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Photographing Tiger
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Photographing Tiger Golf Digest’s Dom Furore has been documenting Woods for 28 years and counting
by dom furore
n 1985, I was just out of college and took an entry-level photography job at Golf Digest in Trumbull, Conn., owned then by The New York Times Company’s Sports & Leisure magazine division. To be honest, I was less interested in golf than I was in the number of consumer and trade publications the company owned. I didn’t plan to stay more than a year or two, just long enough to add published tear sheets to my portfolio to help launch my career. I
Well, I’m still here, and a big reason is because of one assignment that set the trajectory for my career—one that has included millions of frames and miles traveled to photograph golf courses, tournaments, instruction and, of course, golf legends. In 1992, Golf Digest Design Director Nick Didio asked me if I wanted to go to California and “photograph this young kid—Tiger Woods.” I jumped at the chance for a couple of reasons: I could visit some college buddies I hadn’t seen in a while, and take some photographs of an up-andcoming hot-shot golfer who was just 16 years old.
My assignment was to shoot a swing sequence using our Hulcher high-speed film camera. This was the first sequence of Tiger ever published in Golf Digest, and it has appeared in the magazine several times since. I was also asked to get some casual pictures of Tiger running. He had recently decided to join his high school’s track team, and it was an opportunity to see him doing something other than playing golf.
Tiger at age 16: “Polite, mature and could crush the ball.”
After photographing the swing sequence, we headed back to Woods’ home so Tiger could change clothes for the running picture. Unfortunately, he said his back was bothering him and that he didn’t feel like running. Scrambling a bit, I suggested taking a picture of him with his dog, Joey, in front of his house. After making the dog photo, I asked his mom and dad—Tida and Earl—to get in the photo, but back then, Tida was shy around photographers, so I ended up with a father-and-son portrait. After all these years and countless photos of Tiger later, these two pictures are still among my favorites.
When I returned to the Connecticut office with the film, Nick asked me what I thought of Tiger. I said something like, “Parents are really nice, and so is Tiger. Very polite and mature for his age, crushes the ball, but he’ll never make it as a pro. He’s too scrawny with a bad back.” Needless to say, Tiger’s career didn’t go the way I predicted.
After Tiger turned pro, he became a Playing Editor for Golf Digest, and we often worked together on his instruction articles. I spent time with him and Earl while photographing various events for Tiger’s foundation. I also got to go to Vietnam and photograph the family
young tiger Woods in 1996, a week after playing in his first event as a professional (left). Woods, age 16, with his dog, Joey (above), and his father, Earl, in front of his Cypress, Calif., childhood home in 1992.
of Tiger’s namesake, Col. Tiger Phong, to accompany Tom Callahan’s amazing story about Earl’s best friend in Vietnam. After that experience, I would often hear some great stories from Earl, which I always enjoyed.
I can tell you the “new” Tiger who people talk about seeing now, the one with a great sense of humor, is the only Tiger I’ve ever known. He has always been funny in a one-liner sort of way, and what most people don’t realise is that he gets this from his mom. Several years ago I got an assignment to accompany Tida to Thailand to visit a couple of orphanages Tiger sponsors through his foundation. That’s when I discovered where Tiger got his sense of humor. He also has her determination and mental toughness.
I’ve had a front-row seat watching Tiger become a world-class champion and the father of two great kids. I’ve photographed personal family moments and the highlights of his career, including his 15 major-championship wins. It’s been an honor and lot of fun.
More years ago than I care to remember, Tiger and I halfjokingly made a “deal,” and it was this: When he tees off at his first senior event, I’ll be waiting on the first tee to photograph his drive. But when he starts to walk down the fairway, that’s when I’ll head for the parking
lot, pack my gear, and put in for retirement.
Occasionally, out of the blue, he’ll walk up and say: “Hey, Dommie, how many more years of this do we have left?” If you’re reading this Tiger, it’s five. Five more. ▶
the reunion Family of Col. Tiger Phong, Earl Woods’ close friend from Vietnam whom Tiger Woods is named after, visits with Earl, Tida and Tiger at the Woods family home in Cypress, Calif., in 1997.
“I’ve had a front-row seat watching Tiger become a world-class champion.”
rain or shine Woods plays the par-5 13th at the 2004 Masters (above). “Tiger looked miserable at the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club in Straffan, Ireland (left), and that’s how I felt, too. By Sunday, it was the muddiest course I had ever seen—not a blade of grass was left outside the ropes.”
“The trophies cover was one of the more challenging ones to light.”
tiger slam Woods in 2000 with all his major trophies:
Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, U.S. Amateur and PGA Championship.
behind the scenes I scouted Cascata Golf Club near Las Vegas two weeks before the shoot and had a plastic-pipe scaffolding built for Woods to “walk on water” (below). Photographing Woods for a 2009 cover (above).
“I’ve photographed personal moments with family and professional highs.”
family ties Woods with former wife, Elin, their children, Sam and Charlie, and dogs in 2009 (above). Butch Harmon and Woods arrive at the Augusta National clubhouse in 1997 (left).
pure joy “I usually photograph the press conference with the winner after a major ends, but when Tiger won the 2005 Open at St. Andrews (below), I decided to wait outside the rear entrance of the media tent hoping to get something different. Sometimes I get lucky.” Woods after winning his fifth Masters and 15th major-championship title, in 2019 (right).
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