The illustrious career of Tiger Woods is like a dream that every other pro golfer would like to achieve. The 82x PGA Tour winner has nearly broken every record in golf to become one of the most legendary pros in the history of the sport. With 15 major victories, he has consistently dominated the game against some of the most distinguished players like Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els, and many more.

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Many young players look up to him and want to learn everything they can about him to improve their own game. During a recent interview with Par 3 Podcast, one of Tiger Woods’s former coaches revealed another secret about the golf legend that might give us some insights into his level of dedication. The person in question is Sean Foley, Tiger Woods’s coach from 2010-2014.

During the podcast, Sean talked about various aspects of life and how every individual’s character is defined by their early-age experiences. That’s when he shared the example of Tiger Woods‘s upbringing. He discussed one of Woods’s habits that might have helped him remain successful for so long. The coach mentioned how Kultida Woods, being a Thai Buddhist, made her son follow one of the primary principles of Buddhism.

Quoting Kultida Woods, Sean said, “That was a non-negotiable. You are going to meditate.” Kultida turned meditation into a mandatory activity for Tiger Woods throughout his youth. Sean stated the importance of meditation as it has been a healthy practice followed by human beings for thousands of years.

Then the former coach moved towards Tiger Woods’s father as he said, “His father is a Green Beret in Vietnam,” as he discussed Earl Woods’s military commitments. He further added, “In Vietnam, you can go to war for America but you can’t vote in America. You don’t have equal rights.” as he pointed out the discrimination in the rules. Sean mentioned how Woods’s father met one of his closest friends, Tiger during his time in the military. That’s where Tiger Woods got his name from.

Talking about the intricate background of Woods’s parents, Sean said, “Tiger grew up with this Eastern way of being. And then was taught by a special forces guy on how to be special.” Woods’s former coach mentioned how “if you’re telling yourself you’re special, you’re overcoming obstacles” as he explained that having a positive mentality helps you overcome a lot of “challenges” in your life. However, Sean did clarify that just telling yourself that you’re special doesn’t help you become great. You also have to overcome “adversities.”

This is not the first time Kultida Woods’s influence on her son has come to light. In fact, Tiger Woods has previously admitted how his mother deserves the credit for his discipline on the course. Let’s see what he had to say.

Raising Tiger Woods over the years

Another coach of Tiger Woods revealed what Kultida made her son do to keep him focused. Hughes Norton, Tiger Woods’s first golf coach discussed it in a recent interview he had in Golf Journal’s podcast. Recollecting the memories of visiting a teen Tiger Woods in his room, Hughes said, “He had posters on the wall. He, [Jack] Nicklaus, was a big hero of his. There were no quarterbacks, there were no beautiful movie stars, you know, girl posters that it was all golf.”

While it all seemed normal, one thing that Norton observed surprised him. He couldn’t see any of the trophies Tiger Woods had won during his junior years. When he questioned the 12-year-old Woods about it, the young pro said, “Mom made me get rid of them.” Woods was nonchalant about the situation as he further added, “It’s fine. I don’t care. I’ll just win some more.” That’s the kind of response you can expect from someone who is confident about his abilities. Hughes was impressed by the young Tiger Woods but was still surprised about how Kultida raised her son.

While her methods may have seemed unorthodox at first, we know now that they worked brilliantly considering her son’s success. What do you think about how Tiger Woods was raised? Would you agree with the strict regulations Kultida Woods set for her son to ensure that he has the right mindset to be the best? Let us know in the comments section!