GIVEAWAY: Post Your Favorite Tiger Woods Memory, Win His New Book (The 1997 Masters: My Story)

[spinnywedge]

I guess I would say my favorite memory was the chip-in at the 2005 Masters; I wasn't even 5 years old. I bet it's probably one of the top ones in this thread, but I can't imagine golf without it. At that time, I don't think I knew what was going on or how big of a deal it was, but when my dad got my in the game a few years later and everyone asked what my favorite memory was, I always answered that. I then realized that it was the first memory of golf that I had, and I remembered that I wanted Tiger to win. It's crazy to me, that I didn't realize how important that shot was to me until I look back on it. I don't know how I remember that at 4 years old sitting on the couch. I think that's why golf without Tiger is so different to me; I don't know what golf is like without him, no matter how much of the history I know. Tiger has basically been golf my whole life, and I guess that's why that chip-in resonates with me so much.

[grillinandgolfin]

My favorite personal memory was at the 2013 BMW Champ at Conway Farms. The green at 1 and tee box at 2 are tucked away from most of the other holes so I figured that would be the best place to get a close up of TW. He’s hitting his second shot into #1 and there is already a crowd around the green but the tee at #2 is wide open. I run over and grab a spot right by the tee marker while they finish up at 1. After they finish there is a little shortcut they take through the woods, so they beat the crowd to the tee. Joe puts his bag down right beside me and Tiger walks over to the bag, and as he’s standing there looks me dead in the eyes for a brief moment. Not the most action packed experience, but it’s a great moment in my history book.

 

“What about the tee shot?” you may ask.

 

He proceeds to hit his shot and everyone around the green absolutely loves it (the green is elevated and we couldn’t see where it landed). I follow him up to the green and it’s a foot from the pin. Taps it in for birdie and ends up having a great round that day.

 

Then Tiger pulled me out of the crowd and asks for a picture so he can look me in the eyes before every swing. I reminded him of the no camera policy, he looked away in disgust and I haven’t seen him since.

 

That was a great tournament experience for me as a whole. I watched the final 11 holes of Jim Furyk’s 59, and also witnessed Hunter Mahan call some guy a feminine hygiene product when asked for an autograph.

[Jordan Speeth]

There are lots of obvious, big-time moments in Tiger's career but one that I seldom hear mentioned is that unbelievable playoff against Ernie Els at Kapalua, when they both eagled 18, then went to the playoff. It was an epic duel between titans of the game which, oddly, hasn't happened like that for some time. It would be like Dustin J. and Jason D. going at it in a playoff at PGA National or TPC Sawgrass and trading bomb for bomb, which Woods and Els did for three holes, off the tee, in the fairway, and on the greens. I still go to YouTube once in a while and watch it for kicks.

[coachemup]

Hole in 1 at 16th at TPC Scottsdale

 

This may be the moment the world was introduced to the "Raise the Roof" gesture. lol

 

What a scene!!!

[pheeks]

It has to be the the boulder incident in 1999. Tiger hit his tee shot on the par 5 13th behind a boulder. Instead of taking a drop he gathered a large gallery to move the "loose impediment" in his way. This would not have been possible for any other player. More than just a shot, but a power move using the gallery to his advantage as well.

[ckay]

Sunday victories as my family surrounded the TV in the living room to watch. My mom's favorite part of any tournament is the end of round interview while the rest of us got up to go to the dining room for dinner.

[JOHN GOLIA]

All of them. So many great ones.

2008 US Open. His Broken leg basically.

The putt on 18 in the 4th round for

birdie to tie Rocco.

[chockrl]

The greatest moment I can remember is after he won the last time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (2013?), watching his embrace with Arnie walking from the 18th green was something special. Hope he makes it back there this year to win in honor of the King.

[Railroading13]

The U.S. Open win at Pebble. That was his masterpiece, his magnum opus. The greatest golfing performance in the history of the game. No one has ever reached that amount of perfection in one week, that tournament is unmatched, 15 shot win and he was grinding over every shot that final round, not wanting to make a bogey. He made a great sand save on 17 and made a clutch par save earlier on the back 9 and was still fist pumping. Amazing focus and killer instinct, he wanted to win by as much as possible. That week was his total game, short game, putting, ball striking, mental game.

 

A tough argument can be made for the win at Torrey, given his physical condition that week, it's close. But that week at Pebble we will never see again, nobody wins majors by 5 shots, let alone 15.

[MattMo]

2005 Masters, 16th hole on Sunday. Already mentioned numerous times for good reason.

[Hookshot33]

2011 Masters, final round, second shot into 15

 

Tiger was making a back nine charge and perfectly executed his second shot into 15, complete with the signature club twirl and walk towards the green after the ball had barely left the club face.

 

Unfortunately for him, he would go on to miss the short (but quick) eagle putt (and much respect to Schwartzel for his ridiculous play on the final 4 holes), but the second shot execution was brilliant.

[MarkFromTheUK]

An issue of Golf World magazine from around 1991. He was about 16, and the headline was "Tiger Tiger, burning bright". It was a profile on him, and basically predicted greatness. No pressure there then.

 

It's amazing to see the massive ups and downs that innocent kid had in his life over the next 25 years.

[Miles of Lief]

This is me in the picture. Standing in rough on par 5 at 2002 PGA Champioship at Hazeltine, a ball suddenly lands a foot away from me. I stand there and a crowd starts to gather and gather and gather and the excitement is building. Turns out its Tigers ball. He walks up and surveys things and him and Stevie talk about the shot and Tiger says, "Ok so just chippy one down there." He proceeds to hit an absolute low bullett under the tree and down in front of the water for a perfect lay up. It was also the first and only time I was in the crowd the roars and follows walking behind him right after he hit the shot. It was awesome. Best part about the whole experince was that a tunnel or chute of people formed in front of him before he hit. There where photographers lined up in that chute of people. The next day in the StarTribune newspaper the front page had a pic of Tiger at the PGA on a different whole. I emailed the photographer who's name was under that picture and long story even longer, I described the hole I was on and he had taken this photo, found it in his computer and printed it and sent it to me. Amazing!

[upndown09]

My favorite memory of tiger woods definitely has to be around 1999 2000. I was in junior golf at heartwell golf course in Long Beach ca where he grew up at. I was 13 at the time and he held a special clinic at a nearby golf course where he gave us lessons one on one which was sweet! He watched us individually and gave us tips on what to work on. In the beginning of the clinic his father spoke to us and what not. After, he held a clinic where he would hit all the clubs in his bag. High low left to right right to left. The guys could cut it 50 yards to a pin and also hook it. Towards the end he was hitting drivers and never seen anyone hit it as far as he was carrying it. I was fortunate enough to be invited to this private clinic and am fortunate to see him in person in his prime. I can't and will never forget that day on the range with him. It's so hard to see him go through a major slump.

[Medic]

Disney Classic - in 1999. I got REALLY lucky and won a prize that included:

• Final foursome to play The Magnolia before they shut it down for the tourney
  
• Two VIP entry tickets from all four days
  
• Gift bags and goodies
  

So, my buddies and I play the course literally the day before the pros arrived to start practicing. (Sunday afternoon) It was amazing. On the second hole I crushed my drive (from regular men's tee) and was as pleased as punch to have a decent second shot in. What a great drive.

 

And then, on the final day of the tourney, a week later, I am following a young Tiger Woods around. On the second, from the WAY BACK tees, he and his caddie are going back and forth about what club. He finally settled on a 4 iron. WHAT!!!!???

And he pures it to a position past where my drive ended up a week earlier.

He then follows up the drive with an incredible spinning wedge to about 3 or 4 feet - and makes an easy birdie.

 

He was so beyond intense. Nothing else in the universe existed; it was him, his caddie, the course, and the shot. I was watching his facial expressions and was amazed that the most emotion he showed was when he missed a putt, not when he made one. Victory was extremely important to him, this was obvious.

 

But what amazed me most was how he handled the crowds. Some were like me; total awe and totally silent during every shot. Others were cheering everything he did loudly. Some were heckling, believe it or not. There was a commercial back then "I am Tiger Woods" and some of the younger guys behind me and my buddy were yelling it every time he was teeing up. But he did not let it phase him. Not in the least. He was on a mission and, simply stated, the crowd wasn't too much a part of the equation.

 

At the end of his round he was walking towards the scoring tent and I was among a rather large crowd clapping and telling him "way to go" and such. As he walked not 5 feet from me I said "Well done Mr. Woods, well done." And he looked up, smiled, acknowledged what I had said, and kept walking towards the tent.

 

Was he definitely aware that I had shown him the respect he deserved? I cannot ever be sure but the timing would certainly seem as though that's how it all played out. He looked in my direction as he smiled. So, yeah, I guess he heard it.

 

He is, after all is said and one, only human. But man he certainly had superhuman golf skills. And in 1999 I was lucky enough to bear witness to them.

[PingGuy68]

In 2000 Tiger was in the Bell Canada Open. He hit a 6 iron from a fwy bunker 213 over water. He stuck the shot. This shot typifies the best of Tiger. This is the fearless golf I remember and the reason I will always see him as the best of the best.

[Hawkeye77]

Keep your old contest, I enjoyed watching a young girl starting with the 1997 Masters become a Tiger fan and also develop a great love for golf which we continue to share. Tiger needs the money, so I am going to buy her a copy and send it to her, just because.

[ALTSean]

Putt on 18 at 2008 us open! I attended all week at Torrey and it was great!

[andyb24]

In addition to all the ones mentioned here, I'd have to say following him in various practice rounds at Congressional and getting to stand a few feet away whenever he missed a fairway. So cool to see him and Joey sizing up the shots and pulling them off!

[coxrl]

You know, I could say watching him play a practice round at the Masters with Norman in '96 (in which he and Norman played a little side game and I saw Norman had Tiger a bill after they finished on #9) the day before Norman shot 63 in the first round. Or, I could talk about that time I got to shake the man's hand at an event for a golf course he never got to design or build. No, I've humble-bragged enough.

 

? pretty cool.

 

? good shot.

 

The putt to win at Bay Hill in

?

(wearing arguably the best looking final round red shirt ever)? nah...

 

? meh.

 

? you're getting warmer.

 

? close.

 

? Also close.

 

The 50 yard slice at the '03 US Open? cool, but, no.

 

?

.

 

? mmmmmm, no.

 

? No fair. Ineligible.

 

? Also ineligible, because, inhuman.

 

 

 

Everything else pales in comparison to the greatest Big Cat moment of all-time:

 

[g8a_golf]

09 API. I was 80 yards from the green and watched him make that crazy putt. We could barely see him it was so dark and as soon as he hit the putt, the cameras started lighting him and the ball up and we saw it track to the hole. Crazy moment. So loud. Once in a lifetime moment. I've only heard that loud of cheering when I was at the Daytona 500 that Earnhardt won.

 

I followed him the entire front nine and got so close. One of those guys that carries this aura around with him. It's awesome

[MRL1984]

The 82 at TPC Scottsdale.

[psygolf]

Hitting the green in two from the right rough (US Open rough) from 235yds out with a 7 iron on the par 5 6th hole at Pebble in 2000

 

 

[getair23]

My favorite TW memory is seeing him being "one of the guys." At the Ryder Cup in 16'. A side we rarely get to see.

[law&golf7]

In 2006, as a member of The First Tee, I was fortunate enough to attend a private clinic with Tiger Woods at the Alotian Club. It was Tiger's first public golf-related appearance after the death of his father. It was also the first, and only, time I got to see him in person. I had always been a huge Tiger fan, so when I learned that I was going to be able to attend the event, I couldn't have been more excited. What I remember most about that day was how normal of a person Tiger was. The clinic was very laid back, and Tiger was more than happy to answer any questions from those in attendance. At one point, another person in attendance asked Tiger why he played long irons instead of a hybrid. In response, Tiger simply grabbed his 3-iron out of his bag and launched one straight up into the air off the deck, and then turned around and said, "That's why." The crowd got a good laugh out of it. I also remember leaving that clinic wondering how he didn't shoot 59 in every round he played. It was just surreal to see his ball flight and how pure he hit the ball. That day is, without a doubt, my favorite personal Tiger Woods memory.

[Vosh68]

I attended my very first Masters. Thursday of 1997.

Insisted to my dad that we follow Tiger.

Followed him the entire front nine. Turned in 40.

Dad made us go follow others after that. The rest is history.

[Willstuart2328]

For me, it's the Tiger Slam. It was so impressive and the best bit of golf we will ever see. Not to mention, he was a bad draw at the British from working towards a calendar year grand slam.

[Hills15thFairway]

THE chip in on the 16th.

[duke2001j]

The 1997 Masters inspired me to start playing tournament golf so it's pretty hard to beat that. But if we're talking about 1 shot, I've gotta go with the 3-iron out of the bunker at the 2002 PGA at Hazeltine. TW said himself that was his best shot, so can't go against that. Short game shot - 2005 Masters #16 chip in is a no brainer. Putt - 2000 PGA in the playoff when he's running after and pointing at the ball when it goes in - amazing!

[JerryTBall]

I think was 2000 firestone his Night lights out shot to win!