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Tiger Woods says swing coaches don't understand tournament pressure

Tiger Woods says swing coaches don't understand tournament pressure

To paraphrase Will Smith, Coaches just don't understand.

That's how Tiger Woods feels about golf coaches, including the three he's worked with over the course of his professional career. While not mentioning Butch Harmon, Hank Haney or Sean Foley by name, Woods believes their lack of tournament experience leaves them lacking in understanding high-pressure situations.

"I would have to say on the technical side, I probably don't know as much as some of them," Woods said Monday at a news conference for his World Challenge in December. "But from a feel standpoint, which is something I think is innate because of what we're able to do at such an elite level, yeah, I think I know a lot more than they do. Because they've never played down the stretch of a major championship. What do the hands feel? What does the body feel?"

Woods' coaches have suggested the 14-time major winner never incorporated all of their advice into his swing. He took what he wanted, eschewed what made little sense to him.

"Will they work on the back nine on a Sunday of a major? Either yes or no," Woods said. "And I think that's one thing I've always tried to tell all my coaches. Will it work or not work? And if it's not going to work, then we're not going down that road."

Woods said he has set no timetable and is in no rush to decide who, if anyone, will be his next swing coach. In fact, Woods could be his own coach for several months, like he was briefly after parting ways with Hank Haney in 2010.

Nevertheless, Woods expects to play what he terms a "full" schedule in 2014-15.


Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.