50 Golf Quotes That Tiger Woods Lives By

May 12, 2025

1–10: Tiger’s Own Words

These quotes are directly from Tiger Woods, taken from interviews, press conferences, and his autobiography.

"Winning takes care of everything."
"You have to look at the past in order to learn from it and move on."
"I smile at obstacles."
"No matter how good you get, you can always get better—and that’s the exciting part."
"The greatest thing about tomorrow is, I will be better than I am today."
"Achievements on the golf course are not what matters; decency and honesty are what matter."
"My main focus is on my game."
"I like to pick my targets and go after them."
"The biggest thing is to have a mind-set and a belief you can win every tournament."
"I love to compete. That’s the essence of who I am."

11–25: Golf Wisdom That Matches Tiger’s Mindset

These are quotes by other players, coaches, and thinkers that reflect the way Tiger approaches golf.

"Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character." — Arnold Palmer
"The most important shot in golf is the next one." — Ben Hogan
"Golf is a puzzle without an answer. I've played the game for 50 years and I still haven't the slightest idea how to play." — Gary Player
"Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work." — Jack Nicklaus
"You can talk to a fade but a hook won't listen." — Lee Trevino
"It's not how you start, it's how you finish."
"Pressure is a privilege." — Billie Jean King (often quoted in sports by Tiger and others)
"Champions keep playing until they get it right." — Billie Jean King
"The road to success is always under construction."
"Don’t be too proud to take lessons. I’m not." — Jack Nicklaus
"A bad attitude is worse than a bad swing."
"Golf is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win." — Ben Hogan
"The more I practice, the luckier I get." — Gary Player
"Focus on process, not outcome."
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

26–40: Mindset and Motivation

These quotes transcend golf—they’re about perseverance, resilience, and self-belief, all traits Tiger embodies.

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."
"You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take." — Wayne Gretzky
"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing." — Pelé
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." — Jim Rohn
"Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision." — Muhammad Ali
"You don’t have to be the best—you just have to be relentless."
"You earn your trophies at practice. You just pick them up at tournaments."
"Fall seven times, stand up eight." — Japanese Proverb
"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." — Beverly Sills
"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom." — George S. Patton
"Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." — Bruce Lee
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal." — Henry Ford
"Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up."
"Mind over muscle."
"If you’re going through hell, keep going." — Winston Churchill