Tiger Is Still The Old Tiger

Posted by John

September 4, 2010

Is the golfing world really topsy turvy, with Tiger falling fast and changing the face of Tour golf that we’ve come to expect during the last decade? I don’t think so.

First, golf is still golf. Tiger’s recent playing profile only proves that. It doesn’t turn it on its head. Tiger has always fought his swing – sometimes less and sometimes more – but fought it nonetheless as all golfers do. Looking back, Tiger has missed a lot of golf from 2008 until now. When any golfer plays less over an extended period their golf suffers and so it is with the great ones as well. Tiger has been the best for a decade, but he hasn’t changed the immutable laws of golf.

I watched coverage of yesterday’s Deutsche Bank Championship and I think we might see the old Tiger again pretty soon. Maybe not full force this year, but watch out for 2011. Tiger’s misses were at least all one way, to the left. He’s working diligently with Sean Foley and diligently for Tiger is any other golfer’s fanatical. According to Frank Nobilo, Sean says that Tiger is perhaps the most efficient at practicing that he’s ever seen. And Tiger needs to be on top once again to establish the identity he lost to scandal. That’s scary for any pro thinking they can unseat Tiger for good.

It looks to me that Tiger is closing in on beating his demon of the left turning shot. This has been his bugaboo for a long time, but don’t forget that the laws of golf demand that every player has their issues. Tiger can hit straight shots, as last week’s driving statistics show. Now he just has to remove the demon in his mind and that’s always the hardest part of game improvement. But not impossible for the game’s best, especially as he’s done it many times before. Even the great Ben Hogan took a couple of years of hand blistering practice to slay the hook.

Bottom line: the old Tiger may not emerge until 2011, but he’s definitely coming back barring a physical injury or a moral collapse.

A couple of unrelated closing comments: Doug, don’t forget your partner here. I’m expecting an invite to play at Crumpin Fox. Also, stay tuned for my review of Atlantic Canada golf. I don’t want to give anything away, just let me say that my wife and I are starting to scan property listings up North…..