Tiger Woods is currently off the competitive golf scene following his March Achilles surgery, his 14th major operation.
Despite this hiatus, fans continue to spot him on the course, often as a supportive dad.
Recently, Woods was seen at the Nicklaus Junior Championship in Tequesta, Florida, cheering on his 16-year-old son Charlie, who finished sixth in a field of 122.
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Woods has remained present throughout his son’s rise, including celebrating his first American Junior Golf Association win in May.
However, an astonishing fact about Woods’ own golf game came up this week. On the latest episode of Golf.com’s “Subpar” podcast, that star’s former caddie Steve Williams divulged a wild long‑held secret.
Williams routinely gave Tiger incorrect yardages to exploit his adrenaline‑charged state.
“The one thing I always noticed for Tiger when he was running a little warm is the adrenaline that he would get going,” Williams explained. “I could tell that when the adrenaline was going, he would walk quicker, he would talk quicker. Everything became a bit quicker.”
“The biggest thing I did was adjust the yardages all the time. I mean I was constantly doing that. You know, if it was 160 yards and it’s a 9-iron, I’d be telling him it’s 170 or something,” Williams continued.
“I’d be adjusting the yardages so often because he just got the adrenaline going and ball started going further and further.”
Even on par‑threes, Williams recalled telling Tiger a six‑iron distance as a seven‑iron to keep him in check. The longtime caddie admitted this took courage.
“I had to be extremely aware of that, and I got a very good handle on that, to the point where I can recall one round at Bay Hill in the final round of one of his victories there,” Williams remarked.
“I didn’t give him the right yardage – the correct yardage – on any shot for the entire round… I did that so often when he got running hot and got the adrenaline going,” Williams added.
“Yeah. It took him a while to (figure it out). I can’t remember or pinpoint exactly when he asked me something about it. He said, ‘Just keep doing it. You know what you are doing.’”
