Whether it is viscous rumor, a truly viable family option or a brilliant public relations "leak," the Sun is reporting that Tiger Woods is considering quitting the game of golf in order to save his marriage. If it is true, it brings up several considerations. If it is false, it actually may be something for Woods to consider, at least for now.
From a practical perspective, golf is not and never was the cause of Tiger Woods' family problems. In fact, golf can't even truly be listed as a symptom. For Tiger Woods' golf is as much or more of a job than a game. No game or job can force a man to break his marriage vows, although professional athletes have many more temptations to do so than the average guy with the average job.
If the rumors of Tiger's many affairs are true, then from a practical standpoint, quitting golf, at least for now, may be the only way to beat the root cause of his cheating. If he is a sex addict, there would simply be too much temptation away from home. The revelation that he is willing to cheat on his wife and likes sex will not dissuade groupie types from throwing themselves at him. Quite the contrary. It would embolden them.
Safe at home, perhaps in an isolated villa in Europe, under the watchful eye of his wife, would be the only for him to guarantee that he would be free of temptation. Assuming that his wife wants to try to salvage their marriage, and that he does too, playing golf professionally may be incompatible with recovery and reconciliation.
The larger question is why would somebody like Woods who seemingly had it all, throw it all away? He is a smart man and he had to know what he was risking by his behavior. People assume that he loves the game of golf, but perhaps that isn't really true. Perhaps golf has been his burden to bear in fulfilling the hopes and dreams of his late father, and then the obligations to his family, fans, the PGA and his many sponsors.
Perhaps sex was Woods' cry for help and his way to exit from the sport he dominates, and from the public light. Whether consciously or not, perhaps he orchestrated this a long time ago.
If Woods actually likes playing pro golf, perhaps a retirement announcement is still the perfect PR move for now. By staying around the sport and the public eye he will never be forgotten or left alone. On the other hand, if he disappears for two or three years to a place where he is not seen or heard from, he could emerge, perhaps with an intact family unit, and announce his comeback.
The more the headlines and tweets continue, and the more details of his downfall that are revealed, the more it seems like "retirement" is the best option for now.
Everybody likes a comeback. For Woods to play a hole of golf in 2010 or 2011 would be a slap in the face to his fans and to his family. He does have bigger fish to fry for now, and he has absolutely nothing to prove in golf. If he does retire and then come back, even in five or ten years from now, does anybody seriously doubt that he would still be the best golfer in the world?
Addiction and family problems are not healed overnight or even in months. The sporting world is very forgiving of behavior like Tiger's, but in order to ride an eventual wave of renewed fan acceptance and support, he needs to disappear for now.
To that end, if the rumors that Tiger Woods has quit golf are not true, they should be, at least for now.
