Seems too soon.
Seems a bit hurried but Tiger Woods is already out of some form or rehab.
On Tuesday, Woods took to Twitter to let everyone know that he’s out of wherever he’s spent what seems like a couple of short weeks:
“I recently completed an out-of-state private, intensive program. I will continue to tackle this going forward with my doctors, family and friends. I am so very thankful for all of the support I’ve received.”
The tournament he’s supposed to host went on without him last week although it sounds like he was already done with whatever it was he was doing.
Suffice to say Woods has an uphill climb just to live a normal life.
Even Jack Nicklaus has join the ranks of those who believe that Woods may be done with competitive golf.
Nicklaus said this a couple of weeks ago:
“He’ll have a very hard time. I don’t know whether Tiger will play much golf anymore. He might come back and play — I think it’d be pretty tough for him, after getting fused and as many problems as he’s had recently. His problems are more life problems than they are golf problems right now.”
Nicklaus is probably right because Tiger’s body is against him and so is time.
Which brings us to something preposterous penned by a guy at ESPN named Kevin Van Valkenburg.
Seems that Kevin thinks Woods can be the next great golf guru. Nearly fell out of my chair when I read his offering. But then remembered that ESPN has fired all of its good writers.
Here’s a quick excerpt:
“I don’t want this man (Tiger Woods) trying to play golf anymore. He shouldn’t come back to and try to play golf. He should come back and coach, become a Yoda-esque figure within the game, offering little bits of wisdom to a generation of golfers who would hang on his every word.”
Seriously?
Sorry Kevin, golf already that that great coach and his name is Butch Harmon.
It was Harmon who helped mold Woods into a guy who won eight of his 14 majors. Note to Van Valkenburg — eight majors with Harmon, six with Hank Haney, zero with all the rest.
Leaving Harmon was the first of Woods’ long list of career mistakes.
Van Valkenburg also fails to realize that Woods is not a people person and is the last guy who is going to stand on a practice range and try to help a guy win major championships. That is just not in his DNA.
Woods is too wealthy, too self-centered for that kind of role.
Woods will try and play again. His ego won’t let him walk away right now.
He’s body has already been screaming for him to retire.
He won’t listen.
Kill the pain and see if the swing still works.
What swing?
As good as Woods once was, his ego won’t let him understand that surgeries and time are undefeated.
Another reason Woods has to pump the illusion is the $37 million in endorsement money that still flows his way.
As soon as he retires, that stream ends and Tiger has overhead.
As for Van Valkenburg’s scenario?
Pure rubbish.
4 Comments
Nick
Sorry Tom but your statement “Note to Van Valkenburg — 12 majors with Harmon, two without.” is incorrect. Woods (arguably) won 8 of his majors with Butch and 6 with Hank.
Tom Edrington
Thanks for the correction Nick….eight with Butch, six with Hank, apologies to Hank…..so 14 with the two……Brandel Chamblee once said Tiger would have had 25 if he had stuck with Butch.
IronMike
That really is not a preposterous idea seeing he was indeed coached by Harmon and no doubt learned some valuable techniques that he can pass along.
He wouldn’t have to go into a full swing to speak and/or illustrate what a student need to do to improve their swing. He has proven that he can indeed swing the club and there has been and are still in existence many video footage of analysts comparing Tiger’s swing and suggesting others should emulate it.
Regardless if he is a poor example of moral fibers, the fact remains that he can indeed coach and be a great golf swing coach. Whether he does that or not is another matter and another story.
FTR, I am NOT a Tiger Woods fan, just a realist to the facts.
Tom Edrington
If you could have a private chat with all of his teachers combined, you’d probably find out that Woods tried to glean only what he thought would work….if he was that knowledgeable, he’d be able to fix himself without going to any teacher. Lee Trevino once said he’d take a lesson from anyone who could beat him.