‘180 Degrees From the Truth’: Earl Woods Once Publicly Dismissed a Major Perception Build Around His Relationship With Tiger Woods

Earl Woods and Tiger Woods had a close and unique relationship. 

Woods Sr. served as both father and coach to the legend. He was instrumental in Woods’ development as a golfer.

He introduced him to the game at a very young age and guided him through the early stages of his career. Additionally, Woods Sr. was a single-digit handicap golfer himself and passed on his love and passion for the game to his son. 

He served as Woods’ coach throughout his career, and their bond was evident on and off the course. But he was once accused of being in control of his son and his career; his reply shut down all allegations. 

Was Earl Woods a controlling father?

Woods Sr. was the one who first introduced Tiger to the game of golf. He began teaching Tiger the sport when he was just a toddler. And he quickly recognized his son’s natural talent for the game. 

This also brought some speculations about him being a controlling father. But, he shut down the rumors in an interview with the Observer Sport Monthly, and said that Tiger was genuinely inclined towards pursuing golf. “The idea of me as a controlling father is 180 degrees from the truth. It was never a question of me forcing Tiger to play golf. Everything came from him.”

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Woods Sr. had developed a close friendship with his son during their training sessions. “We transcended the father-son thing when he was five. We became best friends, equals,” he added.

Woods took over the role of the father during the golf tournaments. He used to dictate his schedule to Woods Sr. who followed it like an obedient son. “That wasn’t the case with us because when we went to a golf tournament I would be the father until we signed in, then Tiger took over as the father and I was the son,” Woods Sr. said. “After the tournament was finished, he would always practise. He would tell me when it was time to go home.” 

The bond between the two was undeniable. Moreover, Woods Sr. was frequently on the sidelines of his son’s tournaments, cheering him on and providing support.

Earl introduced Tiger to other sports

Woods Sr. always supported his son’s love for golf. 

However, he also tried to expose him to other sports. This included baseball and football, in order to broaden his athletic abilities. The golf legend would always quit the sport because it inferred with his golf routine. “I tried to interest him in other sports. I introduced him to baseball – he was a natural switch hitter – and he said no thanks, it interferes with my golf,” Woods Sr. said.

In the end, Woods chose golf himself and gave it his all. Today he is a legend in the golf world, whose name will be remembered by generations to come.

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