When Tiger Woods turned professional in August 1996, progress came through mailed letters and patience.

Nearly three decades later, Woods agrees the sport his son is entering barely resembles the one that saw his rise. Speaking to Golfweek at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas earlier this week.

Tiger Woods described today’s recruiting environment as faster and very different.

“We didn’t have cell phones,” Woods said. “We would have written letters that would show up in the mailbox. It’s just a different world. Not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just different.”

The comments come as Charlie Woods continues to rise as a serious junior player in 2025. Ranked near the top of the American Junior Golf Association standings for the class of 2027, major college programs are already eyeing Charlie.

The same was on full display on November 15, when Tiger Woods and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren stood beside the green in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, watching Charlie compete in the Florida Class 1A state championship.

Playing as the top seed, Charlie helped The Benjamin School secure its fifth state title and its first since 2023.

“It’s fun to be a part of the process with Charlie,” Woods told Golfweek, pointing to improved scores, expanding opportunities, and the freedom his son now has to choose where he wants to play.

The recruiting process itself reflects how dramatically the sport has evolved. Where Tiger once waited for letters, Charlie now receives constant texts, calls, videos, and feedback from college coaches operating in real time.

Also, this must remind Tiger of the first time they came together on the course.

Tiger Woods first partnered with Charlie Woods at the PNC Championship

They finished seventh on their debut event in 2020. In 2021, Team Woods surged to second place, thanks to 11 consecutive birdies in the final round, finishing behind John Daly and his son. 

Their lowest result came in 2022 with a tied-eighth finish, before rebounding to shared fifth in 2023, six shots back of Bernhard Langer. The format has suited Tiger physically, while Charlie’s improvement has made Team Woods a tournament fixture.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu