My Arizona memory of meeting the father of Tiger Woods

No one has grown the game of golf and all their industries worldwide more than Tiger Woods.

I listened to his acceptance speech at the World Golf Hall Of Fame and he, respectfully, gave credit to his parents, who mortgaged their home to get Tiger into Junior Golf tournaments for exposure to get a college golf scholarship.

His dad raised him to be relentless in practicing efficient fundamentals, to not just be a good golfer, but to be the best. His dad told him, “Nothing is given to you and you must do the work diligently, earn it and sacrifice to win championships.”

Tiger talked about lacing up his golf shoes outside the parking lot for his Junior Golf tournaments because many of the country clubs he played at did not allow people of color in their locker rooms. After lacing up his golf shoes he asked country club members where was the first tee and what was the club record.

I met his dad, Earl, a retired Army Coronel in Special Services as a Green Beret during the Vietnam War, at ASU Karsten’s Golf Course when Tiger was playing a Junior Golf tournament there.

Bill Huffman was the Arizona Republic golf writer at the time and predicted Tiger Woods would be the next Jack Nicklaus. I tore the article out and gave it to Tiger’s dad. I told him he should be very proud of his son, and I hoped Tiger was visually efficient to see easy in order to play by feel?

I will never forget the way Earl shook my hand. I was raised in a steel mill town where your parents taught you to shake people’s hands firmly and look them square in the eye. Earl Woods did that to me, but I looked at my hand and it took four seconds for my blood to reenter my right hand. I admired that and know where Tiger got his winning instinct and toughness to succeed to become the best.

My question is why did it take so long for Tiger to get this honor to finally become a member of the World Golf Hall Of Fame?