Golf IQ How Tiger's course management really set him apart
Dec 29, 2025
Explore how Tiger Woods revolutionized golf with his exceptional course management skills. Discover the shift from raw power to strategic play that defined his career. Learn about the 'Tiger zone' and how he mastered tee shots to gain an advantage. Hear how his approach favored pin-high shots and how average golfers can apply his strategies. Delve into his aggressive putting stance that secured birdies, while realizing recovery shots played a surprisingly minor role in his success.
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Strategic Tiger: From Phenomenon To Method
- Tiger's peak strategic era was less about raw power and more about disciplined, professional course management.
- Advanced stats from that era let Luke Kerr-Dineen quantify the shift from phenom to methodical dominance.
Tee Shots: Length With Low Penalty Cost
- Tiger gained roughly 21% of his strokes-gained edge from tee shots despite not leading driving distance.
- He balanced above-average length with below-average penalty percentage to maximize value.
Favor Safe Side Aiming Over Fairway Percentage
- Prefer hitting the safe side of the fairway to chase marginal fairway percentage gains.
- Avoid penalties first; small gains in fairway hitting are pennies, but avoiding big misses yields major upside.