Woods failed to take a major champion- ship. Naturally, he decided it was time to start over with his swing, beginning whole- sale changes with Hank Haney in early 2004. Woods was bothered that he was still fighting a lifelong flaw, the tendency to get “stuck” on the downswing, with the club trapped behind his body. He cited the desire to “own” his swing, a quixotic quest among elite ballstrikers. To own one’s swing means to have no flaws, and be able to self- correct almost instantaneously. By universal consensus—which is to say, me and a few fellow golf scribes discussing this over a free lunch one day—maybe three play- ers in history owned their swing: Hogan, Trevino and Moe Norman. For Woods, the need to change his swing goes beyond golf. It’s a lifestyle choice. He’s been grinding at the range since he was little tyke. It gets boring, even for the likes of him. A swing change gives Tiger (and everyone else who embarks on the journey) something new to think about and obsess over. It’s energizing. Brandel Chamblee is among the many
analysts who believe that if Woods had stuck with the Harmon swing and made only a few tweaks over the years, he would have long ago smashed Jack Nicklaus’ career record of 18 major championships. Maybe, maybe not. The fact is Woods
Nick Faldo showed that changing a successful swing can pay dividends. After working with David Leadbetter for three years, Faldo went from an 11-time European Tour winner to a six-time major champion.
had tremendous success with the Haney swing, even though he became more inconsistent with his driver. He evolved from a home run hitter who blew out fields to more of a batting champion, putting himself in contention more often. The post-scandal switch to Sean Foley was mostly a disaster, but must be viewed though the lens of a man in crisis who was seeking radical reinvention both personal and professional. Now Woods is at it again, trying to become the first man to win a Masters with four different swings. He is nearly seven calendar years removed from his last major championship victory. Hav- ing frittered away his prime years, he is now going back to the future with swing “con- sultant” Chris Como, trying to recapture old glory by watching video of his youthful swing in hopes of recreating that halcyon move. Can Woods ever again be the player he was? It’s impossible to know. The only certainty is that he will keep searching.
ALAN SHIPNUCK is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. His introduction to golf came as a cart boy at Pebble Beach Golf Links. SPRING 2015 /
NCGA.ORG / 27
PHOTO: AP
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84