Travel Michigan Golf

Earl Woods Interview

Tiger Woods' father Earl is known primarily for two things; his candor and raising a son who would become the most influential athlete in the world. In a no-holds-barred interview to appear in the November Golf Digest, Woods tackles subjects ranging from "Tigerproofing" golf courses and the "bum rap" he says Fuzzy Zoeller got for comments about Tiger at the Masters in 1997 to how he taught the world's most famous golfer how to hold his liquor.

GD: When you hear someone say that they're trying to Tiger-proof a golf course, what goes through your mind?

EW: I start laughing . . . It's a joke to try to Tiger-proof a golf course. Whatever you do, it's going to make it harder for other golfers. But if they want some guidance, I'll tell them how. Cut all the rough, bring the championship tees up to the reds tees, let the greens run about 10 on the stimpmeter and make it as easy as can be. Because then you'll bring a whole bunch of people into the competition and it will neutralize a lot of the assets Tiger has.

GD: What about Fuzzy Zoeller's comments when Tiger won the Masters in 1997? Some people thought they were racially insensitive. What was your first reaction?

EW: I heard about it three days later. Because we were cooped up at meetings with Nike and we didn't know what was going on. Tiger had left the meetings. Remember the movie "The Postman"? Well, Tiger was a friend of Kevin Costner, and he went on the set, which was way the hell out in Oregon. So he didn't know about it, either . . . When Tiger issued a statement, that's where he got criticized, because he issued it so late. But if you don't know something is going on, you can't respond to it.

GD: Do you think Fuzzy deserved the criticism he got?

EW: Let me tell you this: I know Fuzzy. Fuzzy has played with Tiger in matches prior to the tournament, practice rounds. And Fuzzy is a wisecracking guy who says things before he even thinks about them. He wants to be funny, and he doesn't think of the ramifications. I think Fuzzy took a bum rap. I don't think it was personal, and I think he got slapped in the face inordinately. I feel sorry for the guy, and I hope he doesn't feel bitter toward Tiger and me for not coming to his rescue, because, hell, we didn't know.

GD: What was your approach to advising Tiger about alcohol?

EW: I cited this as an example to Tiger [referring to a friend's son who got sick after sampling many types of liquor at a New Year's party]. See, you can't mix scotch, rum, vodka, bourbon, kahlua?it don't work. And stay away from those exotic drinks that shield everything with sugar and sweetness and stuff. You don't feel it until it's too late. Learn to drink good quality booze. It'll pay off dividends if you drink too much. And he listened and he learned.

GD: You still live in the same house where Tiger grew up./P>

EW: Yes. It's the family home, with some upgrades so that one day it can be turned into a National Historic Monument.

Taken from a Golf Digest Press Release Media Contact: Lisa Sweet, 203-371-2564