Tiger Woods is easily one of the most recognized names in sports. He has won 14 professional golf tournaments, he was ranked number 1 for six years consecutively, and he is 1st on the all-time career money winners list collecting over 100+ million dollars since 1996. So it’s not surprising that many people aspire to be just like him.
This proves that Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golf players ever and presents the question: How did he do it? How many hours a day did Tiger Woods practice?
What is his secret for having such outstanding achievements in less than 20 years? Let’s find out more about how Tiger practiced becoming so successful.
How Many Hours A Day Did Tiger Woods Practice?
Woods’ all-encompassing routine took up 12 hours of each day. While the course accounted for a significant portion of this time, he also spent much in the weight room. He began his day with a cardio session, often running or cycling for long distances.
He spent the next two hours working out before eating breakfast after finishing his cardio. He then went to the golf course for a few hours before coming home and completing a less rigorous workout at the gym.
Road to Success
Tiger Woods was introduced to the game of golf at the age of two by his father, who taught him grip, swing, and breathing techniques. He went on to win his first junior tournament at age six, and by age eight, he had won over 30 events! After that, there was no stopping him from there.
At the age of fourteen, Tiger held a national record for lowest score (63) in the Junior 18-hole event. The following year, at only 15 years old, he became the youngest winner of the United States Junior Amateur Championship. Later that year, at age sixteen, he won both the ten and under Junior World Golf Championships and the Junior PGA Championship – making him the first person ever to win those two events in one year.
Tiger maintained a 4.0-grade point average during high school and was the number one ranked junior golfer in the country.
After graduating from high school, he attended Stanford University, whereby his second year of college, at only 21 years old, he became the youngest player to win the U.S. Amateur Championship. He later left Stanford to turn professional with a seven-year $40 million contract with Nike.
Tiger has won 14 Major professional golf tournaments, and he continues to be the youngest player to accomplish numerous “youngest player of the year awards.” He is also tied for most tournament wins in a season (8) and the lowest scoring average (68.69).
In 2009 Tiger’s name was listed at number 1 position on Forbes Magazine’s list of the highest-paid athletes with a total earning of $110 million. Forbes also named him as a top sportsman in 2009 and 2010.
With all of these accomplishments, it’s not surprising that Tiger has been sought after as a commercial endorser for many companies including, but not limited to Nike Golf, Buick, Gillette, and Gatorade. In March 2010, he was named the highest-paid athlete endorser earning over $30 million from endorsements each year.
Can I Practice Too Much?
Tiger Woods is proof that hard work pays off, and with enough dedication, you can become the best. However, working too much can actually be counterproductive. Tiger’s father was a rigorous coach, and this helped him to succeed early in his career. Still, when he became weary of his father, he developed a new approach which became an essential step in becoming successful.
As a beginner, practice as much as you can for the first few years, but after becoming good at it, practice less and focus on other things, including the more advanced techniques like the “mental game” and the “course management.”
It is better to spend time doing other activities like playing with your friends, working on different parts of your game (swinging, putting, etc.), in addition to practicing. This way, you will work more efficiently and effectively.
How Often Should a Beginner Practice?
Beginners should practice about 2 hours a day, but it’s better to break up your time into 30 minutes two times a day. This will allow you and your muscles to take a break and continue with greater enthusiasm.
As a beginner, focus on one thing at a time! For example: work on the grip for 30 minutes before going to the lesson, then work on putting, followed by chipping and pitching after hitting balls.
By performing different techniques in succession, you will learn much more efficiently as you can watch yourself doing it rather than looking from outside yourself.
If you only have an hour of free time, make sure that it’s quality time- spend practicing something important to your game!
How to Fit in Practice with a Busy Schedule
As a beginner, if you can’t find enough time to practice, then start by cutting down on the useless things that waste your time, such as watching television or playing video games.
Even though you should continue doing these things in moderation, it will be a good idea to reduce their frequency and spend more time practicing instead.
If necessary, wake up earlier before going to work or school so you can fit in a couple of hours at the driving range or putting green. This way you’ll not only have more free time but also become a better player!
You can also invest in some practice equipment like a mini putting green or a golf simulator that allows you to practice your swing and play a simulated round.
Though this might seem like an expense, it’s actually pretty cheap compared to what you would pay for a golf lesson or playing lessons. Furthermore, those who invest in these practice aids will be able to improve their game at home and on the course!
Final Thoughts
Tiger Woods is proof that practice makes perfect. Through relentless dedication to honing his craft and improving his game, he managed to truly become one of the greatest professionals ever to grace this great sport.
Though it may seem that you are not improving your game because of your busy schedule, you will surely be able to surprise yourself when you start playing well!
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