Comments on: Tiger Woods’ successor is just 11 years-old http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/10/09/the-next-tiger-woods-could-be-josh-martin-11-years-old/ The Roar is a sports opinion website. We tackle sports opinion rather than simply sports news. And we embed user-generated content — in the form of articles and comments — into the fabric of the site. Featuring some of the best sports writers in Australia — including the Sydney Morning Herald's Spiro Zavos — The Roar aims to be the leading sports website in Australia. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:30:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Phil Coorey http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/10/09/the-next-tiger-woods-could-be-josh-martin-11-years-old/#comment-79522 Phil Coorey Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:34:51 +0000 http://www.theroar.com.au/?p=11260#comment-79522 Dad sounds like a real great guy - those boys are blessed Dad sounds like a real great guy - those boys are blessed

]]> By: Greg Russell http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/10/09/the-next-tiger-woods-could-be-josh-martin-11-years-old/#comment-79429 Greg Russell Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:29:24 +0000 http://www.theroar.com.au/?p=11260#comment-79429 Spiro writes "There are few other cases in golf where this sort of success has followed a single-minded determination by a parent to force a child into sporting stardom." The phenomenon under discussion here - that of relentless training as a child - is not a golf-specific issue but a sporting one in general. I am not sure that Spiro is correct. Personally I find the stories about the the Martin boys and the young Tiger remarkably similar to those of Bradman the boy, spending hour after hour hitting a golf ball with a cricket stump against a tank. The only difference here would seem to be that Bradman was self-motivated even as a boy. I don't know when it started, but one of Tiger's distinguishing features as an adult is his incredible level of self-motivation and focus (again, both recall Bradman to an uncanny extent). It is not unreasonable to liken the record of Tiger to that of Bradman. Apparently there are videos of Andre Agassi playing tennis rallies as a three-year old, something that can only have been the result of relentless parental training as well as massive natural talent (as the father of a 4 year old who has just started tennis lessons, I can say this with great confidence about the young Agassi). And I think most of us are aware that Maradona could juggle a football for hours on end as a boy. Or we have read about the number of hours of training that gymnasts and divers did to get to the pinnacle of their sport. Spiro writes “There are few other cases in golf where this sort of success has followed a single-minded determination by a parent to force a child into sporting stardom.”

The phenomenon under discussion here - that of relentless training as a child - is not a golf-specific issue but a sporting one in general. I am not sure that Spiro is correct.

Personally I find the stories about the the Martin boys and the young Tiger remarkably similar to those of Bradman the boy, spending hour after hour hitting a golf ball with a cricket stump against a tank. The only difference here would seem to be that Bradman was self-motivated even as a boy. I don’t know when it started, but one of Tiger’s distinguishing features as an adult is his incredible level of self-motivation and focus (again, both recall Bradman to an uncanny extent). It is not unreasonable to liken the record of Tiger to that of Bradman.

Apparently there are videos of Andre Agassi playing tennis rallies as a three-year old, something that can only have been the result of relentless parental training as well as massive natural talent (as the father of a 4 year old who has just started tennis lessons, I can say this with great confidence about the young Agassi).

And I think most of us are aware that Maradona could juggle a football for hours on end as a boy.

Or we have read about the number of hours of training that gymnasts and divers did to get to the pinnacle of their sport.

]]> By: Brett McKay http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/10/09/the-next-tiger-woods-could-be-josh-martin-11-years-old/#comment-79356 Brett McKay Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:52:34 +0000 http://www.theroar.com.au/?p=11260#comment-79356 Interesting Spiro that the once-common temptation to force Zach to play right-handed rather than left has been ignored. Refreshing even, given the context of child prodigies and their (parents) pursuit of excellence. Still want to knee-cap the little so-and-so's though!! I'd be happy to hit 69 ONCE, let alone average it, at whatever age.. Interesting Spiro that the once-common temptation to force Zach to play right-handed rather than left has been ignored. Refreshing even, given the context of child prodigies and their (parents) pursuit of excellence.

Still want to knee-cap the little so-and-so’s though!! I’d be happy to hit 69 ONCE, let alone average it, at whatever age..

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