Posted on 07/06/2007 4:56:01 AM PDT by Slim Pickens
If Tiger Woods weren’t a professional golfer, he’d probably be a member of the military’s special operations community, Woods told reporters today at the Congressional Country Club here today.
“I told Dad if I didn’t make it (as a golfer) in the first few years, that’s probably where I’d go,” he said. “I’d probably end up going into the military – and I don’t know what branch – but I’d certainly want to be in the special operations community.”
Indeed, Woods underwent four days of Army special operations training at Fort Bragg, N.C., in conjunction with a golf clinic he hosted there in April 2004. Woods’ late father, Earl Woods, wore the Green Beret for 12 years as a Special Forces soldier during his 20-year Army career.
“That just seems to be more of a fit considering what I grew up with, and I certainly understand it and can relate to it,” Tiger said. “But somehow I ended up here. I made a couple putts in those years.”
Woods is hosting the AT&T National golf tournament here July 3-8. Besides “getting a W” – or winning the tournament – Woods said honoring the men and women serving America was one of his overarching goals as the event’s host.
Tomorrow morning, the world’s top-rated professional golfer will play a practice round, called the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am, with pairings that include Army Sgt. Maj. Mia Kelly and Air Force Master Sgt. Andrew Amor.
Woods said he is excited about playing alongside the servicemembers.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I’ve seen their bios, but I haven’t met anyone yet, so I’m really looking forward to that, and hopefully I won’t get beat too bad.”
The golfer said that when he turned 10 years old, he began to play on military golf courses, using his status as a “military dependent.”
“I had my little card, and I could flash that and get on the golf course,” he said. “The only frustrating thing was a lot of military bases had an age limit of 10. I thought I could play before that.”
Woods has since hit the links on many of America’s military courses, and he especially likes the Air Force Academy’s course in Colorado Springs, Colo., he said.
“I’ve played a lot of military facilities around the country. For one, they’re cheaper,” he joked.
As a tribute to golf fans in the military, Woods has arranged for tournament sponsors to distribute 30,000 free tickets to active U.S. military personnel. Those attending will be able to enjoy the view from a special seating gallery, and snack on discounted concessions after showing military identification.
“I know I can’t serve with them, but I just want to say, ‘Thank you’ in some way, and this is our way of being able to do that,” he said.
“Even though my dad was retired, I basically grew up on a military base, and just understanding the commitment that it takes each and every day, for the service men and women, what they do for us, I just think that it was something that should be honored,” Woods said.
Watch out when you criticize someone. Eveyone else will look for mistakes you made, and yours was “your’s” instead of “yours”.
You might notice that Tiger is backing up his words by opening his wallet. Talk might be cheap, but anonymous attacks on internet forums are worthless.
Oakmont did a great job preparing the course and handling the crowd, I thought. I really had no complaints.
Tiger Wood an Army Brat.
Stop wasting my time.
I really can’t see Tiger taking Trevett’s place though.
I refer you to CENTCOM General Order #1
For more freedom of movement, not in the grandstand but on the hill up against the 14th tee (on Sat). On Sunday I was in the 13th tee grandstand.
Trying to hit 12 in two was impossible. The gap in front of the green funneled everything into the trap or the crap, and on the green went to the right back, were eagle was possible but it didn’t happen.
Not an easy hole or shot on the course.
Of course, his wife . . . this particular wife . . . would not have given him a second look if he was in the army.
That course was amazing, though. I saw a lot of golfers land it on the back-right of the 12th green in two, but no birdies or eagles. I actually got to be on TV, on the first tee when Bubba tee'd off.
arranged for tournament sponsors to distribute 30,000 free tickets to active U.S. military
arranged for tournament sponsors to distribute 30,000 free tickets to active U.S. military
I knew there was a reason that I liked Tiger.
Well, she’d probably never have met him :-). Some other PGA superstar would have done equally well.
She certainly is beautiful.
I think AFB posted to the wrong person...
I think so, too. My comment was bland, but hardly critical :-).
No apology is necessary, of course. We all make errors of this sort from time to time, particularly when we’re in a fuss.
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Such as yours?
Woods is worth hundreds of millions, that he opens his wallet is commendable but a drop from his ocean. Saying he'd be a soldier if he were not a professional golfer does not impress me one bit. It just puts him in the exact same category as the guy who talks big at the bar but won't sacrifice his six figure career.
Yup, exactly like mine.
I just wonder, since you raise the calculus, how much Tiger would have to spend supporting the troops for the haters to be impressed.
What really gets me is that if he had kept his mouth and wallet closed, nobody would say anything about it, but when he opens both his mouth and his wallet, folks are ready to jump down his throat. I just don't get it. Damned if you do, ignored if you don't. Doesn't seem right to me.
The 'talk is cheap' charge is appropriate when one only talks, but clearly Tiger has done more than just talk in this particular instance.
Just my .02.
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