‘It Was the Most Frightening Thing I Had Ever Seen’: Tiger Woods’ Father Earl Was Bewildered by His 9-Month-Old Son’s Raw Talent

Published 10/26/2022, 10:00 AM EDT

Tiger Woods has become a household name in the world of sports. The golfer has helped elevate the sport of golf beyond expectations and is widely considered one of the greatest golfers to step on the course. Many people were aware of the Tiger hype long before his professional debut, including his father, Earl Woods, who identified Tiger’s golfing skills while he was a nine-month-old baby.

Currently, Tiger may not be as active as he once was. However, he has 82 professional wins to his name, including 15 Major titles. Woods made a quick impact in the professional circuit after clinching the 1997 Masters, just a year after his professional debut.

Nonetheless, long before the glorious triumphs and broken records, a baby Tiger Woods impressed his father. Let’s take a look at the first traits of a professional golfer exhibited by the 15-time Major winner.

Nine-month-old Tiger Woods impresses his father

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Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, was an Army veteran who had served two combat tours during the Vietnam War. However, he tried his best to find some leisure time to spend with his family. One fine evening, Earl decided to swing some golf balls in a homespun driving range in the garage.

During the swinging session, a nine-month-old, Tiger Woods, was watching his father hit the drive, a craft that he would master two decades later. Nonetheless, Woods couldn’t contain his urge to kick off his golf life.

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Tiger decided to imitate his father and grabbed a club. He then swung one ball straight into the net, despite being less than a year old. After watching his son hit a drive, years later, Earl Woods described the moment as, “It was the most frightening thing I had ever seen”.

Now decades later, Tiger Woods has placed himself at the pinnacle of the sports world, not just golf. His father passed away in 2006 after a long battle with cancer. However, he did witness some of his son’s achievements and rise to stardom. Earl also pointed out the competitive mindset of his son, as he once said, “Other golfers want to win. Tiger expects to win. And he doesn’t accept second because second [stinks]”.

Tiger never misses out on pointing out his father’s major influence on his success. Now, a father himself, Tiger has adopted the teachings of his father to nurture his children. If one could make out what their future job is while their nine-month-old, they may end up becoming as successful as Tiger Woods.

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What are your thoughts on Tiger’s relationship with his father? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Abdul Bari is a Golf writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Abdul is currently pursuing his Master’s in the same. With great affection for the world of sports, this avid golf lover turned to the course at a young age.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

‘It Was the Most Frightening Thing I Had Ever Seen’: Tiger Woods’ Father Earl Was Bewildered by His 9-Month-Old Son’s Raw Talent

Nine-month-old Tiger Woods impresses his father

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