Tiger Woods Driving Problems - Really dude? Really!

[Deryck Griffith]

Yea I'm definitely not comparing my driving to them obviously or my course management. I understand the things they see are different from what I would see but still I just wonder why, if they need to hit a straight drive it goes so far off? I know it is a hard game but it just seems after all these years Tiger could be closer to being as accurate as some of the other good drivers out there.

I'm a Tiger fan but I just wonder about his driver.

You are hugely underestimating the pressure factor, distance they are playing from vs. you and their desire to position the ball in specific places off of the tee.

Tiger and other players on the PGA tour hit their drives to specific positions on the fairway to give themselves varying angles to the greens and pin locations (if they are pin hunting).  Because of this, the areas in where they have to land the ball is extremely small.  In some cases, the position off of the tee may be in the rough (you would be surprised).

If you had the opportunity play golf with Tiger in a "casual" round on a Tuesday morning or something like that, you would see the most incredible ball striking exhibition have ever seen in your life off of the tee.  It would be so incredible to see that you would question if it's real.  Really, that would be your reaction with most PGA Tour professionals if you ever had a chance to play casually with one.  However, while in contention, Tiger and his caddie devise up their game plan and stick to it.  That's what I notice about Tiger.  When he has a game plan (even if it isn't working), he sticks to it and on days where he's not as accurate, you will see what you are describing.  On days when he is accurate, he wins and wins allot (8 times in the last two seasons to be exact).

[RightEdge]

It is really fairly simple.  If you drive and hit irons that well, you should be hitting at least 12 GIR.  To score mid 90's, you would have to 3 putt every one, and double bogey the holes where you missed the green.

As Jamo said, nobody with the ability to hit 12 GIR has that bad of a short game.

Well I will have to disagree based on what I do on the golf course. I drive it straight most of the time but I rarely and I mean rarely hit any green with an approach shot. The vast majority of the time I'm short or long because my ball contact is unpredictable. I hit irons straight but sometimes I hit it thin or fat. I can't hit anything well without a full swing.  i don't know why I just can't. it throws my whole timing off. Even if I get on the green I will 3 and 4 putt the VAST majority of the time. I just can't putt.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

I would say:

1) His misses aren't as bad as you think.

2) He misses a lot less often than you think.

3) Your misses are worse than you think.

4) You probably miss more than you think.

The OP's misses are on courses not even close to the standard the PGA tour players play.

Does OP play with the new grooves or old grooves. The amount of spin loss out of the rough for the new grooves is big. This makes holding fast hard PGA tour greens very tough, unless they get a wedge in so they can fly it higher. Bubba Watson is in the top 20 in GIR every year, but he's not in top with proximity. He gets a lot of wedges, but can't control them out of the rough.

Just one question... what do grooves have to do with the driver?  OP isn't asking about wedge play.

[RightEdge]

You are hugely underestimating the pressure factor, distance they are playing from vs. you and their desire to position the ball in specific places off of the tee.

Tiger and other players on the PGA tour hit their drives to specific positions on the fairway to give themselves varying angles to the greens and pin locations (if they are pin hunting).  Because of this, the areas in where they have to land the ball is extremely small.  In some cases, the position off of the tee may be in the rough (you would be surprised).

If you had the opportunity play golf with Tiger in a "casual" round on a Tuesday morning or something like that, you would see the most incredible ball striking exhibition have ever seen in your life off of the tee.  It would be so incredible to see that you would question if it's real.  Really, that would be your reaction with most PGA Tour professionals if you ever had a chance to play casually with one.  However, while in contention, Tiger and his caddie devise up their game plan and stick to it.  That's what I notice about Tiger.  When he has a game plan (even if it isn't working), he sticks to it and on days where he's not as accurate, you will see what you are describing.  On days when he is accurate, he wins and wins allot (8 times in the last two seasons to be exact).

Thanks for the insight.  Like I said I'm new to the whole golfing world and my understanding of everything is obviously lacking but I will learn.

[saevel25]

Just one question... what do grooves have to do with the driver?  OP isn't asking about wedge play.

It matters when comparing what it means to benefit from having a good or bad drive. Meaning a golfer who plays clubs that are before the groove rule change will benefit more out of the rough than someone with newer clubs. This shifts the importance on driving.

[RightEdge]

What about his putter?  If you're a fan (I am too, most of us are, I think) it's kind of a bummer watching him do anything right now.  He just seems ... pedestrian.  He seems to never make the putts anymore that he used to make.

Of course, this is a short stretch of mediocrity we're looking at too.  He hasn't won a major in a few years, but its not like he wasn't the best player on the planet last year, once again ... so let's just hope he turns it around this month so he's ready, come Masters time.

Also ... welcome to the forum!  (Pick yourself an avatar so we can "identify" you!)

Yea he is just not clicking as of lately. He was pretty good last year except in the Majors.  Well he played pretty well at the masters but he got screwed. lol.  By the way did anybody see when Kevin Stadler won a few weeks ago?  When his ball got stuck in that cactus and he had to take a drop. When he leaned over to clear debris from his ball, his ball moved and you could see it with NO closeup. I was wondering why nobody called that in and gave him a 2 stroke penalty.

Maybe they are going to stop allowing people to call in with that stuff.

[geauxforbroke]

Maybe they are going to stop allowing people to call in with that stuff.

They are.

[colin007]

i think the observations by @saevel25 about his gettting the hands too far in front, hitting down too much, are very valid.  sometimes things get out of sync and thats no bueno.

[mvmac]

it baffles me to no end why Tiger Woods, the guy with one of the most sound golf swings on the tour cannot for the life of him hit a driver straight!

There are things Tiger does in his swing that are fine to do with the irons but with a driver it can be tough to time things just right.

I think he needs to stop squatting down into the drive, and make sure he's always hitting up. I think he gets way too much lead with the hands and ends up hitting too down on the driver sometimes.

Agree, kind of a combo of things. Some stuff on the backswing, then he squats, handle gets too far forward and he stays closed too long. That's where you'll see him try to "save it" with that high right shoulder in the followthrough.

[misty_mountainhop]

Guys maybe you can help me with this.  This is something for the life of me I just can't understand. it baffles me to no end why Tiger Woods, the guy with one of the most sound golf swings on the tour cannot for the life of him hit a driver straight!...

Almost by definition, if his driving sucks, his swing can't be as good as you're assuming it is. He clearly has issues with his driver in general. Personally, I think if he stopped trying to hit the ball into next week and reigned it back slightly he'd probably strike it more consistently and, probably, straighter. Not sure it matters if he's back of players like Dustin Johnson off the tee really as one thing he did so well in his pomp was to be pretty much untouchable on the longer approaches - he doesn't really need to bomb it out there. Time to stop trying to duke it out off the tee with the young guns and be a bit smarter?

[dave s]

Agree that his driving is, well ... suspect at best.  If you remember back last year, anything close to consistent off the tee involved a 5 wood.  Didn't see much of the driver last year.

What REALLY baffles me is why he can't hit a green with a short iron.  Have you seen how many short right shots he's made already this season?  Even with a WEDGE swing?

Honestly, he's either really banged up physically or worse yet, just done as a top-ranked player.

dave

[Mr. Desmond]

Yea I'm definitely not comparing my driving to them obviously or my course management. I understand the things they see are different from what I would see but still I just wonder why, if they need to hit a straight drive it goes so far off? I know it is a hard game but it just seems after all these years Tiger could be closer to being as accurate as some of the other good drivers out there.

I'm a Tiger fan but I just wonder about his driver.

Tiger can't take his range swing to the course.

Mental... nerves ... that leads to physical mistakes... and supposedly he has a golf coach that is a swami ... swami ain't working.

[iacas]

Mental... nerves ... that leads to physical mistakes... and supposedly he has a golf coach that is a swami ... swami ain't working.

You keep wanting to talk about how Foley stinks. Not sure what you've got against him - you've never been specific. But he did win POTY last year (Tiger).

[Mr. Desmond]

You keep wanting to talk about how Foley stinks. Not sure what you've got against him - you've never been specific. But he did win POTY last year (Tiger).

I don't see what he's done with the talent he has ... Hunter, Rose ... Woods. Now if you can't win more than one major in 4 years with that group....

It may be more Tiger than Foley ... but Foley is accountable. And I am no swing expert, so I can't be specific. Yes, Tiger had a great 3 month run and one more win in October ... so to that extent, he's become human .... he has hot streaks and then ... and he's 38 or so, and Foley inherited damaged goods. But when one looks at what he has done with what he has...

[clutchshot]

It's so weird... I have been playing golf for 4 years and drove about 250, when I play with people in real life, even people who have been playing for years, they rarely drive that much further (if so like 10-20 yards), but when I get online everyone that plays can hit it 300, even guys that just started.... :) Sorry I like to poke a little. If you are literally driving 300, and making 25 handicap, spend some time (like all your time) practicing chipping and putting. Regarding Tiger's driving: Keep in mind he is hitting it harder and longer than you with more shape. Also keep in mind (this is important) they are playing really hard courses. If the pros came and played here, they would probably birdie every hole.

[iacas]

I don't see what he's done with the talent he has ... Hunter, Rose ... Woods. Now if you can't win more than one major in 4 years with that group....

Hunter's become a solid and dependable golfer. Rose won a major and a few other events.

Seriously, they're #1, #7, and #32 in the world. I think you're over-estimating how difficult it is to win a major. Adam Scott finally won one.

Tiger's issues in the majors are his own.

It may be more Tiger than Foley ... but Foley is accountable. And I am no swing expert, so I can't be specific. Yes, Tiger had a great 3 month run and one more win in October ... so to that extent, he's become human .... he has hot streaks and then ... and he's 38 or so, and Foley inherited damaged goods. But when one looks at what he has done with what he has...

So you just basically think Foley's somehow failing? Who should Tiger go see, given he can't see Foley, Haney, or Harmon?

Find another "human" player whose "hot streak" involves winning five times in a year. C'mon Jerry…

(All that said, if Tiger doesn't win a major or two this year, he's going to have to seriously consider finding someone to work with the swing he's got. Too late to make big changes to it again, and he needs to win majors now .)

Regarding Tiger's driving: Keep in mind he is hitting it harder and longer than you with more shape. Also keep in mind (this is important) they are playing really hard courses. If the pros came and played here, they would probably birdie every hole.

Tiger's driving is not as bad as people seem to want to say. He's still better than average on the PGA Tour.

[Mr. Desmond]

Hunter's become a solid and dependable golfer. Rose won a major and a few other events.

Seriously, they're #1, #7, and #32 in the world. I think you're over-estimating how difficult it is to win a major. Adam Scott finally won one.

Tiger's issues in the majors are his own.

So you just basically think Foley's somehow failing? Who should Tiger go see, given he can't see Foley, Haney, or Harmon?

Find another "human" player whose "hot streak" involves winning five times in a year. C'mon Jerry…

Tiger's driving is not as bad as people seem to want to say. He's still better than average on the PGA Tour.

Tiger's problem is that he has set the bar high for himself. When you are Tiger's guru, you get more praise than you deserve, and more blame than you deserve. Look at other sports, it's the same.

As to who to use, I'm not familiar with the coaching community.  But Tiger is older, he seems to take advice from other players -- and he has admired Grant Waite's swing in the past -- that might work. As a former Tour player and admirer, Grant would have credibility. Maybe Tiger needs a player-type guru at this stage in his life.

When I say, "swami ain't working," I don't necessarily advocate a change. Maybe the swami needs to change what he is communicating. Maybe Foley has tried, and this is as much as he can do. Don't know. But you know what happens when there is a failure to communicate between coach and student or the expected results do not occur ... the coach changes or is changed eventually, like other sports.

I'd be surprised if Foley isn't asking himself the same question and holding himself accountable. I recognize that Foley is different and is "outside of the box" at least with his use of words and possibly, imagery.

I doubt if he wants a pass and doesn't expect one... but it is a valid issue. People expect majors of Tiger ... and they aren't coming ... yet, so until it happens, everyone in the Tiger camp is under pressure. Foley is just more public than its other members.

Besides, I bought his $50 DVD and have a bone to pick...

[colin007]

Keep in mind, Tiger was a flagstick away from winning the Masters last year, so who knows how that might have affected the rest of 2013...