Category Archives: Tiger

Now that he's completed the family foursome and rehabilitated his knee, Tiger has announced he'll be back on tour this week. (Added incentive for Phil Mickelson to win one on the weekend before the Tiger attacks again?)

The happy family-man will, I'm sure, return to competition with his usual Tiger-like determination and talent to put everyone else off their game. He's worth watching anytime.

Also worth mentioning that his class and character show off the course as well. A role model for us all - from his sense of social responsibility to his family values. Much more than just a great golfer.

Welcome back Tiger.
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role model, Tiger

Golf is like business in this economy too.
Even Tiger Woods recently got fired by GM as the spokeman for Buick. So the lesson for business owners is....

If your business is in trouble and you have a part-time employee earning $7 million a year, now is a good time to let him go. In fact now is a good time to make a lot of decisions that might not have been very popular in the good ol' days, but are pretty obviously necessary now.

Oh yeah, and this is not a good time to flaunt the corporate jet. Unless you've had a very good year in golf or business, and want to distinguish yourself as still having the cash to spend on frivolous luxury and convenience.
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lessons, Tiger

As Tiger comes back from his surgery and the recovery related delay to play the US Open this week there is much talk of whether he's rusty or not. Strange term to use after he has presumably had the "rust" removed from the hinge that is his left knee.

Not many are convinced that it will provide any competitive advantage to the others in the tournament. Tiger has played sick, tired, distracted and injured before and still won. Maybe harder for him and closer for the others, but he's still able to pull it out through sheer strength of will. His mental toughness is formidable under pressure.

That's probably the golf and business lesson for all of us. After any setback or prolonged absence it is important to re-focus and concentrate on the fundamentals to achieve our goals. Keep it simple, ignore the obstacles, and go for it.

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Tiger

This week's golf news is that Tiger is emerging from the off-season after two months of relaxing with his new daughter and "working on my body to be stronger than ever". Not encouraging news for his competitors on the PGA tour; Tiger is already the most fit and athletic player on the planet.

But like the ambitious entrepreneur his standards are higher than just winning, he wants to make history. He believes in the process of continuous improvement to be the best he can possibly be.

In business it might be called Kaizen or something else, but the successful business leader also knows that it needs to be done. It's not enough to "never quit"; it's necessary to "never stop getting better".
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continuous improvement, dedication, Tiger

A great demonstration of focus and commitment against all odds, Mike Weir defeated Tiger Woods in a face to face battle yesterday at Royal Montreal on the final day of the President's Cup.

All the pressure of high expectations for Canada's No.1 golfer against the toughest competitor in the world who's been having a great year while Mike has been struggling to win anywhere. After leading 3-up then bouncing one into the water after two birdies by Tiger he was 1-down with three holes to play. He won two of them for the match.

Guts and skill. All you need to win in business and in golf.

Way to go, Mike!

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Mike Weir, Tiger

In one respect business is not like golf, and that is the element of teamwork. Golf is normally a very solitary endeavor, just one golfer against the course and all other competitors. Very much alone, 100% responsible for the results, no one else to share the credit or take the blame.

But occasionally golf is also a team sport. Typically in college golf, but more notably in the famous Ryder Cup and the President's Cup, which is currently taking place in Montreal. Yesterday was a match of two-on-two with the alternate ball format. That means I drive it off the tee into the rough, you hit it back on the fairway, I hit it back in the rough, you hit it on the green and I miss the putt. And so on.

That was pretty much the way it went yesterday for Tiger Woods and his partner Charles Howell III. Charles had hit one wide of the green into deep rough behind a large sand trap with very little green in front of the hole. Tiger slashed it out with typical finesse, flying high over the trap, landed softly on the fringe and rolled gently to within two feet. Charles stepped up and missed the putt! That's hard on team spirit.

Nevertheless, they persevered and won their match. As Tiger said, "What matters is that we got the job done."

Meanwhile Mike Weir and VJ Singh had a different team experience. Both had been playing well and were holding a slim lead. But Mike hit his approach shot to the green slightly left and it landed in the sand trap. No problem, VJ hit a perfect shot out of the sand, onto the green and into the hole!

Ah the joys of successful teamwork.

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teamwork, Tiger

Watching Tiger shoot 28 on the front nine was exciting and impressive, but the disappointment of a 35 on the back nine was a helpful reminder to us all that our expectations are not always met. Even the world's best golfer can have a letdown.

We were all looking forward to a 60, 59, or maybe even the first ever 58 on a PGA tour event. But the magic ended, inexplicably, as in life and business.

Nevertheless, Tiger won another tournament, another $1.26 million, plus the first FedEx Cup for the season's playoff series winner and a $10 million bonus. Suddenly, golf sounds a whole lot better than most businesses. I wonder if it's all golf for Tiger or does he see it as a business too?

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Tiger