Dan's Papers - April 18, 2008 - I Want To Be Like Tiger Woods

There is nothing like the game of golf - anybody can do it, but really no one can do it. Like all major sports, there's a huge culture surrounding the game, but unlike most mainstream sports, golf combines all elements of sport into one. It's a personal game; it's a competitive game; it's a recreational game; it's a young man's game and an old man's game.

What separates golf from other sports is that you can get into it at any age or level - there's room for everybody. Of course, there's no praise for those who aren't all that good at the game, which is why on every level of golf, there are those who struggle to get better, to meet their personal goals or to beat out their friends on the green.

Possibly one of the most interesting aspects about golf is the fact that, at any age really, a player can be recognized as a top world player. There are people as young as 18 and as old as 60 who are considered some of the best golfers in the world. It's this constant hope that one day, "I'll get to be like them," that never goes away in golf. It lingers with you as you receive tip after tip and club after club.

There's no greater or more recognizable player in the history of the competitive sport of golf than Tiger Woods. His name alone is interesting, but behind this name is a man who has a stunning focus on the green. He seems to get better as the pressure mounts, and he's impossible to miss standing out there. To almost every expert and serious player in the game, Woods is the best player to have stepped out on a green. It's for this reason that companies like Nike and Accenture pay him millions of dollars a year to represent their brands. Very rarely does he walk out into the world without a Nike swoosh placed somewhere on his clothing.

So what do I have to do to get to the level of Tiger Woods? Use the equipment he uses? The same type of golf clubs? What about shoes? Well, I did a little research on the man for my shopping list - clubs, shoes, clothing and equipment - everything I would need to get out there and win at the Masters.

Let's start small. When it comes to putting, Woods uses a Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 35" long and standard loft and lie. It's the only piece of 2008 equipment that he uses that isn't made by Nike because he was never willing to change his putter. Does this mean that I should go out and get that putter? No, it doesn't. What it does mean, however, is that I should stick with the same putter season after season because that is what Woods does. Those who get different putters every year at the pro level are generally not the best putters out there.

There must be something aerodynamic about having a close shave, because Tiger Woods uses the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo to shave his beard every morning. I'll put that on my list.

As for a ball, Woods sports the Nike One Platinum ball this year. In his golf bag, he has all Nike clubs, but in 2001 he used Titleist clubs. His driver is the Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5, his 3-Wood is the Nike SasQuatch 2 15, his 5-Wood is the Nike SasQuatch 2 19 and his 3-Irons through his pitching wedge are the Nike Blades. Sand Wedge? Nike Pro Combo 56. Lob Wedge? The Nike SV 60.

Okay, so Tiger Woods likes his Nike equipment, or should we say Nike likes Tiger Woods? Either way, the man blows your socks off every time you see him play, and he is playing with Nike clubs, which means, as far as this report is concerned that they are the best! (Don't send the e-mails and angry letters to me. I just want to be like Tiger Woods!) But keep in mind that before Nike began its large corporate sponsorship for Woods, Titleist was the original brand in his golf bag.

Woods also keeps himself at a slim 180 lbs. by doing cardio and weight training. This is an absolute must if you want to play like him on the course. His physique and health have forced some of his top competitors to lose as much as 20 pounds to gain the physical advantage that he has on the green. Woods was quoted in BBC Sport saying, "You should always train and bust your butt. Not everyone considers golf a sport and they don't treat it as such. You pay the price."

That is some tough love advice for those of us who drink brandy while on the green. Woods also advises that you become very familiar with the green that you're playing on and prepare for the speed differentials from course to course. He also offers a new video game called the Tiger Woods PGA Tour for Nintendo Wii. Hey, if you want to get serious, you might as well be playing golf on your television as well.

Okay, so I got the clubs down, I got the training down and I got the excellent shaving down. But what else?

Well, Woods' diet is not much of secret, keeping a healthy plate of fruits, whole grains and vegetables. Yeah, we've heard all that before and fine, we'll start this week hopping on that diet, right after we have this last slice of pizza.