COMMENTARY : YOU CAN SAVE YOUR SKIN, TIGER JUST SEEK OUT AND FOLLOW BETTER ADVICE.

Byline: Larry Guest Orlando Sentinel 

An open letter to Tiger Woods:

So you've committed the first youthful misstep of your pro career, abruptly dropping out on the eve of this week's PGA Tour event outside Columbus, Ga., and sending regrets for Thursday's Haskins Awards dinner in your honor. The dinner, after much expense and energy on the parts of many, has been canceled, the tournament is wounded, and your fellow Tour stars are throwing verbal darts.

You'll recover from this deep rough, of course, and hopefully learn from this PR gaffe, which doesn't totally surprise me given that your hired advice is International Management Group - an outfit notorious for raising high-handedness to an art form.

IMG is powerful and well-connected. They'll help you make a lot of money, but you'll be helping them make a lot of money in the process. Learn to challenge whether their advice is self-serving or truly in your best interest. They've been around tour golf long enough to know better than construct a schedule of seven consecutive tournaments. That was unfair to you and laid the groundwork directly leading to this week's unpleasantness. Why not three or four weeks on, a week off to rest, and then complete the allowable seven exemptions with the season-ending Disney tournament?

By the way, I don't share the mindless charge by one local broadcaster that you have an obligation to play Disney just because you've bought a home in Orlando. A community commitment can't be expected of you after having spent only a day or two in town. I predict you'll come to love laid-back Orlando like the rest of us. And like other sports stars who've squatted here, you'll discover you can move about Central Florida, attend Magic games, dine, shop and play with minimal intrusion from the locals. Hopefully, in time, you'll nurture a desire to support the local tournaments and other civic affairs as other pros have.

But also be aware that Bay Hill's IMG brain trust views the Disney event as (a) a local competitor for pro-am participants and (b) setting a higher standard for treatment of tourney volunteers. Thus, whatever their advice regarding Disney may be tailored more to their agenda than yours. This isn't to suggest that you ditch IMG like Norman, Price, Crenshaw, Wadkins and so many others. Listen to their advice, but don't be captive to it. Mesh their guidance with your own good instincts.

The next time a sticky situation arises - and there will be more of them, for sure - address it head-on. Never, never, never again leave your IMG rep Hughes Norton and a cold, impersonal prepared statement to plead your case, as happened this week. The golf world is distrustful of IMG execs, and Norton in particular. Your own pleasing smile and natural charm will be far more effective in defusing volatile situations and disarming critics.

Face the music. Be accessible. Openly apologize if the case warrants. This is definitely one of those cases. Say you're sorry. Say you'll try to make it up to Columbus and the Haskins Award sponsors. Cop a plea that you're young and learning. The world will give you the benefit of the doubt and drape an arm around your shoulder.

Here's a suggestion. Find a golf-savvy, veteran PR guy - not a firm - to work for you, personally. Then listen to him. Decades ago, Arnold Palmer accomplished a master stroke by hiring former Tour publicist Doc Giffin as a personal aide. Giffin took the job only on the proviso that he worked for Arnie and not IMG. That left him free to coach Arnie on PR matters at least somewhat unencumbered by IMG's cold, corporate mind set.

Arnie is one of two IMG stablemates in Orlando particularly well-armed and more than willing to share their keen instincts and invaluable experience. Play some practice rounds with Arnie, fish with Mark O'Meara, and observe the way they respectfully handle people. Arnie's patient, giving interaction with the public has earned hBim a compassionate, unshakable and lucrative bond with the masses.

Like Arnie, you're potentially a national treasure, Tiger - a boon to golf, a much-needed racial and ethnic beacon. Button on that cloak with grace and respect. It will warm you against these chilly winds that invariably blow from time to time.

Fairways and greens,

Larry

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Photo

Photo: Tiger Woods raised the ire of fellow PGA Tour member s by pulling out of an event and a dinner at the last minute.

Associated Press