Tiger in GCD???

[Brian Noser]

Q: What are your plans for golf course design work?

Tiger Woods: Probably going to start here shortly actually.

Q: I know Retief has got one going and Ernie has got one.

Tiger Woods: Ernie has got a few actually. Yeah, I am going to start probably within next three, four years easily.

Kelly Tilghman: Are you going to Tiger proof it?

Tiger Woods: (Laughs) One of the things that I have learned over the years I have been out here playing, talking to the guys who design golf courses, you can't always design a championship golf course because basically who is putting up the bill? And here are the guys supposed to provide and create something, that's what they want. If they want a resort course, they make it easy; if they want a championship course they make it tough. If you want something that's pretty pen for a public golf course (inaudible), I mean obviously can't make it like a championship golf course. So you are bound to what the client wants and that's one of the things that I have certainly learned. I picked brains from Pete Dye and Jack and Arnold and obviously Robert Trent Jones and all those guys, the client comes first.

Hopefully one day I will be able to design a championship golf courses. I will make it tough.

Here is the whole interview mostly about equipment.

http://www.iseekgolf.com/print_articles.php/0/26/8031/4/41/0/1


What do you think his impact will be, Good, Bad, style?  will the course be "Tiger proofed"?

[Craig Van Egmond]

I guess it depends on who IMG hires to do the real work.  

[Steve Lapper]

Get ready for a Fazio-IMG-Woods collaboration....

Maybe Trump will buy Treasure Island in the SF Bay and call in this team and then tell everyone how he taught them everything they know!

[Jeff_Mingay]

It would be nice to see Tiger take a Ben Crenshaw-like approach to golf course design... in other words, choose a partner and then be choosey about work, as opposed to creating a big design shop and cranking out as many courses as possible.  

[Jim Sweeney]

Care to speculate on what his fee wille be? Will he be trying to break Jack's record also?
 
Let's encourage Tiger to be sure his first course is a low-fee muni or daily ( maybe a renovation of an existing course) where they promise kids under 18 can learn the game and play for virtually nothing for which he "donates" his fee. I bet Nike and Buick would be happy to cover the bill to keep Him happy.

Then it's on to $5mm+ fees in Dubai and China.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Jeff,

       Are you volunteering for the job?  

It will be interesting to see his approach, does he pair up with some big names ala Fazio, Rees, etc... or does he hire somebody relatively unknown who won't take the spotlight away.  

I don't see him mass producing golf courses, he actually seems to have developed a life outside golf now.

I do think his fees will be huge!!

[Jeff_Mingay]

Sure Craig, I'll partner with TW  

[JSlonis]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not overly excited about the prospects of a Tiger Woods design.  I have no real basis for that opinion, it's just an initial gut reaction.  No question he has a great mind for the game, I guess we'll see how this translates into creating something on the ground.

As for Tiger taking a Crenshaw like approach, one could hope, but I don't see it, he doesn't have the best track record when it comes to sharing the spotlight.  Crenshaw really seems to have a real feel for and a love of golf course architecture, its history and traditions of the game, etc.  I know from interviews that Tiger is aware of the game's history, and perhaps it's due to Tiger's relatively young age, or his buttoned up Corporate image, but I've never seen him project that certain sensitivity that Crenshaw seems to have for his profession.

Given that Steve Smyers did the redo to Tiger's home course Isleworth, perhaps he could team with Tiger on his initial design.  Instead of Cooreshaw....you'll have a "Smyger" design.

[Sean Leary]

It seems to me that Tiger probably would produce more of a RTJ type of course, particularly if it was the intent to host a tournament.  Bunkers left and right, everything right in front of you. Places where par is a good score.  Either you hot a good shot or you don't.  He loves Firestone and Torrey Pines, for example....

That being said, he does love links golf, so maybe some quirk would fit into his plans, particularly if he were trying to build a "members" course..

[Mike Nuzzo]

Would that be 3 or 4 years before he starts or 3 or 4 years before he starts the permitting process for his first project?  

Jeff,
I thought I was partnering with him his first project.
I presume it will be in the far east.

Cheers

[Andy Doyle]

As a possible insight to his approach to golf course design, let's look at how he has been involved with the development of the ball and clubs he uses.  By all accounts he has taken a slow, deliberate approach, has projected a very clear perspective of what he likes and feels is best for his game, is very immersed in the details, and in the interviews I've seen and read has had nothing but great things to say about Rock Ishii and Tom Stites, the ball and club designers he has worked with at Nike.

I can't think of anything he has done as a pro that would give the indication he is just in it for the money.  Does anyone think he would radically change this type of approach when he takes up GCD?

AD

[Gene Greco]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not overly excited about the prospects of a Tiger Woods design.  I have no real basis for that opinion, it's just an initial gut reaction.  .

As for Tiger taking a Crenshaw like approach, one could hope, but I don't see it, he doesn't have the best track record when it comes to sharing the spotlight.  Crenshaw really seems to have a real feel for and a love of golf course architecture, its history and traditions of the game, etc.  I know from interviews that Tiger is aware of the game's history, and perhaps it's due to Tiger's relatively young age, or his buttoned up Corporate image, but I've never seen him project that certain sensitivity that Crenshaw seems to have for his profession.

Very well said echoing my initial reaction.

[Mike Nuzzo]

I can't think of anything he has done as a pro that would give the indication he is just in it for the money.  Does anyone think he would radically change this type of approach when he takes up GCD?

I agree his determination and abilities and methodology are awsome - best in the world.  Is competitive drive the best way to create a great golf course or the most important part?

Maybe Ran should finally set him up with an account.

Cheers

[Andy Doyle]

Mike:

I wasn't necessarily commenting upon his potential design ability - I agree with you that competitive desire probably doesn't play much of a role in design creativity.

I guess I was reacting to earlier responses that seemed (to me) to imply that he would have an associate do most of the work while he took the credit and the huge fees.

My observation that he approaches things that matter to him in a deliberate, detailed fashion and while he is clearly the superstar, he is not adverse to recognizing other people's contributions.  He certainly has a great feel for the game & seems to be enough of a geek to get pretty deeply involved in the details of the design of his equipment - those qualities would seem to useful to course design as well.

Was it Bobby Jones who said about Nicklaus "He plays a game with which I am not familiar"?  My concern with Tiger designing golf course is just the opposite - how is it possible for someone who plays the game like he does to understand how to design a course for the likes of me?  E.g. "What's wrong with a 270 yard carry off this tee?"

AD

[rgkeller]

Whenever Woods wants to build "Tiger's Lair" with a 100 or so lots and a home for himself, he has $250,000,000 awaiting him.

Bear's Club showed the way.

[JohnV]

In flipping by the Golf Channel this evening when they were running an interview with Tiger and Kelly Tilghman, Tiger said that the Old Course is his favorite course in the world.  Hopefully he'll remember some of its beauty in any course he designs.

[JSlonis]

In flipping by the Golf Channel this evening when they were running an interview with Tiger and Kelly Tilghman, Tiger said that the Old Course is his favorite course in the world.  Hopefully he'll remember some of its beauty in any course he designs.

Maybe there is some hope.

Early on, everyone said Jack designed to his strengths as a player...just think if Tiger were to do that....

There would be NO bunkers, trees, or rough on the right side of every hole from 275 yds out to 350 yds, BUT you'd have some great imaginative greensites to cater to his all world short game. Ahahhh...maybe this is why he likes the Old Course so much.  There's enough room way out to the left on The Old Course to allow for him to aim out there and still hit a 340 yard "block fade" on occasion.

[Jim Nugent]

Seems to me we are jumping the gun just a little here.  

Woods has surprised people all his life.  Won't shock me if he does the same in GCA.  I look forward to seeing what kind of courses he comes up with.  

rgkeller is spot on.  Though I think Woods better do it soon.  No way can this real estate bubble keep spiraling up.  When it bursts -- as all bubbles do -- things gonna get ugly.  

[TEPaul]

Look what Woods says the powers that be are telling him about wanting a rollback. Look what Woods says at the end of that statement about how he personally feels about a rollback.

Interesting!