Why Tiger Woods quitting golf is actually good PR
Finally! Tiger Woods has managed to play a shot at some decent publicity out of the rough that has been his life for the last few weeks. One suspects that as it involves him taking ‘an indefinite break’ from playing golf – the nuclear option – was not thought up by his blundering PR team.
Since that first story appeared at Thanksgiving in the National Enquirer, it has been like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The world’s best golfer has been played by savvy media while his public relations team, presumably more adept at arranging a photo opportunity than dealing with a crisis, has never left the bunker. (photo above by DanPerry.com via Flickr)
We may never know, but there is a really good chance that some journalists knew about Tiger Woods’ infidelities. That initial story in the easily dismissed National Enquirer was a test, simply designed to test the water. The events in Florida with that very public car crash and tales of his wife chasing after him with a golf club, simply proved that there was truth in the rumours.
From then it was open season on Tiger’s reputation and each clumsy statement about contrition and refuting rumours served only to make his fall from grace all the more spectacular.
I was reminded of an angel-faced teenager who was caught shoplifting by a crew I was riding with during my time as a Thames Valley Police press officer. Tears and begging that his was his first time did seem genuine – but a few hours later, sat with his solicitor, he asked for 40 other offences to be taken into consideration.
Now Tiger doesn’t seem to have told his wife the truth, so expecting him to tell journalists is probably a tall order! But taking the moral high ground was destined to fail and only served make the headlines bigger.
Then came the statement via his website that he was taking ‘an indefinite break from professional golf’ which is a master stroke on so many levels. Firstly if you see or read about the public response there is for the first time dismay. Absolutely he was a hound dog, but don’t stop entertaining us with your golf!
Chances are though it is another paragraph that really matters – and I’m not talking about the ‘being a better husband, father, and person’. Tiger Woods is more than that – he is a global money making brand and his multi-million dollar sponsors must be jittery. Hence the line: ‘I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding.’ This gives sponsors the chance to be compassionate rather than punitive and thus protect their relationship with Tiger Woods for when he does return to the game – and of course he will.
First to grab this olive branch was Gillette and while it is reported they have ‘dumped’ the golfer, it is far friendlier than that. They said: "As Tiger takes a break from the public eye, we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs." Expect other sponsors to take a similar stance.
The truth is that Tiger Woods golf skills are without equal and his pulling power means that most sponsors know that shooting the goose that lays the golden eggs will backfire when the Tiger roars back on to the circuit, probably after what must be an inevitable and expensive divorce.
To be fair taking a break to focus on his personal life would not have worked much sooner. Played too soon it would have looked cynical as more infidelities were revealed and indeed if yet more come out it will decrease in its effectiveness.
Ultimately Tiger Woods has been the architect of his own incongruent designs. By presenting himself as a clean living, loyal and private family man it meant the slightest sniff of scandal would be all the more delectable to the capacious appetites of the media.
You have to wonder the naivety of the golfer too; did he honestly think that he would get away with sleeping with so many different women? He may have been able to buy the silence of the odd one or two, but each headline lets the next waitress know she wasn’t as special as she thought. Turns out that Tiger Woods isn’t so special either.