incredible accomplishment he’s already achieved. Spend some quality time with his children. Make an HONEST assessment of where his health is and realistically what he can do with his game going forward. And lastly let me just point out that for all we know he’s already doing all of the above, but just not talking about it.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
I think he will find it tough
If he had another year off, it might be too late to catch Nicklaus. Catch 22 situation. I still say putting is his main probalem.
Easing
it may be too late anyway. Putting is indeed the main problem with his game, but he won’t be able to play at all unless he takes care of the knee. There may not be much that can be done regardless. We’ll see, but it’s time for me and others to face the fact that his magnificent run may be over.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
There are others who have come back from putting woes
and 35 hardly comes under the category of “Grizzled Vet”. Being (arguably) the fittest golfer of all is possibly more a matter of ego, rather than an essential for winning tournaments, so maybe he should cut down on the gym work? Get the knee rested, swing within himself and who knows?
The elephant in the room right now for me is thinking about when Seve lost his magic touch and (even pre-tumour) with cumulative injuries could not find it again.
I agree Wendy
and I’m certainly NOT counting him out, not at all. Just acknowledging the reality that he’s got a lot to overcome and it may just be too much. Time will tell.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
Knee replacement?
My brother had it done, made all the difference in the world.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
-R. Zimmerman
Free Advice
Eh, golfbookie….How about “DaMan” check his ego. Learn how to spell/define humility. Be his own man. Tell the truth. Go back a re read his “canned IMG script” of Feb 19, 2010 and make an effort to walk his talk. A minor point. He was going to take an indefinite leave from golf.. Right and he took an “indefinite” leave from golf; “Nov 27, ‘09 and was seen on the practice range with long time swing coach Hank Haney weekend of Feb 27/28, ’10 working on his game and Charles Howell3 along with J.B. Holmes who told reporters at the PGA National that they spotted Wood’s on Ilseworth practice tee and his swing looked good.” Reported by GC AP Scribe Doug F, March 2, 2010. Nov 27-Feb 27 an indefinite leave of three months of which two of those he normally played very little golf in all of his career. “Indefinite” leave, hmmmm. Free advice; put the clubs away, retire, and wait for the Seniors tour.
"Oh how the mighty hath fallen"
and how wonderful it must be for some to rejoice in the above. It must be wonderful to be so pure of heart and deed to able to cast stones with such impunity – especially so when we talk or comment about things that we only know about second hand via the media. Lord knows, the said media is “beyond reproach and totally honest” and really, that is all we base our opinion on – good, bad or otherwise.
For what it is worth…. Tiger, good luck with whatever you do, both on and off the golf course. You have brought me no end of pleasure watching you play the game I love and in a way that I could only dream of. I could care less what you do off the golf course and I’m also no where near good enough, nor clever enough to give you any “free advice”.
by chip n'putt on May 15, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Very well said chip
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
Ikrats
do yourself a favor and google the definition of “indefinite”. I think you’ll find that it means without limit of undefined. Therefore when Tiger used the word in his speech, it could have meant 1 day, 20 years, or anything in between. Let me also suggest you google what we call in the academic world “confirmation bias”, and ponder how it’s affecting your thinking.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
One thing about Woods I do not like.
I couldn’t care less about his private life. Tome, that is private and he is not the first golfer to stray. But…the way he treats fans and fellow professionals…by that I mean his game face 24/7, shows what a plonker he can be. When YE Yang ran him down, there was no grace in being beaten. Nicklaus always showed this…Woods has no idea. That is what really seperates the two, IMO.
LOL @ Handy
I meant easingwold. Busy week, I’m brain dead, especially trying to entertain 27 + clients during yesterday looooooooooooooooooooong delay. What a nightmare. With the poor conditions there wasn’t nearly enough room for all those in attendance to be inside or under cover. Packed like sardines. I actually ended up bringing 7 people to my house for a few hours. Crazy Chit.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
Tsk, Tsk, Boys
Eh, chip n’put/tigerhead….The word “indefinite” as inserted by your boy’s professional spin doctors/script writers, IMG and Mark Steinberg, Feb 19, 2010, was meant to imply lonnnnnng time away from golf even though the definition allows for variance. They knew what word gave them latitude. You know that as well as I do. Totally inserted for sympathy and to create a; whoa what is golf going to do with the “indefinite” exit of your boy. Pure unadulterated hype and hyperbole. Take it or leave it. I think when golfbookie banged this out on his keyboard he fully understood as I do. Free advice is free. There again I expect nothing less from your ilk.
And what ilk would that be 1KRats?
As for your header and the boys reference , well perhaps you need to think again, eh?
Whoa
Eh, chip n’putt….If you be a Lady my apology. It would have read tsk, tsk, you two. As for ilk, as in group of like mindedness very very pro “DaMan” with rose colored glasses. Is that a fair assessment.
No, not a fair assessment at all 1KRats.
I have been more than critical of Woods and various parts of his behavior on the golf course for years and well before the fire hydrant episode. As I have stated many times, I am a fan of his golf and nothing more. I can and do separate his achievements and undeniable greatness from his perceived persona. To that end, I don’t know the man and can only go by what I read and what others who do know him, have told me. I learned a long time ago to take most of what I read in the press with a grain of salt and without glasses of any colour.
As far as Bookies “free advice” is concerned; I would hazard a guess that Bookie knows very little about the bio mechanics of the golf swing and nothing at at all about what Foley and Woods are trying to achieve. To suggest that he drop Foley and research other players with similar problems is facile at best when he knows nothing of what he’s talking about.
by chip n'putt on May 16, 2011 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
chip n' putt,
Hey, I take offense at that! I’ve played golf for 45 years, and have perfected my game to the point that I’m a 12 handicap. Many of my buddies, the 18+ handicappers, ask me for advice!
My analysis is based on observing Tiger’s (violent) swing vs. most others on tour. It is possible to play the game with little stress on the left leg, and if Tiger wants to continue, he needs to do that.
OK then Bookie
Explain how his swing is violent as opposed to others and what he needs to do to change it and how do that with “little stress on the left leg”.
While your 12 handicap is admirable, it leaves you light years way from a PGA teaching professional and their knowledge base, your buddies notwithstanding. Sean Foley has been teaching the game to the best players on Tour for some years now. I really think that he does know a little more than a weekend warrior who gives out “free advice”.
by chip n'putt on May 16, 2011 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed Chip
I’m into all that and I do seem to be a good fault spotter/ fixer for some of my mates…but like anything else, an expert knows far more than I do.
1kratz
Speaking only for myself, I most certainly do have a pro Tiger bias, or if you want to call it rose colored glasses so be it. But here’s the problem, what color are your glasses? You have a very obvious and deep anti Tiger bias which affects your thinking and you don’t seem to understand it. And here’s the trouble with that, the only way to overcome a bias is to recognize you have one.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
I'd also add that being objective about Woods
during his bad times, does not always make one a " Tiger hater"…just telling it like it is, without any glasses on ?
I agree easing
and do indeed appreciate your objectivity!
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
1) Drop Foley. It obviously isn’t working.
It depends on what you call working. Of course, he isn’t getting the on course results he was getting earlier in his career, but we don’t know about his relationship with Mr. Foley or how the swing they are working on has an adverse effect on any of his body parts.
He has been at this swing change for less than a year; and when you consider time off for injuries the time is even shorter. It is much too soon to assume Foley is a failure.
2) Relax and enjoy your life for awhile. Read the Dalai Lama. Spend more time with your kids.Forget for a moment for an ultra-competitive person like Tiger, playing and winning tournaments is very enjoyable. Tiger has bills. Nike isn’t going to be thrilled with the idea the pro they have invested a bunch of $ in is off taking a sabattical. Not to mention he may not be able to spend more time with his kids; we don’t know the custody situation.
3) Research players, both past and present, that use a swing that creates the least amount of stress on the left leg and knee.I’d dare say Tiger doesn’t need to learn a new swing. If he is going to switch coaches (which I don’t think we have enough data to prove is needed), that coach should merely refine Tiger’s swing to meet Tiger’s needs.
4) Find a coach that teaches that swing.
5) Trust in your inherent athletic ability to learn that swing.You mean what he is trying to do with the guy you’re rushing out of the door? The swing that saw him place 4th at the Masters?
6) Go forth and Play The GameThat is the best advice for Tiger. Specifically, don’t listen to all the Chicken Littles predicting the end of your career because you pulled out of a tournament with an injury. Geoff Ogilvy tried to play at The Players but was forced to pull out with a shoulder injury he has had for a while. No one is suggesting it is the end of the line for him.
He has bills to pay ?
If he stopped playing now, he would still be a multi millionaire. It’s not like he is on $ 30,000 a year, lol.
LOL easing
I doubt very much that tiger sits down at the kitchen table once a month, with his check book and a stack of bills. The part I don’t understand about Sawgrass this week is that, tiger played two separate 9 hole rounds without a limp in site. At his press interview he stated that he was just fine and ready to go. I watched him hit balls on the range Thursday morning and there was no sign of an issue. I watched him walk up from the range with Robert Allenby at a very fast pace, joking around and smiling and no issues seem to be present. And finaly, there was a video of tiger heading to his car after his round on Thursday and he literaly jumped up two stairs at a time to the parking lot, without any sign of a limp or pain. I saw the media video twice. Then later on that night, I saw the same video on TGC , only this time they cut it when tiger first got to the steps, (not showing him climbing) and then showed him getting into his white Mercedes.. No doubt he has had knee issues, but I think the whole Thursday withdrawel thing is a little suspect to say the least. The duffing of chip shots from just a few yards off the green had nothing to do with a bad knee. JMHO
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
I tweaked my (good) knee about two weeks ago
I’m fine going straight, but any rotation causes a twinge.
I’m hardly a swing expert, but I would guess the stresses of swinging a golf club at over 100mph are different than bounding up stairs.
He did say that his calf cramped up as well
Anyone who has had cramp knows how crippling that can be. Perhaps that had eased by the time he had stopped playing? What’s the rule, if any, about seeking medical attention whilst in play? Seems to me the Tiger fans accept injury and non-fans say quitter and never the twain shall meet.
I semi tore my achillies in my 30's
I had scar tissue on it and got treatment years after the injury. But a few years later, playing football, my calf went. The pain was so intense I reckon I tore some of the Soleus the is under the main calf. This was related to the achillies injury years before. After that, I was running differently, which led to the calf strain. These days, I can only run about half a mile before it starts to tighten up. If Woods had this, I’m not surprised he walked off. The calf burns like hell and you can barly walk .
Totally
The golf swing requires a rotation of the joint. Going up stairs does not.
by chip n'putt on May 17, 2011 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think I’m too far off by saying Tiger really likes money. And he has significantly less than he did about 18 months ago.
He has half of over 100 million
He’s not going to worry about the electricity bill, is he ? Any American who thinks that isn’t enough to stop worrying about money needs their head looking at, frankly.
Homes, yacht, plane
but I agree with you that he is also driven by the need to be as rich as Croesus. Doubt his divorce settlement worried him one bit (probably = pre-nup no more nor less). I don’t begrudge anyone their wealth, whether earned or inherited, but I pity those who are driven simply to amass it for its own sake. “Poor Tiger”.
I don't begrudge anyone the riches..
Winning takes care of money in the golf world of professionals. If Woods was asked now, 300 million or 5 more majors, you know he would take the majors.
perhaps true easing.
But , ask the same question at the beginning of a career. I think the majority would take the cash as it is needed to even play on tour to begin with. I’m glad to see Tommy ‘Two Gloves’ Gainey make it over the finacial hump so early in his career. It should take some of the pressure off.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body" jumpn
Agree about Tommy and players trying to make a living
But the once great players the last 30 years won a few majors, they were set for life. By great, I mean the Seve’s, Faldo’s, Norman’s, Price’s Mickleson’s and Woods. Money althogh still important,then becomes secondary to winning. The money takes care of itself. When someone misses a putt and Miller says " that cost him 30,000 bucks, he should say, “that cost him the title, or 2nd” You never hear him say That just earned him 30.000 bucks when he makes a putt, do you ?
So, no, if Tommy was asked 5 majors or 300 million, he would take the majors, because he knows the titles will make him mega rich anyway. Todays golf ensures that, unlike Millers heyday when you got 50,000 for winning. But Miller is in a time warp, thinking the way he used to on tour.
Not at all two
I’m pretty sure everyone likes money. Tiger will never have a problem making cash and I’d have to believe that’s the least of his worries. He’s reportedly still raking in about 70 million a year in endorsements. It’s less then before and it may get even smaller over time, but it’s still more than plenty. That doesn’t even mention the obscenely huge pension he’s going to collect from the PGA tour one day.
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
I don't know about that
He isn’t a beloved figure like Arnold Palmer who if I recall correctly was one of the top spots endorsers well after he stopped winning tournaments. Once he stops winning, I don’t see a lot of companies paying top dollar to be attached to him. Especially outside the golf industry.
He has got to make the $$$ while he can. How else is he going to keep himself in blondes in their early 20s?
Two, you are being ridiculous
Just how much is enough ? 100 million, 200 million ? 1 billion ? Money is essential, but is not the be all end all in life.
The issue isn't how much money he needs...
it is how much money he wants. I amy be wrong, but it seems what he has now isn’t enough for him.
Two
he may very well “want” more, but he sure as heck doesn’t need it. He’s already earned over a billion $$$, (that’s with a B). Even after the tax man and Elin took their chunks, that’s a lot of dough. He likely already has 100’s of millions in assets! He’s still currently bringing in 70 million a year and I believe he’s still about the highest paid athlete in the world. I agree his income will go down a lot if he doesn’t start winning. But Ok, so he only makes 10 mil a year at some point down the road, so what I sure as heck think he’ll be just fine. Sure it may be a knock to his ego but that’s not going to hurt the lifestyle of someone who’s made this kind of money. If it does then he’s the worst money manager in history!!
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
~ William Blake
TwoNuse.....
1) I don’t buy the idea that it takes a year or more for a pro to change the way they swing the club.
2) You’re right here, and it’s Tiger’s cross to bear. Still, he could read the Dalai Lama!
3,4) If his leg is as bad as it seems, I think he should go to a modified “arms only” swing.
5) He needs to get off that left leg. Foley won’t do that.
6) Yep, he’ll be back.
It usually doesn't take a year
if you are practicing your butt off and he can’t.
Arms only swing? If they let him play off the red tees, he may be a chance.
You need a left leg in the golf swing and no swing adjustment in the world will change that.
by chip n'putt on May 17, 2011 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
It took Nick Faldo 2 and a half years to change his swing.
So, obviously it can take longer than a year.
Didn't it take over a year for the swing changes under Harmon to fully set in?
And that was a fully heathy Tiger at his physical peak.
It can be anywhere
between 6 months and a year. It depends on the changes and how radical they are. The it comes down to trust and that needs “miles under the hammer”. That’s what he’s not getting.
by chip n'putt on May 17, 2011 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions
It's obvious to me
that MY swing doesn’t put ENOUGH stress on my left knee. Don’t think TW will be giving me a ring any time soon though ;o)
Short? Short?
Who’re calling short? See, Tiger, copy my swing and you’ll have no probs. with the left knee. Yeah, you’re a long-hiitter, Easing, but I’m growing that rough! Actually we’ve had one heavy shower in 6 weeks down here, so nothing growing except the weeds.
I'm not that long Wendy
The good players at the club knock it 20-30 yards past me. I probably average about 240. Hoping for a summer of ’76 to burn your rough away !
"I'm not that long"
240 vs 150? Oh well, it’s only a beer and a bacon buttie at stake. May the ditches tantalise you!
Well, I'm sure the red tees will even things out a bit.
Off to look at those ditches on the course planner I downloaded :)
A bacon buttie
is a sandwich buttered with hot bacon in it…3 slices for me. I like cooked tomatoes poured sparingly over the bacon. Yum ! Ask for one the next time you are in Ireland.
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