Why Tiger Abandoned his (Nearly) Perfect Swing in 1997

When Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters by 12 strokes at age 21, he did something that shocked the golf world. Instead of building on his historic victory, he completely rebuilt his swing.

“No, no,” he told his coach Butch Harmon, “I don’t want incremental change, I want a total remodel.”

This might seem like a reckless decision. But Tiger had a hidden advantage that made this audacious move far more calculated than most people realized: winning the Masters had earned him a 10-year exemption on the Tour. Unlike other pros who needed to maintain their performance to keep their Tour cards, Tiger had the luxury of time.

The Strategic Risk

“It’s common for elite athletes to constantly look for ways to maintain their edge and refine their skills,” a coach notes, “but there was no precedent for an athlete at the top of a sport to step down from the pinnacle for a prolonged period of time in hopes of getting better.”

Tiger’s reasoning went beyond just improving his game. His 10-year exemption created a unique window where he could make wholesale changes without risking his career. He wasn’t just being bold — he was being strategic.

The Long View

Even after dominating the Masters, Tiger saw weaknesses others couldn’t see:

“One night, a week or so later, after the elation had started to die down, I decided to sit down and watch a tape of the entire tournament. I was by myself, so I was really able to concentrate on critiquing my full swing to see if there was some flaw I might be able to work on. I didn’t see one flaw. I saw about 10.”

His explanation was simple but profound: “I needed to tighten my swing if I was going to have a chance of winning them [other majors]. Timing took me a long way at Augusta, but I couldn’t rely on such timing week in and week out.”

The Process

Tiger’s approach to improvement followed a pattern:

• Use periods of security to make bold changes

• Accept short-term performance drops

• Trust in the process of rebuilding

• Be patient with the timeline for improvement

As he explained: “I was making so many changes while still trying to play at a high level. I was getting top-ten finishes, but I wanted more stretches of making swings we were trying to implement. I got it for two holes, then four, then nine, then a whole round, then thirty-six holes, and fifty-four, and then a whole tournament.”

The Payoff

This willingness to take calculated risks paid off. After each major swing change, Tiger emerged as an even more complete player. “Every time he changed, Tiger had gotten better,” his coach noted. “The improvement might have come at a significant cost of effort and time, but to him it had been worth it.”

Lessons for Elite Performers

Tiger’s approach offers a powerful model for any elite performer:

1. Look for Low-Risk Windows

When do you have job security, financial cushion, or other advantages that create space for reinvention? These are your opportunities for bold changes.

2. Success Creates Opportunity

Use early successes to buy yourself time and space for bigger transformations.

3. Accept the Valley

Improvement often requires going through a valley of worse performance. The key is to minimize the consequences of that valley while maintaining your long-term vision.

The Bottom Line

At the height of his powers, Tiger Woods saw beyond his current success to the possibility of something greater. But more importantly, he recognized a rare window of opportunity where the cost of failure was lower than usual. He turned his greatest victory into an opportunity for even greater growth.

In your domain, where might you have a similar window of opportunity? And are you bold enough to use it?

Your Challenge for the Week

This week, channel Tiger’s strategic mindset. Don’t just look for incremental improvements — look for opportunities where your current success creates space for transformative change. 

Remember: sometimes the best time to rebuild is right after your biggest win.

Want more?

If you got this far, I bet you’ll enjoy my full podcast on Tiger’s mental approach. We cover his “Cold Blooded Assassin” alter ego, the psychological games he played with his opponents, and his strategic view of performance.

Check it out:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple

Book Recommendation

Thinking in Bets: https://amzn.to/4jZPYMI

I think this book really puts into perspective the long term thinking that Tiger used during his first swing change. Making good decisions is about thinking about long term expected value. 

Annie Duke, a former World Series of Poker champion turned business consultant, draws on examples from business, sports, politics, and (of course) poker to share tools anyone can use to embrace uncertainty and make better decisions. For most people, it’s difficult to say “I’m not sure” in a world that values and, even, rewards the appearance of certainty. But professional poker players are comfortable with the fact that great decisions don’t always lead to great outcomes and bad decisions don’t always lead to bad outcomes.