Tiger Woods: A Decision Made in Late 2002 Is Still Hurting Him Today
How does the old saying go?
Oh yeah, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
It’s no secret that Tiger Woods has been struggling with his golf swing over the past two years. The fact that he still managed to win six events in 2009 and finished fourth at the 2010 Masters is simply a testament to his otherworldly talent and his uncanny ability to grind his way around a golf course.
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Although the scrutiny surrounding Woods’ swing is far more prevalent these days due to the increased level of attention he is now receiving from every corner of the world, his current problems can be traced back to a single decision he made in late 2002.
Between turning professional in 1997 and 2002, Woods won eight major championships in six years. No one in the history of the game has come even close to beginning their career in such a dominant fashion.
But, in late 2002, Woods might have made the worst decision of his career...professionally speaking, that is.
Just over a year and a half removed from the Tiger Slam (winning four consecutive majors between 2000 and the 2001 Masters) and a few months removed from back-to-back major championship titles at the 2002 Masters and the 2002 U.S. Open, Woods decided to completely revamp his swing
Woods left long-time swing coach Butch Harmon and hired Hank Haney, with whom he is still working today.
Between mid-2002 and the 2005 Masters, Woods went 10 majors without a victory.
In the eight-year span between 2003 and 2010, Woods has won only six majors. Now, “only” is a strong word to use when talking about six major championship victories, but it is fitting when considering that Woods won eight major championships during his first six years on tour.
Between 1997 and mid-2002, Woods' winning percentage at the majors was 36 percent.
Since mid-2002, Woods' major championship winning percentage has dropped to just over 20 percent.
Woods has probably become more consistent since his swing changes in terms of putting himself in contention on Sundays at the majors.
His swing changes also seem to have alleviated some of the pressure on his surgically repaired left knee.
However, as equipment and strength training has improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade, Woods is one of the few players on tour to have lost distance.
This loss of distance combined with the constant battle he’s waging with his swing have diminished his ability to completely demolish the field on any given week, as he was able to do early on in his career (i.e., The 1997 Masters, the 2000 U.S. Open, etc.).
Now, I am by no means a certified PGA professional. But I don’t believe it takes teaching professional to view the evolution of Woods’ swing and realize which swing is more natural and fundamentally sound:
Here are a few links to Woods 2000 swing:
The first words that come to mind are smooth, explosive, balanced, and unbelievably powerful.
Now, fast forward to 2009 and 2010:
Robotic, mechanical and forced are the first words that come to mind upon seeing these recent clips.
Woods has obviously experienced a tremendous amount of success since changing his swing, but he has never been quite the same since making that fateful decision back in 2002. Since deciding to break out the water colors and paint over a masterpiece, Woods has found himself in an unrelenting battle to control his golf swing.
An action that used to come as natural to Woods as walking now looks about as unnatural as a kangaroo bounding through mid-town Manhattan.
After carding a 79 last Friday at Quail Hollow and missing the cut by eight strokes, Woods has clearly lost his golf swing.
However, Woods has been attempting to chase down his swing since first tinkering with it in late 2002; the only difference is that while he’s somehow been able to catch up with it over the past eight years, he’s now completely lost sight of his golf swing.
Will he ever find it again?
We’re about to find out.
For more PGA Tour news, insight and analysis, check out The Tour Report.
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