The surprising way Tiger Woods is teaching his son to play golf

Tiger Woods, in mid-July, gushed over the swing of his 11-year-old son. Charlie is playing his dad’s game and, by all accounts, playing it well. 

“I wish I had his move,” Tiger told GolfTV, laughing. “I analyze his swing all the time. I wish I could rotate like that and turn my head like that and do some of those positions. But those days are long gone, and I’ve got to re-live it through him.”

Just wait until Charlie plays with perhaps more forgiving clubs.    

Jack Nicklaus, in talking with Tiger recently about “age,” said the player who’s pursuing him on the all-time majors wins list told him that he’s “having more fun out with Charlie and Sam, his kids, and watching them do different things and be vulnerable.”

And apparently having Charlie play with blade irons. 

“Charlie is starting to play golf, and he’s getting a really good swing,” Nicklaus said Thursday during his Masters press conference. “He says, I’ve got blades in his hands so he learns how to play golf instead of learning with all those forgiving golf clubs. 

“I think he’s very wise.”

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Just like how Tiger’s dad taught him, apparently. 

“That’s what his father did to him — he took the old equipment we played with to teach Tiger,” Nicklaus said. “I think that’s why Tiger was such a good player.”  

His 15 major championships, including five Masters green jackets, of course, confirm that. Woods is three behind Nicklaus on that all-time list, and Nicklaus said that gap could still shrink, too. On Thursday, the 44-year-old Woods shot a 4-under 68, his lowest-ever opening round at Augusta National. 

“He said, I think I have another one in me, and he may,” Nicklaus said. “He may have more than one in him.”