Tiger Woods is known for his amazing success and risk taking when it comes to taking a perceived impossible shot. As an acclaimed college and amateur golf player, Woods began participating in professional golf tours at 20 years old. Within a year of becoming a professional, Tiger broke Masters records in 1997 in addition to winning three PGA Golf Tour championships in the same year. Being the most consecutively ranked number one golfer in the world, Tiger Woods is definitely a candidate for giving golfing shot advice.
Golf success comes with being strategic in taking shots since lower scores help the player win each hole. That being said, having an awareness of the risk of a shot is essential. Tiger is very calculated when deciding which decisions will both positively and negatively affect his scorecard. He also teaches his golf students to consider how their percentages will be affected by the shot they take.
For professional golfing spectators, it is almost baffling to see Tiger land shots that they perceive to be impossible. For Tiger, his calculated risk taking comes down to his positioning. “A lot of the shots you’ve seen me hit from bad spots, for the most part they’ve been from good angles. You’re not going to pull off every shot, but if I tried it, I thought I could.”
As Tiger’s career continues, his risks in the game are more prudent. His longevity has taught him to rely on other variables of the game when he doesn’t believe he’ll make the shot. “Physically, I just don’t have the speed to hit some of the shots I used to. I still see the gaps if I’m in a bad spot, but I think, I just can’t. I’ll pitch out, wedge it, and make my putt.”
Every risk comes with the opportunity to either take it or be cautious. Whether playing golf or making life decisions, Tiger Woods encourages people to take risks when a desirable outcome seems attainable. The difference between pulling off a hard shot and failing lies in the belief. Tiger teaches observers that taking calculated risks and believing in outcome creates something special: a champion.
