Tiger Woods and Sean Foley have parted ways

SnowDrifts

So the reunion with Butch might not be a rumour after all.....

"I'd like to thank Sean for his help as my coach and for his friendship," Woods said. "Sean is one of the outstanding coaches in golf today, and I know he will continue to be successful with the players working with him. With my next tournament not until my World Challenge event at Isleworth in Orlando, this is the right time to end our professional relationship."

"My time spent with Tiger is one of the highlights of my career so far, and I am appreciative of the many experiences we shared together," Foley said. "It was a lifelong ambition of mine to teach the best player of all time in our sport. I am both grateful for the things we had the opportunity to learn from one another, as well as the enduring friendship we have built. I have nothing but respect and admiration for him."

"Presently, I do not have a coach, and there is no timetable for hiring one," added Woods.

http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/2014/08/25/91338338/tiger-swing-coach-sean-foley-part-ways/

GreeBo

Question, at this stage does he really need a coach?

I'd say yes, but maybe 7 years ago no he didn't, he knew his own swing back then, I think he has lost that.
Love to see him back with butch for a few years.

SaveOurLyric

I think he does, for two reasons.
1) He needs someone with a really deep knowledge of the swing and anatomy to manage how Tiger swings for the last few competitive years, so that he can play his best, and, remain healthy while trying to do that. The target for him is no longer, swing as well as he can no holds barred. It is swing as well as he can while managing his various injuries and the increasing stresses of age.

2) Tiger seems to need a coach as much for as a psychological crutch as as a technical guide. Haney's book describes gives many cases where Tiger is just looking for some quick tip fix to get him through a tournament. Even when we thought he was playing superbly. He was fearful and doubting that his game was there many times he teed it up. And almost like the rank hacker picking up some gimmick of the week from a magazine to head to the first tee with some hope.

Russman

GreeBo wrote: »

Question, at this stage does he really need a coach?

I'd say yes, but maybe 7 years ago no he didn't, he knew his own swing back then, I think he has lost that.
Love to see him back with butch for a few years.

Whilst not criticising one of the top few players to ever play, he seems to be caught up in being overly technical in this layman's eyes. All we hear of late is about "getting more reps in" and other such rubbish. I'm not his biggest fan, but can't see how someone as talented as him needs to rebuild is swing 3 times. I know injury and stress on the body took their toll, but still, most players have a recognisable swing shape for their whole career. Sometimes I wonder how he'd play if he just went out and didn't have any swing thoughts at all.

I think part of the problem is that he's never really had his own swing, it's always been someone else's, and I think now he will always "need" a coach to program him.

Rikand

Doubt Butch will take him back - Anytime he's asked about it on sky sports he always says there's no way it would happen

Moat_Cailin

Will be interesting to see were he goes from here. Would be great to get Tiger back competing for the big tournaments.

slave1

Rikand wrote: »

Doubt Butch will take him back - Anytime he's asked about it on sky sports he always says there's no way it would happen

Ha ha, that's an easy line to take when there's no chance of it happening, now his new swings are putting more pressure on his back Butch may well be back into the fray with the original 'knee' pressure swing.
Would be a great coup for Butch if they work together and then he wins another major (or two)

GreeBo

Rikand wrote: »

Doubt Butch will take him back - Anytime he's asked about it on sky sports he always says there's no way it would happen

always assumed that was because Butch didnt think Tiger would be coming back

BigChap1759

GreeBo wrote: »

always assumed that was because Butch didnt think Tiger would be coming back

Yes that's how I read it as well - Butch would take him back in a second I'd imagine. Imagine the kudos(+ extra coverage) of being the man to get Woods winning majors again!

Whether Woods could ever go back I would have my doubts

FixdePitchmark

BigChap1759 wrote: »

Yes that's how I read it as well - Butch would take him back in a second I'd imagine. Imagine the kudos(+ extra coverage) of being the man to get Woods winning majors again!

Whether Woods could ever go back I would have my doubts

But things are going very well for Butch again - well except the Dustin blip. He has one of the hottest things in Fowler.

Why at his age take on a risk of Tiger where anything less than a major is a failure.

I think Butch would be better off staying clear. He seems to have the perfect balance of media and coaching. And he is liked.

SnowDrifts

I was reading a lot in the media about Tiger's relationship with Sean being that of a failed one. Wonder is that really fair to say? Tiger won 5 tournaments last year out of 16 events played. No other player has even come close to that in the last decade. Vijay of course did have his phenomenal 2004 season with 9 wins for 29.

I suppose Tiger would still view a majorless year as a failed one. Wonder has Butch even got any more room in his camp ... Rickie, Phil, Jimmy, Dustin and now Brandt.

TrapperChamonix

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I was reading a lot in the media about Tiger's relationship with Sean being that of a failed one. Wonder is that really fair to say? Tiger won 5 tournaments last year out of 16 events played. No other player has even come close to that in the last decade. Vijay of course did have his phenomenal 2004 season with 9 wins for 29.

I suppose Tiger would still view a majorless year as a failed one. Wonder has Butch even got any more room in his camp ... Rickie, Phil, Jimmy, Dustin and now Brandt.

Its a pretty stiff standard to be measured against. Didn't he come close in the Masters that year. IIRC he was derailed by the pitch shot hitting the flag and falling back in to the water (we won't mention the penalty debate)

SnowDrifts

Tiger Woods won't be reuniting with Butch Harmon, says Butch Harmon.....

No I would not and he’s not going to call and ask,” Harmon said when asked if he would entertain a coaching offer. “I don’t think he needs a swing coach. If I were advising Tiger I’d tell him, ‘You’re the greatest player that ever lived, just go to the range and hit shots.’”

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-wont-be-reuniting-coach-butch-harmon-says-former-coach-butch-harmon

Rob Thomas

So that's a NO then, Butch? ....

cairny

Easiest coaching job ever- ok Tiger, let's aim at the fairway not out of bounds on the left...ok....swing away...good shot....that's 50k so please see you in Augusta.

The_Kew_Tour

I only finished reading Hanks book on him few weeks ago.

I know it was only one side of story, but Tiger came across real bad.

Not surprised Foley has got boot.

cairny

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I only finished reading Hanks book on him few weeks ago.

I know it was only one side of story, but Tiger came across real bad.

Not surprised Foley has got boot.

Haney just tweeted this-
@HankDHaney: Blutarski is the answer to the odds of the most asked question

Apparently that mean 0.0 or no chance.

He's good on twitter, gives loads of swing advice to everyone and anyone that sends him a swing vid.

Rikand

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Tiger Woods won't be reuniting with Butch Harmon, says Butch Harmon.....



http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-wont-be-reuniting-coach-butch-harmon-says-former-coach-butch-harmon

So I was right ?

Ha! Take that Slave1!

agusta

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I only finished reading Hanks book on him few weeks ago.

I know it was only one side of story, but Tiger came across real bad.

Not surprised Foley has got boot.

I wouldnt read haneys book if i got it for free,i dont believe it was right to write a book about tiger when he was his coach at one stage,especially writing stuff that didnt involve golf.A very one sided story with the aim to make money,butch harmon or any top coach would not do it.

SaveOurLyric

agusta wrote: »

I wouldnt read haneys book if i got it for free.........a very one sided story

You aren't in a great position to make that statement.

I have read it. Its a good read.

SnowDrifts

Tiger Woods Says He Might Coach Himself

Tiger Woods posted on his blog Thursday that he's still undecided about whether to hire a new swing coach.

“As for my coaching situation, there is no hard-and-set rule on this,” Woods said. “I may just do it on my own. I’m keeping my options very, very open. I need to get healthy first before I start back and see how I feel. That’s the No. 1 concern. And from there, then I can start deciding where I want to go with it.”

Woods also addressed his recovery from a back surgery, saying that he hasn’t swung a club since missing the cut at the PGA Championship in August, but that he hopes to swing a club “later this month or early next.”

“I got my strength back and need to get my explosiveness back before I start.”

Woods said recently that his former coaches didn’t know as much about the golf swing as he did.

“I think I know a lot more than they do,” said Woods. “They’ve never played down the stretch of a major championship. What do the hands feel? What does the body feel?”

Woods announced last month that his relationship with swing coach Sean Foley had ended after a four-year partnership that began after Woods split from Hank Haney, with whom he worked from 2004-2010. Prior to Haney, Woods worked with Butch Harmon from 1996-2004.

SaveOurLyric

And lo, the great darkness that had descended upon the world of golf began lift:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/tiger-woods-back-and-fit-to-play-after-four-months-1.2023896

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMacjQ9_4FY

The Big Easy

OB for Tiger on the first, very nice second ball birdie though (get the odd one of those myself )

It's amazing how poor his first shots of tournaments can be (obviously there's more excuses for this one) but in general for a guy who's biggest strength is arguably his mental toughness; he doesn't half display a lot of first tee nerves or is it adrenaline?

Keano

He's just poor with the the driver in hand.

Letree

Did you see his chipping today. It was like a 22 handicapper. He fluffed about 4 chips. Shocking stuff.

Rikand

HIs chipping was poor, but his swing looked excellent. Much more upright, using his height and his long limbs, retaining much better balance through the shot.

Looked a lot better than it had done for the last number of years

HighLine

Rikand wrote: »

HIs chipping was poor, but his swing looked excellent. Much more upright, using his height and his long limbs, retaining much better balance through the shot.

Looked a lot better than it had done for the last number of years

Yeah totally agree. Although I do think there was no excuse for his poor short game (chipping and putting) considering the extensive facilities in his back garden but that will come in time.

He was shaping shots really well, low/high draw/fade etc. And he was really getting it out there too. You could see the freedom and confidence in the new swing. He will win multiple events in 2015.

slave1

Rikand wrote: »

HIs chipping was poor, but his swing looked excellent. Much more upright, using his height and his long limbs, retaining much better balance through the shot.

Looked a lot better than it had done for the last number of years

Yeah, I agree to, his balance and stance looked very comfortable, albeit at giving distance away.
I went through a month of chunking my chips earlier in the year out of nowhere, frustrating as fu@k getting near the green in regulation and then chomping it a few feet or thinning it the other side of the green, don't know where it came from and then it just suddenly disappeared thankfully.