When at peak fitness, Tiger Woods didn’t hold back when swinging a golf club. Watching Tiger at full throttle was one of the greatest sights in all of sports.
Woods recently admitted that when at his best, he snapped on the ball and played golf differently to current world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Speaking during the PGA Tour’s ‘Scottie 24’ documentary, Woods said: “We see shots into the greens very similar. How we miss golf balls in the correct spots is not always pretty, but it’s not about the here and now; it’s about playing the long game.
“I did it differently. My game was very violent at times. He [Scheffler] slid on it, I snap on it.”
After Woods split with Butch Harmon in the early 2000s, he joined forces with Hank Haney in a bid to take his swing to a new level. Many believe Woods’ desire to push his technique to the limits was the cause of his well-publicised back issues. Woods’ most recent surgery took place in September 2024.
What people never realised about Tiger Woods’ swing
Even during his early days before joining forces with Haney, Woods still looked like he was putting 110% into every shot.
After hiring Harmon in 1993, Woods went on to win his first major at the 1997 Masters. Just weeks later, competing at the Memorial Tournament, Woods revealed that he was only swinging at around 80%.
“About 80, max,” Woods said. “People don’t realise I’ve got another 30 yards on my game if I want it. And that’s something—see, the thing is, I can hit it 30 yards further, but I give up so much accuracy that way; therefore, I never do it.
“There are certain times when I can go ahead and dig down deep and hit it 15, 20 yards further, but I’m giving up a possibility of missing the fairway.”
Woods added: “It’s not that hard for me. It’s like Nolan Ryan throwing a fastball that goes only 90 miles an hour; he’s just cruising, and that’s about what I’m doing.”
- READ MORE: What Tiger Woods texted Max Homa after Kevin Kisner left him in tears with his bunker shot in TGL
Tiger Woods fastest swing speed
Many would have assumed Woods’ fastest speeds would have occurred during his dominance in the early to mid-2000s, such as his PGA Championship victory at Valhalla or US Open win at Pebble Beach.
However, in 2018, Woods demonstrated that his power and speed were still the gold standard of the PGA Tour.
Playing the Valspar Championship, the 15-time major winner clocked 129.2mph on the par-five 14th hole at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course. Woods’ tee shot was the fastest swing recorded during the 2018 season. Even in 2025, Woods posted some impressive numbers in the TGL (181mph).
It remains unclear when Woods will return to the PGA Tour after previously committing to playing the Genesis Invitational. The upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational or Players Championship could be potential return events for the 15-time major winner. There is also the possibility that the Masters will be the first time Woods will compete in 2025.
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