Training a Tiger: A Father's Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life

by Earl Woods

An educator, top-ranked college ball player and Green Beret who served in Vietnam, Earl Woods reveals the instruction and training secrets that went into raising a child who might be the greatest golfer ever. His teaching method starts with the simplest Putting, chipping and pitching, and doesn't introduce the full swing until the basics have been mastered. The book includes dozens of games and competitions to make golf fun and interesting, teaches mental toughness and emphasizes skills, posture, balance, set-up and grip. There are also some subtler points for parents to when and how to introduce golf (or any sport) to their child; how to lay the groundwork for open communication; and how to cultivate the right attitude toward competition. Through an intelligent mix of instruction, humor and common sense, Training a Tiger   helps parents everywhere lead their kids to love the game, and to play it with confidence, patience, proficiency and passion.

Genres: Biography, Sports, Parenting, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really impressed how Tiger Woods's dad taught him golf from age 2. This book has simple techniques backed by great pictures showing just how to teach golf to a beginner. I am not a golfer, but if I was, I would use this book as a teaching tool. Simple to understand starting from the putt and working backward.

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting book about Tiger Woods and his dad Earl woods and the really interesting teaching methods that his father used with a young tiger starting really from time he could sit upright and watch his dad swing a golf stick and hit a few golf balls into a bucket. What's really interesting is the differential training that Earl uses and the attention to detail that Earl is able to bring to tigers training.

Here are the best bits from the book:

One of the biggest hurdles to clear when teaching your child to play golf is frustration. You must show them you haven't mastered it either no one ever does but you're still playing and enjoying it. In fact you're out there working very hard to improve every day.

Tiger's grandmothers counseling was very simple: never judge others, we already have a professional who is uniquely qualified for that job. Get your education: that is something no one can ever ever take away from you. You have to be better than others to get an equal opportunity. Share and care. And finally always be a good person.

I love to teach to give of myself to share the knowledge and experiences that I have with others, because I believe I can communicate the lessons I've learned . Sunny: this is 100% me :)

One of the toughest things I had to teach tiger was the need for a pre shot routine or procedure. In the military we called it standard operating procedure an SOP. When you could quantify something or make it routine you'd put an SOP out on it. Then you didn't have to reinvent the wheel each time. It became automatic and wrote and thus more effective.

In my record book tiger first really beat me when he was 11. I was trying my best but he honestly whipped me. I haven't come close to beating him since and I never will. So parents be warned you are creating a monster. But it is a beautiful monster this skilled young student. And you will be so proud and happy to witness the development of your child not only as a golfer but as a person.

Place the ball on the green. Have the child set up to the ball look at the hole then at the ball then at the hole then at the ball again. Then ask: do you see the picture of the hole in your mind? If the answer is yes tell the child to strike the ball to the picture without looking. Sunny: clearly the art of visualization.

One of the truisms in golf is that if you want the ball to go up you hit down. Sunny: same concept in football if you wanna chip the ball you have to chop down on it.

You open the door on the back swing and close it on the down swing. If you want to hit the ball harder you open the door and slam the door shut fast. This conveys a visual picture of the realities of the golf swing. Sunny: Love the use of his image full language here. You could apply the same concepts and striking the ball in football. Or hitting a straight right in boxing.

[Imaan Iddir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about how to raise a golfer, not so much how to raise a child generally. Some good advice here if that's what you want to do.
He doesn't miss an opportunity to brag about his son, but that's unsurprising, I think. Tiger's sporting achievements at at young age are undeniably impressive.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells about Tiger and how became to be one of the greatest players in golf ever. He went through many struggles in his life and that you got pushed over the edge over and over again by his father and many other coaches that coached Tiger. This book also teaches about life lessons you can teach your child and guides you to teaching your child how to play golf right away at a young age. Don’t make them like the sport, if they like it they will ask you to keep teaching them how to play it and they will eventually pick up everything that you do and copy your every step. Earl Wood puts Tiger through the hardest training ever all the way from yelling at him while he’s putting to throwing balls in front of him before he puts. All the while his dad is doing that Tiger can not say a word, because it is a type of training he is putting him through. This book is a very good book to read even if you don’t like golf at all.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting insight to Tigers life. But I don't like Tiger's dad's attitude. He comes across very cocky and arrogant. He seemed to use the book as a personal opportunity to snub certain people in the media and golf industry.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight from Tigers daddy

[Dan Panke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weak golf book but then it is written for a parent to teach a child. I didn't find it had much value for me.

[Maxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! A lot of life lessons and sports lessons that do infact teach you how to be successful in life and in golf.