From the Boston Herald article, “Once a threat to pass Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods now a laughingstock“:
After locating his ball, he tried to find a foothold on a ridiculously poor sidehill lie when — boom! — down he went on his rump.
The crowd didn’t gasp. It laughed. That is what Woods’ golf game has become — a clown show.
And:
Yet he did catch Nicklaus yesterday. By missing the cut for the second time in his last three majors, Woods has now missed the cut 14 times on tour before the age of 40. That’s one more than Nicklaus, who did it 13 times.
From the Pennsylvania Patriot-News:
With the young champion’s ascension, the 39-year-old Woods is suddenly, unthinkably, an afterthought, a footnote and no longer even that interesting.
Now that 21-year-old golfing phenom Jordan Spieth is halfway to the legendary Grand Slam, do you think people finally will focus on him, instead of 39-year-old, former-great-but-now-washed-up, Tiger Woods?
And:
Woods no longer is The Biggest Story In Golf, and hasn’t been for a while, although too many in the media have continued to try to make him so.
Lanny H Golf 
Lanny, this is a follow up to my question about writing an article. Having thought about it more, it’s probably not worth it but the main premise is too many people look at greens speed/condition and apply that to the entire course.
For example, I had a course I played a fair amount and while the greens were perfect, the rest of the course was just so-so. Yet it had a reputation for being “one of the best courses in the area”
There was another course that I absolutely loved the layout and often told people “it’s the best layout in town”. Unfortunately, the greens and bunkers weren’t adequately maintained and therefore I didn’t play there as much as I would have liked.
Had a guy come play my course a few weeks back and he sent me an email of how terrible the course was. Admittedly the weather was having a negative effect. He came back this past weekend and his response was 180. “Course is great, can’t wait to come back”
Which brings me to Chambers Bay. All the talk was about how bad the greens are while, by my account, most people loved the layout. But we didn’t hear about that. All we heard was, “this course sucks”. No, the greens are in poor condition. The course is fantastic.
I don’t think people realize what it takes to maintain a golf course. To make my point, grounds crews can do everything 100% perfectly, but if mother nature doesn’t cooperate, you’re screwed regardless. From some of the things I heard from the experts (architects, superintendent type people, etc), the environment was perfectly suited for Poe to thrive.
People need to stop extending criticism from one thing to other things that don’t warrant criticism.
It’s up to you. I can even post that comment if you want. Give it a spiffy title and I’ll post it as a guest editorial if you want.
At this point, doesn’t matter one way or another. If you need a title…..maybe go with
Perception isn’t always Reality
I like that title. It’s your call.
And it’s your website! If you think its a good editorial, go or it!
Don’t mind mentioning that I’m a Tiger fan, but I like to think I’m a realistic Tiger fan. So over the last 7 years I’ve been willing to give him a chance. But since the beginning of 2014, Tiger has shown that he can no longer play golf at a high level AND doesn’t have what it takes to get it back. Let me rephrase that. I do think he has what it takes to win again. I don’t think he is willing to do what it really takes. He’s so far off the cliff of perfecting his swing he has become too mechanical and that will never work.
Jack told the story of not touching a club for months and then getting back, starting with the very basics after his game went south. Tiger needs to do something like that, but there’s no chance he will.
But that’s okay, because Rory and Jordy are here to save the day.
I don’t agree with your premises, really, but, that said, let’s assume I do. Woods can’t really stop because of his endorsement money. Nike isn’t paying him to be an invisible “project.” They also don’t want “damaged goods” as in an injury-prone Woods, so Woods can’t really be forthright about injuries or aches and pains. Then he has Quicken Loans which he practically had to beg to step in as the DC Invitational sponsor after AT&T bailed on him. Besides, didn’t he take off from last August until February this past year.
Oh, and Woods has to play the frys.com this year, too, due to getting an exception to play the Turkish Open last year. So, he can’t really disappear until after the frys.com in what, October? He probably has incentive clauses in his Nike contract for playing majors.
If he did disappear to get healthy and work on his swing, the truth is, it would not be the Major Event it would have been five years ago. It would be like the tenth “comeback,” so it’s not like Nike (and the others) could expect the kind of press coverage the first three or four comebacks garnered.
That said, he’s old and worn out. I think he’s becoming one of those players who once every month or so makes a run at a tourney. Maybe like Kenny Perry four or five years ago. Oh, Fred Couples is a great example. He’s often in the hunt or on the fringes at Augusta and Riviera. Woods will have ups-and-downs, but he’s in an overall downtrend as he ages.
I threw out the Jack idea as an example but he doesn’t have to go “that” extreme. As I said, he is way to mechanical to play good golf. Mechanical swings lead to trying to guide the ball, which, as I mentioned, doesn’t ever work.
He needs to stop thinking about his golf swing and just swing the club. See ball, hit ball. Mechanical swings always lead to too much thinking during the swing and not enough free wheeling.
I find it interesting that a lot of the talking head former pros offering advice gave up their careers right around the age Woods is now.
The ‘analysts’ have clinged to Jack Nicklaus’ career, to keep their hope alive in Eldrick competing into his 40’s….Even suggesting Eldrick can compete for 10 more years ect., but I doubt Eldrick will even be playing into his late 40’s……He doesn’t enjoy being the middle or back of the pack….
The Nike contract was for 5 years in 2013, I think, so that would be until he’s 42 or 43…..Nike will part ways with him after that…..The other endorsements will dry up too, unless he can do a Michael Jordan and get a gatorade or underwear commercial…
Eldrick seems like he will end up as a tragic figure……..Once the steroids/ped stuff comes out(and it’s already started)((maybe delayed like a Pete Rose)), it will ELIMINATE whatever other sponsors he’s had, and greatly reduce his income and asterisk his accomplishments…..If he then can’t really compete in the PGA on any consistent basis, he will NOT be able to live like he’s used too…….This usually ends up very, very bad with celebrities and former athletes…..
Eldrick isn’t going to be an analyst on the golf channel or become an announcer, so what’s left for him after golf? I just don’t see him settling down and embracing normal living……
Lanny, could you expand on that info about Eldrick and friends needing to beg to get a sponsor for his tournament?
Sure, if you allow me to do it from memory. Okay, after the 2009 scandals, AT&T dropped Woods, took their name off his bag. They continued to support the DC Invitational (or whatever it’s called; I really can’t think of it). Tiger Woods was the host of that tournament, with his charity being the beneficiary for that week’s event. AT&T decided to bail out and put their name on the Byron Nelson (Spieth’s hometown tourney; and they signed Spieth as well). So, suddenly Tiger’s event had no sponsor whatsoever. They frantically searched for one on pretty short notice. Finally, Quicken Loans (based in Detroit, I think) stepped in to save the day. It was like two days later, Woods announced he was going to get surgery on his back. Quicken Loans could not have been too happy to just sign a contract for Woods’s event and then he goes under the knife. Anyway, as you’ll recall, that was his first even back last year, and he played horribly, missing the cut if I recall, and was clearly not physically fit. I wrote something like… “When Quicken Says Jump, Woods Asks How High?” because it was so obvious they pretty much forced to return too early.
That’s all from memory.
That really was a well written story.
Oh yeah, now I remember that Quick n loans thing now……..