Does Tiger Woods Love Golf?

The question was posed to me not too long ago by a beginning golfer; "Does Tiger Woods still love to play golf?" I was ready with a quick answer, but almost as quickly realized the question required some deeper thought. What does it really mean to love golf, or any game for that matter? Is it the competition or the game itself? If it's the competition you thrive on and seek out any game will do. If it's the love of the game you would pay to play, rather than be paid to play, just like everyone else. Let's say that in Tim Finchem's worst wet-the-bed nightmare Tiger retired from competitive golf tomorrow; Does Tiger play golf in his retirement? Does he have a Saturday morning net skins game with Michael Jordan? Obviously you would have to think the workout and practice regiments would decrease dramatically in an early retirement, but would Tiger still play regularly just to play?

The really intriguing part of the initial question is how Tiger has approached golf his entire life. His father injected him with a prediction that he would become the greatest golfer who ever lived. Not a small thing to have to live up to. Then Tiger himself started to absorb the history and records he wanted to surpass in order to become the greatest player to ever live. All of this made golf Tiger's job before he ever made a dime on the course. Did aiming that high that early sap all the fun out of the game? Or is the only way to immerse oneself so fully rooted in an unquenchable love for the game? Personally, I tend to answer yes to the latter question. From my own experience, just trying to find a way to play golf for a living, when I wasn't working at the golf course I was practicing at the range or playing 36-holes, or both if the day afforded the time. I practiced in the rain (although the valley in Arizona didn't force that issue too often) and 115+ heat (which the valley forced the issue on a plenty). In the end I made just enough money to go broke, but loved every second of the journey and never had so much fun.

Tiger doesn't have to put himself through the daily practice and fitness regiment, but he does. Why? Because he wants to be better than he was yesterday. That's the addiction of golf. From the first time you hit it on the screws to the first time you break 100, 90, 80 or 70, the addiction takes hold. You love the game because it forces you to work harder even when you played your best, because there was always something you could have done better. I have to think it's all relative when it comes to Tiger. That he has to win more often than anyone else, and has to practice that hard to win is not because he is so goal oriented. I would hope that all his effort is not invested in a game he has become indifferent about or even dislikes simply to accomplish those goals. It's because he loves the game and wants to get better just like Johnny Hacks-a-lot at your local club.

So I give the same answer I gave my beginner friend, yes I think Tiger Woods still loves to play golf. Do you think Tiger still loves to play golf?