Tiger Coaching Job - Dream or Horror?

[dylan006]

Do you think the newly available coaching position with Tiger would be the dream job or a horror job?

[iacas]

I think that the answer almost entirely depends on how much you care what other people think of you, with a small bit depending on how confident you are in your skills and knowledge.

[dylan006]

As a coach I don't think you could have a more talented student. The trick would be to get his head to work with his talent.

[Phil McGleno]

Dream. Absolutely-to work with that talent?-Id pay him to do it. Be a pleasure. Of course if he didnt practice or didnt show the drive I thought was necessary Id fire him. Good question-Where are all the responses?-Really good question.

[newtogolf]

I think it depends on how established a coach is already.  Coaching a guy like Tiger could make skyrocket a coaches career if he isn't established.  Conversely, given Foley's popularity before becoming Tiger's coach and the amount of blame that's being assigned to him for Tiger's failure to win a major I'd say it's more nightmare than dream.

[jbishop15]

I think it's a dream job. If you have the ambition of being a top-level instructor, working with the best player in the world is definitely a great thing.

[isukgolf]

If your goal is to make money in other areas ... dream job ... just look at Hank and all the crap he markets

If your goal is just to coach a top ranked player ...Horror ... I think Tiger is demanding and not much feed back about your efforts ... not going to make that much money coaching him ...

[turtleback]

Do you think the newly available coaching position with Tiger would be the dream job or a horror job?

Yes.

Dream. Absolutely-to work with that talent?-Id pay him to do it. Be a pleasure.

Of course if he didnt practice or didnt show the drive I thought was necessary Id fire him.

Good question-Where are all the responses?-Really good question.

But seriously, I think the paucity of responses is because it is a very hard thing to even think about, let alone answer, for those of us who are not golf coaches or instructors.  I am far more interested in what you, Erik, Mike, and other pros here think about this particular issue than what some 16 like me thinks about it.

[iacas]

But seriously, I think the paucity of responses is because it is a very hard thing to even think about, let alone answer, for those of us who are not golf coaches or instructors.  I am far more interested in what you, Erik, Mike, and other pros here think about this particular issue than what some 16 like me thinks about it.

I think that everyone can have an opinion on this, whether they're an instructor or not.

I'm confident in my abilities, and don't really care what the media would have to say, so I'd love the chance. Of course, I don't want to teach PGA Tour players, so I'm not campaigning at all for the chance. But if he called, in some alternate universe, I'd sign up on the spot.

[Patch]

I think if I were a swing guru, and Woody "approached" me, I would have to think about it. First off, I would have to know for sure that he was in both physically, and in mental shape to play at a PGA winning level, against very strong fields. If so, he would have to tell me his own thoughts on his own swing. I remember some time back where he stated he want to own his own swing. If we could get past that point of agreement, I would then agree to be a second set of eyes, with opinions, when ever he wanted to practice in my presence. In this way the onus the state of his play would mostly be on him. There would be no contracts, and my pay would be based solely on his winnings.  He would also be responsible for my expenses. The both of us would be free to go our own ways in the event he would not improve to the standards he has set for himself. It's his swing, and that makes it his responsibility.

If everything clicked, he won some tournaments, and few more majors, it would be a dream job. If he could not play well enough to be a winner on the tour, it would not be a horror story for me as an instructor, because it was fun while it lasted. Just being associated with the guy would be a good thing.

Since I am obviously not a swing guru, the above has no relevance what so ever.

[JonMA1]

Dream. Absolutely-to work with that talent?-Id pay him to do it. Be a pleasure.

Of course if he didnt practice or didnt show the drive I thought was necessary Id fire him.

I think that everyone can have an opinion on this, whether they're an instructor or not.

I'm confident in my abilities, and don't really care what the media would have to say, so I'd love the chance. Of course, I don't want to teach PGA Tour players, so I'm not campaigning at all for the chance. But if he called, in some alternate universe, I'd sign up on the spot.

These are exactly the attitudes I'd want to hear from an instructor.

I can only put this in the context of what I do for living, my confidence level and how I wouldn't shy away from an incredible challenge. Even if the outcome were to be criticized by others (which it surely would), think of the experience and knowledge gained.

Dream job or horror job? Maybe a bit of both. But other than not being able to fulfill prior commitments, why wouldn't you take this on?

[JP golf]

I do think it would be a dream job but I am blown away by the poll results.  I thought a lot of people would say nightmare.  There are too many benefits and I would take a ton of pride in being the coach of one of the greatest golfers ever.  In addition, it automatically gives you creditability in the golfing world.  To say that one of the most accomplished golfers in the history of the game has enough trust and confidence in you to select you as his coach.

That all said, it would be a ton of pressure.  Obviously, you have to know what his expectations are of you as a coach.  What does he want to work on?  What are his swing theories?  What are his objectives?  -  ton of fun after it was said and done, lot a pressure in the moment...   Yes, still a Dream Job.

[WUTiger]

Two factors would weigh a lot on the viability of this (or any other) one-on-one coaching relationship:

• The personal chemistry between Tiger and Guru.X
• Goal convergence between T and G. Can they agree on what Tiger needs to do?

[David in FL]

For those that haven't already read it, The Big Miss by Hank Haney gives some interesting insight to the question.

Haney's description of Tiger's personality notwithstanding, I've got to think that most instructors would consider it to be a dream job......

[newtogolf]

For those that haven't already read it, The Big Miss by Hank Haney gives some interesting insight to the question.

Haney's description of Tiger's personality notwithstanding, I've got to think that most instructors would consider it to be a dream job......

Hank wrote the book after he was fired and took some heat for Tigers downturn.  I'm sure if he wrote a book while he was still Tigers coach and Tiger was winning Majors it would have been even more positive.

There must be some downsides given it doesn't seem Butch Harmon wants the job.

[Mulligan Jeff]

Hank wrote the book after he was fired and took some heat for Tigers downturn.  I'm sure if he wrote a book while he was still Tigers coach and Tiger was winning Majors it would have been even more positive.  There must be some downsides given it doesn't seem Butch Harmon wants the job.

Dream job yes but certainly no cake walk. You're dealing with a person who expects results at no cost and doesn't give a hoot about you in return. As for compensation you'll get the minimum directly but indirectly there is no limit.

[iacas]

There must be some downsides given it doesn't seem Butch Harmon wants the job.

Well, two reasons for that, neither of which have much to do with the "nightmare" of coaching Tiger:

• Butch wanted to retire a few years ago. Rickie revitalized him a little bit, but he's still winding down.
• Butch is seen by many as presiding over THE Tiger Woods (1997-2002 or so). His reputation could probably only go down, because the odds of a miracle (Tiger wins 5 majors in the next three to five years) seem slim, and that's about the only thing that could raise his reputation.

The latter point is like when you pull off something ridiculously hard (a shot around the practice green, a throw into a small wastebasket across the entire office, etc.) and you refuse to do it again because you know you'd probably miss. That way, everyone remembers your 100% success rate… not your 50, 33, 25, 20, etc. percent rate.

[turtleback]

I think that everyone can have an opinion on this, whether they're an instructor or not.

I'm confident in my abilities, and don't really care what the media would have to say, so I'd love the chance. Of course, I don't want to teach PGA Tour players, so I'm not campaigning at all for the chance. But if he called, in some alternate universe, I'd sign up on the spot.

Of course everyone can have an opinion, but not all opinions are created equal.  If we are talking about a golf coaching job I just think that those who actually coach golf will have a far more valid opinion than those who have never done it.

IAC, I appreciate you sharing YOUR opinion.