I wanted to let some time pass before I talked about the split of Tiger Woods and Sean Foley. First of all, I don’t agree with anything negative being said about either man. This partnership seemed to have run its course to me. Secondly, the overriding factor in their recent work has been Tiger’s health. No one will truly ever know what Tiger was or was not able to do physically in the swing. To disparage Foley’s principles when he may have had a student that could not execute what they were discussing seems shortsighted to me. Now that I have addressed the health factor, I have a few things to say about the Tiger-Foley split.
Sean Foley’s ideas clearly work for certain players. Look no further than Hunter Mahan winning the day before Tiger fired Foley. I think the main issue, as I have said before, is that Foley does not teach the way Tiger learns. As someone who has always battled thinking too much over the ball, that is how Tiger looks to me. I thought he looked this way even in the five-win season. He was always doing some exaggerated swing motion before shots. In my opinion, he needs to get back to the guy who could pull off any shot left to right, high or low.
I don’t have an opinion on who Tiger’s next coach should be and I don’t know nearly enough about the swing to say who would be a fit. I also don’t think he will go too long without one. He has had a swing coach since he was a child and it doesn’t make sense now to change that formula. What I believe he needs is a coach that won’t be too technical with him. The teacher needs to be able to discuss swing positions and theories since Tiger is so into that, but he also needs to be able to simplify the on-course execution of the changes.
All this being said, I don’t think anyone knows what is truly the right decision. Everything being said on the internet and TV is just speculation. I would not bet against a healthy Tiger Woods. His track record deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Agree or disagree on the Tiger-Foley split? Let me know in the comments. Hope everyone can get out to play on this holiday weekend.
Agree on the way too technical approach under Foley. Tiger is probably done due to physical limitations but the place he should look to first should be a mental coach. Thanks. Brian
I’m not ready to write him off physically, but he does need to take time off until he is healthy. His other option is somehow adjusting the swing to his limitations. It just depends on how serious the back really is long-term. I think his mind is ok as long as he isn’t fighting swing thoughts in his head during rounds. I just want to see him chase the record healthy.