Tiger Woods learns about time and fame
By JEFF BABINEAU
The Orlando Sentinel
(KRT)
There are elements of his newfound fame that Tiger Woods is
finding cumbersome, such as being pestered for an autograph or
picture when he's dining out and his mouth is full. But he quickly
is learning that fame has its rewards, too.
Sunday was one of those good days. On a chamber-of-commerce
afternoon at Walt Disney World, Woods conducted the first in a
national series of youth clinics launched by the Tiger Woods Foundation,
an organization he has formed to improve minority participation
and opportunities in golf.
Isleworth's Woods, 21, who will play in this week's Bay Hill
Invitational, walked across the grounds of the new Wide World
of Sports Complex as the new pied piper of sports, providing instructional
tips, staging a shot-making exhibition and sharing his thoughts
about golf and life with about 50 young golf hopefuls who ranged
in age from 5 to 17.
"Do I enjoy fame?" Woods asked, repeating one of
the many a questions he received from one of his pint-sized admirers.
"Yes and no. The 'yes' part is that I get to do things like
this with you guys. I'm very blessed to do this. I'm very lucky.
The guy upstairs obviously wanted me to help out society in some
way, and this is my way of doing it."
Taking part in Woods' private instructional session at the
clinic's outset were 30 players from the Orlando Minority Youth
Golf Association and 20 more from Urban Junior Golf in Tampa.
Woods went from station to station, helping to square up grips,
alter players' postures and mix in a few words of advice.
Crystal Hawkins, 5, who stood only slightly taller than her
driver, knocked a shot about 50 yards down the lush green runway
that served as a makeshift range, and then promptly received a
high-five and bright smile from Woods.
"He's my favorite player," said Crystal's older sister,
Candese, who is 10. Crystal quickly agreed.
For T.J. Dorsey, executive director of the Orlando Minority
Youth Golf Association, Sunday marked something of a dream-come-true.
His association had modest roots six years ago, when he received
permission to bring five children to the Central Florida Fairgrounds
to hit golf balls.
Sunday, as far as Dorsey's eye could see, youths worked on
their golf swings. And he couldn't hide his pleasure as he walked
up and down the tee, watching Woods work one-on-one with his kids.
"This man is our hero, our champion and our role model,"
Dorsey said. "It's like I'm standing here in the middle of
some kind of dream. This is a fantasy."
The day's most enlightening moments arrived when Woods conducted
a question-and-answer session with his audience. They posed a
wide array of questions and learned many things about Woods: If
he has any fears (he's afraid of spiders), how he got the nickname
"Tiger" (he was named after one of his father's friends
in Vietnam), whether he'll one day have his own line of Nike shoes
(spring 1998), how many holes-in-one he's had (eight), whether
he has a girlfriend (no) and what he'll do when he wins his next
tour event ("I'm going to Disney World, I guess").
Dorsey received a $5,000 check from Nike for the OMYGA, and
Disney World donated $5,000 to the City of Orlando earmarked for
promoting inner-city golf in Orlando. Mayor Glenda Hood then gave
Woods the key to the city.
"Thank you for being who you are," Hood told Woods,
"and good luck."
Woods had these parting words: "This game is providing
an opportunity for you guys to express yourself, to have a good
time, and to compete. This vehicle called golf is an opportunity
for you to one day, later in life, provide yourself with an education.
Always have fun."
As Woods has learned, some days are more fun than others.
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