Tiger Woods once said something that reveals his approach to the game of golf. “The more I examine putting, the more fascinating it becomes. That’s why I practice it so much.” That obsession with improvement never stopped. Even at the peak of his powers, Woods kept searching for better ways to play, and the lessons behind that mindset can transform any golfer’s game.

Woods worked with legendary instructor Butch Harmon from 1993 to 2004, discovering that real improvement often feels wrong at first. It was that commitment to change that made all the difference. Throughout his career, Woods collected wisdom from golf’s greatest minds, while rising to be one himself. Today, three of his most valuable tips can improve any player’s game immediately.

Tiger Woods’ Putting grip: Master the reverse-overlap technique

Woods employs a conventional reverse-overlap putting grip. This technique provides maximum feel and control. The technique is simple but effective for consistent putting strokes.

Place your left forefinger across the fingers of your right hand. The fingertip should rest between your right hand’s third and fourth fingers. This creates a unified connection between both hands.

The putting stroke is a relatively simple action. Your hands move only a foot at most in either direction. The primary goal is to establish sensitivity, comfort, and relaxation through proper grip technique.

Woods adds one unique element to his grip. The putter handle runs under the butt of his left hand rather than straight up the palm. Most players prefer the handle parallel to their left forearm. However, this slight adjustment gives Woods an extra sense of feel and freedom in his wrists when needed.

Tiger Woods’ grip pressure: Ease up for better feel

Woods learned his most important putting lesson about grip pressure from Ben Crenshaw. The Hall of Famer told him something that changed everything. “The lighter you hold it, the better you’ll be able to feel the weight of the putterhead at the other end of the shaft.”

That conversation sparked a complete rethink. Woods committed himself to easing his grip pressure. The results came quickly and dramatically improved his touch on the greens.

The fix works wonders for common putting problems. Struggling with lag putts? Check your grip pressure first. Missing short breaking putts? Your hands might be strangling the putter, feeling like you’re manipulating the clubhead through the stroke? Loosen up and let it swing naturally.

Woods even developed a drill to improve feel. Putt with your eyes closed. After each putt, guess how far the ball rolled. It’s the best drill for developing distance control and touch.

Tiger Woods’ driving secret: Keep your hands wide in the backswing

Woods revealed a critical element of his driving success that most amateurs get wrong. The key is maintaining the width between your hands and your head throughout the backswing.

“In order for me to swing the driver well, I’ve always played my best when I feel my hands are as far away from my head as possible,” Woods said. “This creates a lot of room and a lot of width on the way down.”

The problem comes when golfers let their arms get too narrow at the top of the swing. Woods once joked that he’s seen amateurs who could almost kiss their hands at the top of their backswing. It might look flexible, but it robs you of both power and control.

When Woods gets narrow with his hands by his head, he has to throw out the driver’s head. This makes him lose power and lose balls out to the right. But when he stays wide, he can stay behind it and hit a draw. The ball goes farther with better control.

Extend your arms out farther from your head at the top. That simple adjustment creates more room for acceleration on the downswing. You’ll hit the ball farther with more consistent contact.

Tiger Woods’ mental game: Walk off bad shots with the 10-Step rule

Woods developed his famous 10-step rule to handle the mental challenges every golfer faces. The concept is brilliantly simple yet incredibly effective for maintaining focus.

After a bad shot, count out 10 steps down the fairway. Then let go of the bad memory completely. Move forward both physically and mentally.

Keeping a bad shot in your mind ruins the rest of your round. Woods refuses to let that happen. He walks exactly ten steps, then shifts his focus entirely to the next challenge.

This mental technique works for golfers at every level. The bad shot already happened. Nothing changes that fact. But dwelling on it guarantees more mistakes ahead and destroys your confidence.

Professional golfers face enormous pressure on every shot. Yet they succeed because they control their mental state. Woods’ 10-step rule provides a similar mental framework for resilience.

Tiger Woods’ short game fix: Stop scooping your chips

Short game disasters often start with one fatal flaw. Golfers flip their wrists at impact, trying to help the ball up. This causes chunks and skulls with alarming regularity around the greens.

Woods identified this as a common mistake made by amateurs at the beginning of his teaching. His fix focuses on proper mechanics and trusting the club’s design.

Let your right wrist hinge naturally on the backswing. Then keep everything moving together through the shot without any manipulation. “Make sure your hands and arms continue through the shot,” Woods said.

That simple thought prevents the dreaded scoop. Your hands lead the clubhead through impact. The moment you try to flip the club under the ball, solid contact disappears.

This tip applies to all your greenside chips. Set up properly with good posture. Make a smooth backswing with a natural wrist hinge. Then swing through confidently with your hands leading the way. Two good shots to the green deserve a solid chip. Don’t waste them with poor technique when the solution is this straightforward.

Woods’ lessons prove that golf mastery isn’t built on secrets. It’s built on habits. Simple, repeatable, and trusted under pressure. That’s what turns these five tips into a lifetime of better golf.