Jack Nicklaus Weighs In On Tiger Woods
Remember when all the talk was bout Tiger Woods chasing down Jack Nicklaus? Now Jack is the latest to try and fix the embattled golfer. From day one Tiger has set his sights on breaking Jack’s record of eighteen major titles. Something that at times has looked like a certainty. After winning major number fourteen on one leg in 2008 that task has only become harder and harder.
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As Woods continues to try and rebuild his game pretty much from scratch, the world continues to think of ways to do it for him. Appearing on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” it was Jack’s turn to offer a diagnosis.
"“Tiger is struggling. I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Nicklaus said. “I think he’s struggling more between his ears than he is any place else.”"
Some of us, me included think we know how to fix Tiger, but Jack’s opinion carries much more clout, than anything we could ever say. He knows what it takes to dominate the game on the same level. The two are just wired the same way, or at least we thought they were.
The Golden Bear may be on to something here, because it’s obvious that Tiger is not the guy who was once mentally stronger than everyone else. No longer does he say “I’m here to win.” Instead we hear more about him grinding it out, and just trying to compete. That’s not the guy we used to know, and he’ can’t tie that to issues with his mechanics, cause even when he was at his best he was never flawless.
"“He’s struggled with the driver most of his life really, but he’s always been able to find the golf ball and get it somewhere back around the green. And now he’s having trouble with the short game. That is not a good combination — to drive it poorly and have a bad short game.”"
Nicklaus would later go on to say that in 1979 which he considered his worst year on tour, he dealt with some of the same short game deficiencies that have plagued Woods of late. That year Nicklaus never won but he did finish second at The Open Championship. He later would right the ship and go on to win three more majors. A runner up finish for Tiger seems like a pipe dream right now.
Nicklaus climbed out of his slump by working with long time teacher Jack Grout. Tiger on the other hand is on swing coach number four and swing thought number 46454. You can question him all you want about his methods to finding a solution for this, but according to Nicklaus it all comes down to Tiger.
"“Personally, I think he needs to figure it out himself, because a teacher can’t teach what’s inside your head,” Nicklaus said. “You’ve got to be able to put that positive thought into your head yourself.”"
Jack found a way out of the abyss. It’s yet to be seen if Tiger will do the same. While the rest of us look at Tiger as a thirty-nine year old going on fifty, Jack still has confidence in Woods His body has betrayed him and his swing as too many directions to know what to do. If he’s going to find a way out of this and restart his climb towards eighteen majors he will have to rely on himself. The clock is ticking, and while it hasn’t struck midnight this isn’t exactly the start of the ball either.
"“He’s got a lot of golf in front of him, but it’s going to be up to him. He’s still got to do it,” Nicklaus said. “He may, he may not. Obviously chances are harder for him now than they were five years ago, but I still think he has time on his side.”"
All quotes credit to PGATour.com & GolfChannel.com