Tiger Woods gives golf advice to Derek Jeter
NASSAU, Bahamas — Derek Jeter was in Tiger Woods’ ear.
The retired New York Yankees icon, who didn’t play golf during the days and nights he wore the pinstripes but was bit by the golf bug shortly after hanging up his baseball spikes, joined Woods for a casual round Monday on the back nine of the Albany Golf Club.
It was the first time the two played golf together as Jeter is working to improve on his handicap that hovers around 10 and Woods was readying himself to make his highly anticipated return to competitive golf on Thursday in the first round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany.
Oh, and the two were joined by fellow former Yankee Tino Martinez and 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose in the powerhouse group. Among the sand dunes that border the emerald course, good-natured ribbing was abundant from the 10th tee to the 18th green. Woods also flowed with advice to Jeter about golf, from questions about the swing, the short game and chipping.
“He’s addicted to playing golf now,” Woods said. “I had talked with guys who had played with him when he first started and they said he was spraying it around. But now he’s focused. He likes to practice, likes to play. He does his fitting. You can tell he’s analyzing his swing, he’s asking questions. He asked me a bunch of technical questions about the game. He wants to learn. And he asks the right questions.”
Jeter, 42, who retired following the 2014 season and counts five World Series rings, 3,465 hits and 1,923 runs among his accomplishments, soaked in the atmosphere and knowledge along with the ample sun rays.
“This is a blast,” Jeter said. “You’re playing with Tiger Woods. Doesn’t get any better than that.”
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The quick nine – a day after Woods hit balls for more than two hours and before another long session on the range – was ideal for the winner of 79 PGA Tour titles and 14 majors as he got ready to play his first competitive round since August 2015, when he finished in a tie for 10th in the Wyndham Championship.
“I hit it good today,” said Woods, the former world No. 1 for a record 683 weeks who fell to No. 898 in the official world golf rankings on Monday.
He hit a lot, too. After taking 35-37 strokes to complete the back nine – he made two birdies and his best shot was his 360-yard drive at the downwind par-5 15th – he spent 90 minutes at the back of the range.
While Woods, 40, was a fountain of information for Jeter and Martinez, he was in their ears, too, about matters of the body. After his extended range session on Sunday, Woods said he hit the hot tub and received other treatment to keep his surgically repaired left knee and surgically repaired back in order. And he hit the gym Monday morning before rolling into the Albany clubhouse parking lot on his golf cart to greet Jeter and Martinez.
“I was talking to Jetes about it and Tino. How long did it take them to get ready for each game?” Woods said. “And it took them from 3 to 4 hours as they got older. And it’s the same thing for me. I was in the gym with (Rose), and he’s in there doing the same thing. He’s 36 now, and it takes him an hour, hour and a half, just to be able to go and hit balls.
“You have to activate the muscles. … We miss the days going to the first tee and hitting a drive 300 yards with a balata ball and a persimmon driver. You can’t do that anymore.”
But the days of Woods heading to the first tee are back. He’s got his speed and power back, he’s shaping shots and he’s healthy.
“All is good,” he said on the 15th tee. “Body feels good, swing feels good, game feels good. I’m on track.”
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