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Tiger Woods is finished as a professional golfer

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As one of the world’s biggest Tiger Woods fans, I am sad to officially say Tiger is finished. He’s done. It’s over people.

Honestly, I can’t believe Tiger’s game has been reduced to what it is today. He was a golfer who made the impossible seem easy, seemingly every week in his prime. Now he’s a shell of his former golfing self, just another guy on the PGA Tour from a scoring perspective. And he might not even be that. Brandel Chamblee postulated that we may never see Tiger on a PGA Tour tee sheet ever again, and there’s a chance he’s right.

As a golf instructor and student of the game, I have identified the compounding reasons why Tiger’s game is in a state that was unimaginable only a few years ago, and why he’ll never dominate again. I hope I’m wrong — there’s no denying that Tiger Woods has touched the life of every person in the golf industry and every golf fan in some way — but all the evidence is to the contrary.

The Death of Earl 

As a child, Tiger idolized and emulated his father, Earl Woods. Publicly and privately, Earl created an ideological identity for Tiger, and one that Tiger seemed to believe wholeheartedly. He trusted Earl, and succeeded in following Earl’s vision to become everything his father wanted him to be.

To many it seemed laughable to hear Earl speak about his son and Gandhi in the same sentence, but Tiger had to wonder, “Why not?” Like everything else Earl predicted in his son’s life, if Earl said it then it had to be achievable.

When Earl died, Tiger lost his best friend, his confidant, and his guiding light that led him to his greatest successes. Who else could fill that role? Tiger was now the most celebrated athlete on the planet and on his way to billionaire status. Who could he really trust? For the first time in his life, Tiger was the boss and was left to navigate the world… on his own.

Swing Changes and Different Coaches

To master golf to any degree is a losing battle… unless you were Tiger Woods in the early 2000s.

Tiger was rocking along with Butch Harmon as his swing coach, winning every tournament in sight and setting record after record. All was right with the world, but Tiger wanted more. He wanted to become a better golfer, learn more about the game and separate himself even further from his peers.

Harmon wanted Woods to concentrate on maintaining the skills he had, and believed he was fine where he was fundamentally. He didn’t want to mess with the delicate mix of mechanics and confidence that allowed Tiger to become the most dominant golfer of all time. He knew it was a recipe for disaster. But Tiger wasn’t satisfied, and left Harmon to seek other ideas on how to hit the ball better.

Enter Hank Haney, Sean Foley and Tiger’s current coach, Chris Como. I know each personally and they are ALL great teachers, but they all have different ideas on how to best play the game. Watching Tiger’s great success with Haney, and to a lesser degree with Sean Foley, we know that Tiger could basically swing in whatever style he desired and still win. But it wasn’t fair to those teachers to expect Tiger to become a better golfer under their tutelage. Let me explain.

When you teach great golfers, you will always fight their reluctancy to change, even if that’s what they say they want. So Haney, Foley and Como had to spend at least 50 percent of their time convincing Tiger that they were telling him the right thing, and then the other 50 percent of their time working on his motion.

Like most great players, Tiger always thought he knew best, so he only used the bits of instruction he liked best and inserted them into his swing, even if they weren’t the most important bits. Tiger’s swing was anything but a lump of clay that Haney, Foley or Como could mold to perfection, and for that reason they can’t be blamed fully for his successes or his failures.

Marriage, All Hell Breaks Loose, Divorce 

When Tiger married Elin Nordegren, the golf world assumed she was the one person Tiger could trust blindly in Earl’s absence, and marriage was going to make Tiger a better golfer, as it did with Jack Nicklaus.

As we all know, it didn’t exactly work out that way. I’m not here to judge Tiger, and the end result of his divorce was clear. He lost his wife, became divided from his children, and in just a few weeks went from being the most admired athlete on the planet to a laughing stock. And when Tiger looked in the mirror, who could he blame other than the reflection staring back at him?

Divorce is an evil thing. I’ve been there. It breaks down a man in ways that I can’t explain, and the impact it has on your children adds to the hurt. It makes sense that since he suffered his back injury he has been seen spending as much time with his kids as possible. Deep down, do you think Tiger really wants to be a golf rock star again? Does he want to even further separate himself from his children?

Tiger has enough money for several lifetimes, and enough business ventures to keep him relevant in golf history. If he never plays again, he knows he’ll still be the Michael Jordan of golf.

Bad Press and Hank Haneys Book

There is no question that Tiger’s life must be a royal pain in the a** on a daily basis, but he has somehow held most of it together. Enter Hank Haney’s book.

Forget the argument of ethics, and let’s focus on the one thing that left a lasting impression on me as a player and teacher when it came to Tiger. Haney vividly described Tiger’s once invincible mental strength being reduced to sheer panic at Augusta National’s putting green at The Masters.

One thing Tiger always had in the eyes of his Tour peers was the belief that his mental game was unwavering. Players folded week after week, believing Tiger was stronger mentally than they ever would be, not to mention how good he was physically.

When Hank described the ending of their time together, it confirmed that Tiger dealt with the same neurosis and doubts all golfers do. This revelation opened the doors for Tour players to actually believe Tiger could be beat. The mystique of Tiger Woods, at least in the eyes of his competitors, faded.

The Final Breakdown of the Athletic Body

Golf is hard enough with a perfect body, not to mention one that is faltering. Tiger was once one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, but the golf fitness revolution he led influenced a new generation of golfers that started hitting it by him easily.

Tiger’s distance dominance was a big part of his past success, and his attempt to remain one of the longest players on Tour hurt his game. How many times have we heard him talk about the kinetic chain, muscle activation and explosiveness when he should be talking about scoring better? He became obsessed with fixing his body and adding more distance, and it only led to more problems.

With injury after injury piling up, Tiger’s body couldn’t take the practice sessions or the workouts that once made him unstoppable. He was shorter and more crooked off the tee relative to his peers, and his short game started to decline from a lack of reps. Even in Tiger’s five-win season in 2013, the golf world started to see how his game was changing. He needed his A-game to win, where he only used to need his C-game.

The Short Game Yips

In the golf teaching community, we all knew Chris Como inherited a broken short-game motion with Tiger, and it was ready to come to a head with Tiger’s continued focus on the long game. And as anyone who has had the chipping and pitching yips knows, you never completely get rid of them; they are just dormant until they decide to come back again.

If anyone is skilled enough to put the chipping yips to bed for good, it’s Tiger. But don’t forget the three wedge shots he dumped in the water during a corporate outing at Congressional a few months ago off a tight lie. Whatever was going through his mind, it was likely the same thought that caused him to withdraw from the Safeway Open.

The Comeback: Range vs. Course

So Jesper Parnevik and Notah Begay III said Tiger was striping it and is ready to come back and play… and then Tiger committed to the Safeway Open. The golf world was jazzed! But deep down, Tiger knows the range is not the place that tells you if you are ready or not. Anyone at the PGA Tour level can stripe it on the range or during practice rounds, especially when they’re not going full speed.

Every video of Tiger I have seen during his comeback is at practice speed, and his swing is almost cut off looking like he is still trying to guide the ball as you would with a knockdown shot. I have yet to see a series of swings at competition speed with different clubs, beginning with the driver. Until then, I am not convinced of Tiger’s mechanical or physical health.

Loss of Confidence

The nail in the coffin of a golf career? It’s withdrawing due to a lack of confidence in your game. Anyone who has played golf at the tournament level understands the doubt that can creep in at times, but that’s not the same as being afraid to compete. Tiger is afraid to compete right now. He knows that every 78 he shoots from here on out will tarnish what he has accomplished in his golf career, and that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Tiger knows this is his last shot. Not wanting to play until he is ready is his safety net, but will he ever be truly ready? Probably not.

Tom F. Stickney II, is a specialist in Biomechanics for Golf, Physiology, and 3d Motion Analysis. He has a degree in Exercise and Fitness and has been a Director of Instruction for almost 30 years at resorts and clubs such as- The Four Seasons Punta Mita, BIGHORN Golf Club, The Club at Cordillera, The Promontory Club, and the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. His past and present instructional awards include the following: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, Golf Digest Top 50 International Instructor, Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor, Best in State (Florida, Colorado, and California,) Top 20 Teachers Under 40, Best Young Teachers and many more. Tom is a Trackman University Master/Partner, a distinction held by less than 25 people in the world. Tom is TPI Certified- Level 1, Golf Level 2, Level 2- Power, and Level 2- Fitness and believes that you cannot reach your maximum potential as a player with out some focus on your physiology. You can reach him at tomstickneygolf@gmail.com and he welcomes any questions you may have.

109 Comments

109 Comments

  1. DrRob1963

    Sep 26, 2018 at 12:30 am

    Hey Tom!
    Where is that “Humble Pie” you ordered?

  2. TOm who

    Sep 13, 2018 at 9:32 am

    How stupid do you feel lacking the intelligence to realize it was back and health problems?

  3. B

    Aug 21, 2018 at 9:56 am

    Well….you’re fired! ???????????

  4. Connor

    Aug 17, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    This came up on my sidebar next to the stupid broad puffing her chest out at the airport, and I seriously thought it was TMZ or some other form of trash click-bait. Come to find out it’s an article written by Tom two years ago on this very site lolololololol. Absolute TRASH journalism.

  5. PH DE N ROTHSCHILD

    Aug 13, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    One should NEVER make definitive comments like you did in 2016… You absolutely made a FOOL of yourself.
    Shame you are a respected journalist.

  6. Nocklaus

    Aug 1, 2018 at 4:46 am

    So, what dio you say now…? Tiger leading in The Open, finishing in the top ten …

  7. Travis

    Jul 27, 2018 at 5:32 am

    Yes the recent Britis Open showed us all Tigers pro golfing days are over…. can’t compete huh? Bet you feel stupid now for writing this.

  8. Paul Blake

    May 2, 2018 at 12:08 am

    Yes there is a lesson, I hit a physical wall of poor health at 47! It became an effort to do any training, and arthritis was moving into my joints and back…and this was bringing on depression. Diet and Yoga were the two main answers, doctors prescriptions only made things worse.
    I am 73 now, and I have zero diseases, and no arthritis at all, and I take zero prescription drugs! I train hard every day of the week, and from the comments I get, and the way I feel, the payoff has been big! Ever heard of anyone who stated getting arthritis, and then grew out of it as they got older…That is what Yoga and a very clean diet can bring you?

    • Tim

      Dec 10, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      Hi Paul,
      You did all this with just yoga and diet? Can you please forward me your weekly regimen?

      Thanks, Tim

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  10. Shallowface

    Oct 22, 2016 at 9:53 pm

    Golfers always had a complex about wanting to be considered athletes, and Tiger led the “fitness revolution.”
    Now golfers are considered athletes. And, just like athletes in every other sport, they have injury riddled careers and are washed up at 40 if not sooner. Congratulations. You got what you wanted.
    Sam Snead was a devotee of yoga, and was great well into his 60s. Maybe there’s a lesson there.

  11. KK

    Oct 20, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    Too many injuries, too much psychological scarring, too much money, too many young lions roaming the tour. It’s a wrap.

  12. Mad-Mex

    Oct 20, 2016 at 2:10 am

    Wonder how long before we see him in “Dancing with the Stars”?

  13. Mad-Mex

    Oct 20, 2016 at 12:15 am

    Ballsy article in a website where Tiger worshiping is the norm, somehow I get the feeling that those who are bashing Tom also follow the Kardashians ,,,,,,,,,

  14. devilsadvocate

    Oct 19, 2016 at 6:07 pm

    Wow Tom… I am one of your biggest fans on this site. That being said I am dissappointed tremendously with this article. Really what was the point? Oh right to get hits. Come on man kicking someone when they are down is low class.

  15. JL

    Oct 18, 2016 at 7:11 pm

    I hate this website and most of its users.

    • Mad-Mex

      Oct 20, 2016 at 12:37 am

      Awesome! We cant stand you either, now go away,,,,,,,,,,,,

  16. GetRichorTyTryon

    Oct 18, 2016 at 1:54 am

    The comment section is borderline Trump vs Hillary. I’m a HUGE Tiger fan. Although this is an opinion piece much of the statements based on his timeline are true. What bothers me is casual fans that say he needs to do this or he needs to do that and then he’ll win. Earl was a major source of stability. Too many swing changes with too little time. It’s baffling to me that Tiger needs to learn how to chip again or find his “pattern”. I guess it’s a lifelong fine tuning but it seems some, Stricker, Furyk and many others always have a solid short game. I’m not saying Tiger can’t come back and win again. Not at all. I’m saying that if you think he’s going to come back and be the dominant 2000 Tiger than I think you’re in denial.

  17. Jack Nash

    Oct 17, 2016 at 5:06 pm

    The most important statement from Woods and his pulling out of Safeway was that he felt his game was “vulnerable”. People said he was stripping it. He said his back was great, but one thing will make you “vulnerable” and that’s the chipping yips. Im betting that’s what he has and he can’t break it. If there’s anyone around that can help him it’s Stricker. Sometimes the best hand action is no hand action at all. That’s who I would call. To me he’s one of the BEST wedge players in the game, and if you’re having problems with a handsy short game the best thing to do is take them right out.

  18. Grizz01

    Oct 17, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    Two things not mentioned… sort of…

    1. Divorce did not doom Tiger. There are plenty of athletes who get divorce and find their way. Whoring around did him in when it became public and he couldn’t/wouldn’t be humble and apologize for his behavior. That is in his head.

    2. PED’s can’t be as easily used as he once used them. Can’t use them to heal up his broken body.

  19. MIke

    Oct 17, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    Interesting article, I do not agree with the writer, I just hope that if he is wrong he would admit it! Very strong things to say about anyone! Tiger will come back he will win more tournaments and I even think he will win more majors!

  20. Keith W.

    Oct 17, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    During the final regulation round of the U.S. Open in June, 2008, I watched in literal horror as Tiger limped and staggered around Torrey Pines trying to win on what was clearly a serious injury to his leg. While on-air commentary openly marveled at his so-called “courage” for playing in obvious pain, I became physically ill. To say that I was not impressed with his “courage” is a serious understatement. I frankly considered his recklessness immature and down-right stupid.

    I turned to my guests who were watching with me in my home and I said “this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen Tiger do…he is putting his entire career in jeopardy continuing to play with this injury”. In fact when he defeated Rocco Mediate in the Monday playoff I stated out loud that this, very likely, “could be his last major championship win”. It was. Moreover, it was the first in a series of reckless mistakes that keynoted his ultimate fall from grace.

    If you arrange a timeline from that weekend forward Tiger has never been the same physically, mentally, or emotionally. If you look at each of the succeeding life and career decisions (missteps), i.e., health, marriage, friendships, professional mentoring, and subsequent personal relationships he has done nothing to engender himself to anyone…most importantly himself.

    Tiger tripped over his belief in his invincibility at Torrey Pines and has been stumbling to regain his balance ever since. Along the way he has fallen from being, arguably, the greatest post “Jordan” era athlete reduced now to a pitiful shadow of his former excellence. It hurts to watch, and pains me to see a hero vanquished.

  21. Jim

    Oct 17, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    Good article Tom. Unfortunately we are living in a very decisive, partisan climate where anyone who disagrees with the “popular” opinion must be vilified and personally attacked. Thanks for sharing your “opinion” with us Tom.

    • rymail00

      Oct 19, 2016 at 9:10 pm

      +1

      Not just this article, every article. It’s either “good article” or basically “what a POS article”. It’s to bad.

  22. Ron Garland

    Oct 17, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    Tiger’s been playing Miura’s with a Nike logo for quite a while.

    • Tim

      Dec 10, 2018 at 8:57 pm

      Wrong, Tiger has played ENDO forgings basically all along since being with Nike. Miura has been a myth since Tiger started dominating the Tour late 90’s early to mid 2000’s. Starting with his Titleist contract when first turning pro. Titleist was Hoffman forgings later they used Endo forgings as well.

  23. Steve Wozeniak

    Oct 17, 2016 at 11:44 am

    Actually he is an easy fix for a Professional that understands the golf swing…….the problem is getting him to stay on task for more than a half hour…….

    Steve Wozeniak PGA
    http://www.stevewozeniak.com

  24. Bob Jones

    Oct 17, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Tiger coming back is like stepping onto a treadmill that’s turned on High. He probably got spooked when he realized what his game would really be up against in the Safeway. It’s best he retires on a high note than falling on his face trying to recapture the magic. Saving his back from further damage would be a good reason and an honest one.

  25. Flip

    Oct 17, 2016 at 10:26 am

    That’s the worst case of writing I have ever viewed. What a hack

  26. Scooter McGavin

    Oct 17, 2016 at 7:22 am

    Anyone know of any other golf sites? Gerting tired of the clickbait crap here.

    • Jim

      Oct 17, 2016 at 10:34 am

      Agreed…add the tough-guy keyboard commando responses to legit teaching/technique articles and responses too.

      Tiger’s been done for a while. Time for Eldric to just come out and enjoy playing again….. or hang em up, dig in to business like Norman. Frankly, I don’t care what he does as long as he’s happy

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  28. Matt

    Oct 16, 2016 at 5:41 pm

    I’m all for trying to get “hits” on stories but the fact is one person knows if he has the game or not and that’s Tiger. If I were betting on his comeback I’d say it would fail but that’s not a revelation. And if he comes back and succeeds you can back track to “he’s not the same Tiger he once was” or “I’m the first person to be happy I was wrong”. Great for your “hits” but no much for journalism. Breaking News, Alabama football is good.

  29. Corey

    Oct 16, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Tom…who are you to officially say?

  30. Egor

    Oct 16, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Click
    Bait

  31. Jack

    Oct 16, 2016 at 11:31 am

    Only an unintelligent, childish coat tail puller would give his attention to Tiger Woods now.

  32. Yearight

    Oct 16, 2016 at 11:28 am

    Put tigers name on an article title, put a controversial statement with it, something you have no real knowledge of. Then make the title seem as though an announcement was made to get people to click on it.

    Then write terribly and just restate year old arguments about tiger’s life.

    Excellent “work”

  33. Jacob

    Oct 16, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Shoulda stuck with Sean.

  34. ooffa

    Oct 16, 2016 at 6:25 am

    Great article. Yep, he’s done.

  35. J

    Oct 16, 2016 at 1:29 am

    I agree with some of the above posters, I don’t ever comment on these articles but I found this to be kind of an unnecessary article. Count me among those who hopes Tiger does come back, even if it’s at a fraction of his former self. He owes no one anything and it’s been a pleasure to watch him over the years. The bold title and restating of common knowledge to back up a theory is kind of cheap and tabloidish. But it put eyes on the page and clicks in the counter which seems to be the only measure of success these days.

  36. Lob Wedge

    Oct 16, 2016 at 12:41 am

    Copying golfwrx posts, tweaking/editing them and pasting now qualifies as writing an article?

    Which is worse.. The tweek and paste or the outright copy/paste with the golfwrx username and calling that an article.

    I can’t even use my golfwrx putter covers in public anymore because of articles like these. C’mon golfwrx!

  37. Guia

    Oct 16, 2016 at 12:02 am

    Another speculative opinion.

    The crystal ball is foggy, and as always everyone reads something different.

    Athletes, always think they have something left, and usually give it several more tries. Either on the PGA Tour, or the Champions Tour.

  38. Pingback: Tiger Woods is finished as a professional golfer | Swing Update

  39. Rwj

    Oct 15, 2016 at 9:13 pm

    I believe tiger dropped out of Safeway because they announced they were pairing him with Phil. I believe he was scared to play with Phil, afraid to look foolish or get bet by him personally

  40. D

    Oct 15, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    Hater

  41. Bert

    Oct 15, 2016 at 6:26 pm

    Well thought out and good analysis. Thanks for your prospective Tom.

  42. Jack

    Oct 15, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    Look at all the fanboys hitting the “shank” button. That was predictable, lol.

    • moses

      Oct 15, 2016 at 7:37 pm

      Yeah and the haters hitting the like button. Hmmmm

      • Jalan

        Oct 15, 2016 at 11:29 pm

        If that’s true, there are far more Tiger Fellaters than Haters. Fellaters outnumber fan boys two to one.

        • Jalan

          Oct 15, 2016 at 11:32 pm

          edit: Fellaters outnumber Haters 2 to 1

          • Fella

            Oct 16, 2016 at 3:30 am

            Regardless, they call fallate themselves

            • Jack

              Oct 16, 2016 at 10:33 am

              They’re just upset because they wasted their money on a brand new red shirt and an extra large tube of hand lotion.

  43. Sean

    Oct 15, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I have never been a big fan of TW, but I don’t think he’s done. Not by a long shot.

    • DrRob1963

      Oct 17, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      I agree! Never write off the great players. Tiger’s only 40 – Jack won that fabulous ’86 US Masters at age 46 after he had been written off by so many.

      • DrRob1963

        Sep 26, 2018 at 12:28 am

        Rereading this nearly two years later has put the biggest smile on my face!
        Fabulous comeback, Tiger!
        C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N

  44. smh

    Oct 15, 2016 at 4:55 pm

    Click-bait.
    Totally respect your opinion but you do deserve to hear that this is JUST click-bait given the headline.

  45. Tom Stickney

    Oct 15, 2016 at 4:47 pm

    Not a bait and switch article just my thoughts from what I’ve seen and experienced in my 20+ years on the lesson tee.

    Personally I hope I’m wrong as I am a huge Tiger fan but you can’t deny the compounding problems he’s had.

    Harmon, Hank, Sean, and Chris have ALL had their work cut out for them teaching Tiger. I respect them greatly for stepping up to the plate and giving it their all. Regardless of his w/l record during their tenure with him they are all regarded as the top 1% in our field in my book.

    • cgasucks

      Oct 15, 2016 at 8:37 pm

      If you want to keep what is left of your credibility you have on this site don’t put a misleading title on your articles…

  46. the bishop

    Oct 15, 2016 at 3:50 pm

    LOL! Maybe but slow news day?

  47. steve peake

    Oct 15, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    Not an original thought in this opinion? article

  48. AC

    Oct 15, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    it’s article and someone’s opinion… good grief, people’s panties getting all wadded up.
    I’ve participated at the highest level of sports, professional. Tiger’s mentality is so weak he’s become friendly and dependent on withdrawing from events to escape. When you reach that level of quit you have entered denial with no shame.

  49. Deejaymn

    Oct 15, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Someone already mentioned it but CLICKBAIT, I’m surprised he didn’t mention Brad Pitt to garner more clicks. Anyone who speaks in absolutes is a fool in my books. Hey we all know it’s uphill for tiger but hey you never know, he basically wrote a history that has been rehashed to death with no interesting insights of his own. Step up your writing game.

  50. JJr

    Oct 15, 2016 at 3:13 pm

    Tom Stickney II is finished as professional writer!
    I won’t go into detail.

    • cgasucks

      Oct 15, 2016 at 8:39 pm

      Quite true…he should stick to giving lessons to hackers.

  51. Mark

    Oct 15, 2016 at 2:36 pm

    Often, the written word is Golf WRX’s Achilles’ heel. I consider this article to be one of the better ones. It is well written and well structured. If the author’s opinion differs from yours, welcome to the free world.

    • elslash

      Oct 15, 2016 at 4:10 pm

      Best writing on almost any topic in GolfWRX, possibly ever!

  52. Jack

    Oct 15, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    Excellent article! Agree 100% with your opinion. Tiger has only been saying he will come back to continue his endorsement income. He has had no value whatsoever for over a year, and no future value either. You are absolutely right – he’s finished…

  53. Brian

    Oct 15, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Are you talking about the article, or 99% of your posts?

  54. cocheese

    Oct 15, 2016 at 1:18 pm

    This clickbait style article may seriously deteriorating the integrity of this site.

  55. ultimate hacker

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:25 pm

    delete this already

    • Mr Muira.

      Oct 15, 2016 at 7:52 pm

      I hope Tiger-san keep going so i can make clubs for him, unfortunately he got too much sushi in brain.

  56. ultimate hacker

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    waste of time

  57. Dwight Howard

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    Tiger’s career may not be over but judging by the desperation of this article, the website may be finished

  58. Ryan

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:17 pm

    Read people. It literally says “Opinion and Analysis” right above the title. This is his opinion. An opinion in which a lot of people who understand golf agree with. Tiger is done. Get over it. Move on.

    • Titty681

      Oct 15, 2016 at 2:58 pm

      If you would have moved on you wouldn’t be reading this article.

  59. Ed

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    Thank you for this article. We all hate to see the inevitable ebb of that magic that make our hero’s seem superhuman. Great article Tom.

  60. Tony Rich

    Oct 15, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    Stickney just looking for some attention…..just a weak article, please find something else to talk about. Pathetic writer, all you did was plagiarize some golf channel articles from the last 6 months. You and Chamblee should find an island together and never come back.

  61. Markallister

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:47 am

    most of this article is wrong. urcle did a bad job trying to change his swing one time too often. competition is just so much better athletically than it used to be. urcle’s body is broken.

  62. Jafar

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:41 am

    Headline should have “Opinion” in front of the title.

    • Mat

      Oct 15, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      Instead of having it in a blue, highlighted box just above it.

      • Jafar

        Oct 16, 2016 at 7:47 am

        Yah it’s not on the homepage though. So it’s clickbait. “From the Forums” uses FTF:

        Why couldn’t this use Opinion:

  63. Ugh

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:21 am

    This article is / was so unnecessary.

  64. TD

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:11 am

    Why can’t I paste this dumb little the horse is beat down dead emoji?

  65. Plus

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:11 am

    I thought this was a real report on something Eldrick said. But how brave you are to let out your opinion like this, Tom.

  66. farmer

    Oct 15, 2016 at 11:03 am

    No one knows the real state of Tiger’s game, but the only way to find out if it’s ready for tournament play ….. is to play tournaments. My expectations were that he would use these fall tournaments to knock the rust off, see what needs work, and then be ready for 2017. Now, playing in a limited field event, then taking off until, say, Torrey, is not a recipe for success.

  67. Topic_Monitor

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:55 am

    Please be respectful of authors and fellow WRXers. Thank You

  68. MT

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:48 am

    Agreed – delete the article. No need to mislead people just because you think his career is over.

  69. Dumbwrx

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:46 am

    There won’t be any comments on this story, I’m sure!

  70. Jack

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Agree 100% – Tiger is finished as a professional tour player. Zero chance he could ever come close to winning any tournament…or even finishing in the top 10 – make that top 20.

    • Casey

      Oct 15, 2016 at 4:57 pm

      Yeah, because the last time we saw him play in a tournament he finished 10th, 4 shots off the leader with a blow-up triple bogey that knocked him from contention. So care to explain why you think he’ll never play any sort of decent golf again?

  71. Square

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:44 am

    Really Tom? How about giving the guy a chance, forgive his mistakes and root for the guy who gave us the best period of professional golf in my lifetime. What a crappy article!

  72. Dj

    Oct 15, 2016 at 10:33 am

    Change the title. And give me my 2 minutes back. Better yet, just delete the article.

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Opinion & Analysis

The 2 primary challenges golf equipment companies face

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As the editor-in-chief of this website and an observer of the GolfWRX forums and other online golf equipment discourse for over a decade, I’m pretty well attuned to the grunts and grumbles of a significant portion of the golf equipment purchasing spectrum. And before you accuse me of lording above all in some digital ivory tower, I’d like to offer that I worked at golf courses (public and private) for years prior to picking up my pen, so I’m well-versed in the non-degenerate golf equipment consumers out there. I touched (green)grass (retail)!

Complaints about the ills of and related to the OEMs usually follow some version of: Product cycles are too short for real innovation, tour equipment isn’t the same as retail (which is largely not true, by the way), too much is invested in marketing and not enough in R&D, top staffer X hasn’t even put the new driver in play, so it’s obviously not superior to the previous generation, prices are too high, and on and on.

Without digging into the merits of any of these claims, which I believe are mostly red herrings, I’d like to bring into view of our rangefinder what I believe to be the two primary difficulties golf equipment companies face.

One: As Terry Koehler, back when he was the CEO of Ben Hogan, told me at the time of the Ft Worth irons launch, if you can’t regularly hit the golf ball in a coin-sized area in the middle of the face, there’s not a ton that iron technology can do for you. Now, this is less true now with respect to irons than when he said it, and is less and less true by degrees as the clubs get larger (utilities, fairways, hybrids, drivers), but there remains a great deal of golf equipment truth in that statement. Think about it — which is to say, in TL;DR fashion, get lessons from a qualified instructor who will teach you about the fundamentals of repeatable impact and how the golf swing works, not just offer band-aid fixes. If you can’t repeatably deliver the golf club to the golf ball in something resembling the manner it was designed for, how can you expect to be getting the most out of the club — put another way, the maximum value from your investment?

Similarly, game improvement equipment can only improve your game if you game it. In other words, get fit for the clubs you ought to be playing rather than filling the bag with the ones you wish you could hit or used to be able to hit. Of course, don’t do this if you don’t care about performance and just want to hit a forged blade while playing off an 18 handicap. That’s absolutely fine. There were plenty of members in clubs back in the day playing Hogan Apex or Mizuno MP-32 irons who had no business doing so from a ballstriking standpoint, but they enjoyed their look, feel, and complementary qualities to their Gatsby hats and cashmere sweaters. Do what brings you a measure of joy in this maddening game.

Now, the second issue. This is not a plea for non-conforming equipment; rather, it is a statement of fact. USGA/R&A limits on every facet of golf equipment are detrimental to golf equipment manufacturers. Sure, you know this, but do you think about it as it applies to almost every element of equipment? A 500cc driver would be inherently more forgiving than a 460cc, as one with a COR measurement in excess of 0.83. 50-inch shafts. Box grooves. And on and on.

Would fewer regulations be objectively bad for the game? Would this erode its soul? Fortunately, that’s beside the point of this exercise, which is merely to point out the facts. The fact, in this case, is that equipment restrictions and regulations are the slaughterbench of an abundance of innovation in the golf equipment space. Is this for the best? Well, now I’ve asked the question twice and might as well give a partial response, I guess my answer to that would be, “It depends on what type of golf you’re playing and who you’re playing it with.”

For my part, I don’t mind embarrassing myself with vintage blades and persimmons chasing after the quasi-spiritual elevation of a well-struck shot, but that’s just me. Plenty of folks don’t give a damn if their grooves are conforming. Plenty of folks think the folks in Liberty Corner ought to add a prison to the museum for such offences. And those are just a few of the considerations for the amateur game — which doesn’t get inside the gallery ropes of the pro game…

Different strokes in the game of golf, in my humble opinion.

Anyway, I believe equipment company engineers are genuinely trying to build better equipment year over year. The marketing departments are trying to find ways to make this equipment appeal to the broadest segment of the golf market possible. All of this against (1) the backdrop of — at least for now — firm product cycles. And golfers who, with their ~15 average handicap (men), for the most part, are not striping the golf ball like Tiger in his prime and seem to have less and less time year over year to practice and improve. (2) Regulations that massively restrict what they’re able to do…

That’s the landscape as I see it and the real headwinds for golf equipment companies. No doubt, there’s more I haven’t considered, but I think the previous is a better — and better faith — point of departure when formulating any serious commentary on the golf equipment world than some of the more cynical and conspiratorial takes I hear.

Agree? Disagree? Think I’m worthy of an Adam Hadwin-esque security guard tackle? Let me know in the comments.

@golfoncbs The infamous Adam Hadwin tackle ? #golf #fyp #canada #pgatour #adamhadwin ? Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz – MaSssuguMusic

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Podcasts

Fore Love of Golf: Introducing a new club concept

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Episode #16 brings us Cliff McKinney. Cliff is the founder of Old Charlie Golf Club, a new club, and concept, to be built in the Florida panhandle. The model is quite interesting and aims to make great, private golf more affordable. We hope you enjoy the show!

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Opinion & Analysis

On Scottie Scheffler wondering ‘What’s the point of winning?’

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Last week, I came across a reel from BBC Sport on Instagram featuring Scottie Scheffler speaking to the media ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush. In it, he shared that he often wonders what the point is of wanting to win tournaments so badly — especially when he knows, deep down, that it doesn’t lead to a truly fulfilling life.

 

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“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said. “To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what’s the point?”

Ironically — or perhaps perfectly — he went on to win the claret jug.

That question — what’s the point of winning? — cuts straight to the heart of the human journey.

As someone who’s spent over two decades in the trenches of professional golf, and in deep study of the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the game, I see Scottie’s inner conflict as a sign of soul evolution in motion.

I came to golf late. I wasn’t a junior standout or college All-American. At 27, I left a steady corporate job to see if I could be on the PGA Tour starting as a 14-handicap, average-length hitter. Over the years, my journey has been defined less by trophies and more by the relentless effort to navigate the deeply inequitable and gated system of professional golf — an effort that ultimately turned inward and helped me evolve as both a golfer and a person.

One perspective that helped me make sense of this inner dissonance around competition and our culture’s tendency to overvalue winning is the idea of soul evolution.

The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has done extensive research on reincarnation, and Netflix’s Surviving Death (Episode 6) explores the topic, too. Whether you take it literally or metaphorically, the idea that we’re on a long arc of growth — from beginner to sage elder — offers a profound perspective.

If you accept the premise literally, then terms like “young soul” and “old soul” start to hold meaning. However, even if we set the word “soul” aside, it’s easy to see that different levels of life experience produce different worldviews.

Newer souls — or people in earlier stages of their development — may be curious and kind but still lack discernment or depth. There is a naivety, and they don’t yet question as deeply, tending to see things in black and white, partly because certainty feels safer than confronting the unknown.

As we gain more experience, we begin to experiment. We test limits. We chase extreme external goals — sometimes at the expense of health, relationships, or inner peace — still operating from hunger, ambition, and the fragility of the ego.

It’s a necessary stage, but often a turbulent and unfulfilling one.

David Duval fell off the map after reaching World No. 1. Bubba Watson had his own “Is this it?” moment with his caddie, Ted Scott, after winning the Masters.

In Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, reflecting on his 2011 Super Bowl win, Rodgers said:

“Now I’ve accomplished the only thing that I really, really wanted to do in my life. Now what? I was like, ‘Did I aim at the wrong thing? Did I spend too much time thinking about stuff that ultimately doesn’t give you true happiness?’”

Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”

Eventually, though, something shifts.

We begin to see in shades of gray. Winning, dominating, accumulating—these pursuits lose their shine. The rewards feel more fleeting. Living in a constant state of fight-or-flight makes us feel alive, yes, but not happy and joyful.

Compassion begins to replace ambition. Love, presence, and gratitude become more fulfilling than status, profits, or trophies. We crave balance over burnout. Collaboration over competition. Meaning over metrics.

Interestingly, if we zoom out, we can apply this same model to nations and cultures. Countries, like people, have a collective “soul stage” made up of the individuals within them.

Take the United States, for example. I’d place it as a mid-level soul: highly competitive and deeply driven, but still learning emotional maturity. Still uncomfortable with nuance. Still believing that more is always better. Despite its global wins, the U.S. currently ranks just 23rd in happiness (as of 2025). You might liken it to a gifted teenager—bold, eager, and ambitious, but angsty and still figuring out how to live well and in balance. As much as a parent wants to protect their child, sometimes the child has to make their own mistakes to truly grow.

So when Scottie Scheffler wonders what the point of winning is, I don’t see someone losing strength.

I see someone evolving.

He’s beginning to look beyond the leaderboard. Beyond metrics of success that carry a lower vibration. And yet, in a poetic twist, Scheffler did go on to win The Open. But that only reinforces the point: even at the pinnacle, the question remains. And if more of us in the golf and sports world — and in U.S. culture at large — started asking similar questions, we might discover that the more meaningful trophy isn’t about accumulating or beating others at all costs.

It’s about awakening and evolving to something more than winning could ever promise.

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