Training a Tiger: Raising a Winner in Golf and Life

An educator, top-ranked college ball player and Green Beret who served in Vietnam, Earl Woods reveals the instruction and training secrets that went into raising a child who might be the greatest golfer ever. His teaching method starts with the simplest swings: Putting, chipping and pitching, and doesn't introduce the full swing until the basics have been mastered. The book includes dozens of games and competitions to make golf fun and interesting, teaches mental toughness and emphasizes skills, posture, balance, set-up and grip.

There are also some subtler points for parents to consider: when and how to introduce golf (or any sport) to their child; how to lay the groundwork for open communication; and how to cultivate the right attitude toward competition. Through an intelligent mix of instruction, humor and common sense, Training a Tiger  helps parents everywhere lead their kids to love the game, and to play it with confidence, patience, proficiency and passion.

Earl Woods was the first African-American baseball player in the Big Eight Conference. When his parents advised him to put away his baseball glove to pursue a career in education, he listened -- but when his country called, he served two tours as a Green Beret in Vietnam. Woods remained in the army where he taught until he retired with the rank of colonel in 1974. Earl's experiences have uniquely qualified him as a teacher, coach and mentor and he sees his work with son Tiger's golf and academic careers as the culmination of his life's work.

Peter McDaniel is an award-winning senior writer at Golf Digest magazine.