Influence Of Tiger Woods On The Sport Of Golf

The Tiger Effect Golf is defined simply as a game where wooden or metal clubs are used to hit a small, white ball into a hole. One of the oldest structured games in existence, golf traces its roots back to Scotland in the 1400’s. Throughout centuries, golf has been a game enjoyed almost exclusively by affluent white males, largely because club memberships are expensive and restrictive. That all changed in 1996, when a young African American prodigy erupted on the scene, changing the landscape and the culture of golf forever. Eldrick “Tiger” Woods transformed the game of golf by breaking down racial barriers, revolutionizing the stereotypical image of golfers, and annihilating fields of elite players. Prior to Woods’ entry into the professional ranks of golf, the ethnic diversity of the competitors was negligible, and the few that played had been incapable of expanding the game to a broader audience. However, when Tiger emerged in the mid 1990’s, he not only vowed to win, but he delivered on his promises, subsequently amassing a legion of fans along the way. The menacing “Tiger fist-pump” and the deafening “Tiger roars” reverberated throughout the crowds …show more content…
So great is his influence on the landscape of both golf and sports in general that countless historians have spent their entire careers documenting the “Tiger Effect.” Australian superstar, Jason Day, Japanese upstart, Hideki Matsuyama, and African American rookie sensation, Tony Finau, all credit the legend as their inspiration. While his potential impact has currently been cut short due to a variety of injuries, the sports world eagerly anticipates his return. In his absence, the physically superior, ethnically diverse disciples whom he has methodically cultivated, will no doubt strive to advance the legacy he has