“He wanted to always be consciously doing something to get better. It was as if he needed the stimulation and the challenge to stay motivated.” This is what Hank Haney said about Tiger Woods in his book The Big Miss.
As much as this was a comment on Wood’s swing refinement, it was also Haney’s way of making it clear that he had little to do with Tiger’s constant tinkering. Over the years, countless people have debated the impact of his various coaches — especially the eight years with Hank Haney. But the discourse also had most people blaming Haney’s coaching style, and One such blame has come from veteran analyst and commentator, Mark Allen.
In a podcast episode of Talk Birdie To Me, a fan questioning session brought about an interesting observation. He brought up Tiger Woods‘s former caddie Steve Williams‘s book Together We Roared, where Williams shared that Woods’s constant tinkering with his swing was entirely his own doing and not dictated by his coaches. Based on this, the fan suggested that perhaps Allen —who has long been critical of Haney’s coaching—owed the coach an apology.
To this, Allen was very clear. “Tiger won majors under Hank purely from talent and short game. The golf swing under Hank was nothing like the golf swing he had in the 1990s or the 2000 US Open under Butch (Harmon). So, he gets no apology from me. Bad luck, Hank.”
As a seasoned analyst and former touring professional, Allen has maintained that Haney’s technical overhaul disrupted rather than complemented the GOAT’S natural rhythm, diluting the swing that made him legendary.
It’s not like Hank’s coaching didn’t help Tiger. He did provide Woods with some technical brilliance, with many viewing that period as a turning point in Woods’s career. There were some improvements in terms of his iron play, particularly from the “Red Zone,” but he also saw a decline in his driving accuracy.
After watching Tiger’s latest swing video, Hank Haney believes Woods’ swing is one “he could win with.” https://t.co/08zyNaIvlm pic.twitter.com/Rx9D02lWkP
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 17, 2017
Nonetheless, Woods won 6 majors under Haney, but the critics never halted their blame, even today. Although in The Big Miss, Haney tried to justify his role by claiming Tiger needed a change because he couldn’t keep up with Butch’s loud talks, as it was wearing him down, this explanation did little to save his reputation. What’s interesting is, even after Woods parted ways with Haney, he kept changing his swing style— under Sean Foley and Chris Como — to up his game.
“I’m absolutely certain if Tiger stayed…and put up with the loud talking Butch, I reckon he would have won 25 majors, Allen added. He hinted at the apparent toll that Woods’s career took due to his years with Haney.
Regardless, Haney in his book also reflected on their time together as “a great opportunity” and said he never sought to change Tiger, instead guiding him in ways that tuned into Tiger’s unique approach.
So, whether Woods would have won more majors if he had stayed with Butch Harmon will always be up for debate, but there is no doubt that Butch played a crucial role in Woods’s formative years as a coach.
Tiger Woods’s early days with Butch Harmon
Tiger Woods’ early years with Butch Harmon, starting from 1993, set the stage for an aggressive, flowing swing that saw him dominating the late 90s and early 2000s. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, wanted Butch to guide his son after he witnessed the latter’s great run with Greg Norman. For years, till Woods turned pro, Butch didn’t charge a single penny from him. Eventually, Tiger won 8 majors (he has won 15 total) under him, even completing a ‘Tiger Slam‘ in the 2000-2001 season.
“When he was under Butch, there was no getting stuck in that golf swing, that’s for certain. And he just let it rip. And the freedom he played with was so impressive,” remarked Nick O Hern in an episode of Talk Birdie To Me.
At the same time, Mark Allen also recalls Woods’s multiple swing evolutions, including his stunning 1997 Masters win by 12 shots—a victory so commanding that Tiger himself felt compelled to tinker with the swing afterwards. “I reckon he had, I can count like five different swings,” he remarked.
He also highlighted a subtle but crucial detail about Tiger’s swing path—what’s known as “across the line.” The phrase refers to the club’s path relative to the target line. Tiger’s early swing had a pronounced inside-to-out path, which Butch refined without losing its natural power. “I think that tiny bit across the line is the perfect spot to be…my god, it was the most beautiful looking action I can ever imagine,” Allen said about Woods.
The golf world often tiptoes around coaching debates, but what’s true is that these coaching relationships can make or break even the greatest careers. Tiger Woods is lucky that it was the former for him.
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