Jon Rahm has asked Tiger Woods for putting advice more than once.
And more than once, he’s walked away with… not much.
“It’s all about feel,” Tiger said once, then walked off the practice green. That was the extent of the lesson. No breakdown of pace, no tip on reading grain, no quick alignment trick. Just that. Feel.
Another time, Rahm asked about chipping into the grain. Tiger glanced at him and said, “You just got to be shallow.”
That was it. Again.
It’s become a bit of a pattern. Rahm asks. Tiger shrugs. Maybe smiles. Maybe walks away. No detailed drills. No secret sauce.
But here’s the twist: Justin Thomas, standing just a few feet away, often gets a full masterclass.
One-Liners for Rahm, Dissertations for JT
This isn’t some one-off fluke. Rahm has joked about it in interviews. Asked if Tiger ever shares real insight with him, he admitted, “I get nothing.”
Meanwhile, Thomas—Tiger’s so-called “little brother”—gets what can only be described as personal coaching.
We’re talking stroke drills. Face-angle cues. Nuances on grass grain. How to read cups from different angles. Augusta green scouting reports. The works.
On one trip to Augusta National ahead of The Masters, Tiger took Thomas through the paces with speed notes and line-reading sessions. No vague “feel” nonsense. Real intel.
The kind of stuff Rahm has never received.
Why Rahm’s Left Out
There’s no bad blood here. Rahm doesn’t seem bitter. More amused than anything.
And let’s be honest—Tiger isn’t obligated to share the secrets. This is a guy who built his entire legacy on doing things his way. Tight circle. Trust earned. Advice dispensed selectively.
Rahm’s gotten close enough to ask questions. But not close enough to get the real answers.
When you watch it play out—Tiger turning away from Rahm after a one-liner, then leaning in with Justin—it almost feels like an inside joke. One that Rahm is in on. Barely.
The Tiger Trust Circle
Woods isn’t handing out swing tips like candy on Halloween. He chooses his people.
Justin Thomas made the cut. Why? Could be their time spent together, their shared practice rounds, or Tiger’s sense that JT listens and applies exactly what he’s told.
There’s also an emotional trust element. If Tiger shares something, it’s not ending up in a soundbite. It’s getting worked on in silence. JT’s proven that.
Rahm, for all his talent and respect for Tiger, just isn’t in that circle. At least not yet.
The Advice Rahm Did Get
To be fair, Tiger hasn’t completely ghosted Rahm.
He gave him some advice. Sort of.
At East Lake in 2018, when Rahm asked about putting on Bermuda grass, Tiger told him, “It’s all about feel.” Then left.
At Albany, it was, “Be shallow,” for chipping into the grain. That’s better than nothing, technically. But in the world of elite-level prep, it’s like asking how to cook brisket and being told, “Just use heat.”
It’s not wrong. It’s just…not helpful.
Rahm Gets It. Mostly.
Jon Rahm’s no fool. He knows the game inside the game. He understands that Tiger treats information like a locked vault.
And you get the sense he doesn’t take it personally.
When he talks about it publicly, there’s a grin. A bit of self-awareness. He knows that when Tiger’s talking to Thomas, they’re not just chatting about lunch. He knows there’s a playbook being shared—and he’s not reading it.
But that’s okay. Rahm’s not struggling. He’s not chasing mentorship. He just wanted a tip or two from the GOAT. Instead, he got a shrug and a smile.
It’s a Tiger Thing
Some people get the full Tiger treatment.
Others get one word: “Feel.”
And maybe that’s Tiger’s way of teaching. Maybe it’s a test. Or maybe it’s just how he keeps the edge sharp—by keeping his circle tight and his wisdom tighter.
Either way, Rahm probably won’t stop asking.
But unless something changes, he already knows the answer.
It’s feel.
“I get nothing.” — Jon Rahm, on Tiger Woods’ putting tips
