Tiger Woods’ victory at The Masters this year represents the most unique principle in the game of golf - Hope. 
Hope is in the origin and seed of why people play golf. Everyone who plays can identify with Tiger. We hope we get the chance to play. When we play, we hope to make contact and get ball flight. 
Hope is much of golf’s mystery and lure. The ability to nurture, protect and cultivate hope is a unique and valuable commodity. 
In my opinion, it is the greatest separator between the great players and the greatest. Tiger may just be that too - the greatest golf player of all time. 
His victory gives those who have been physically injured new hope. This particular comeback will get the special attention of all those with so called “career ending injuries.” One orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Bob Pohl of Jacksonville FL, who was familiar with Woods’ last back procedure said this to me.
“If he indeed had the surgery that I read about, his golf playing career is over,” Pohl said. “The reason I say this is the procedures he had previously and the most recent repair will be a challenge. Based on what I have seen, Tiger will not be back.” 
Tiger was in constant pain. Not only was golf not an option, but life was tough. He was not mobile.
“I can now participate in my children’s lives,” he said. “For a while, I could not even walk. I feel very blessed to have that opportunity again. 
This was not speculation either. He had to take an epidural just to travel to The Masters Champions’ dinner 2 years ago. Consider what Cumming Georgia Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ifran Ansari said.
“What Tiger accomplished yesterday is unbelievable according to the orthopedic surgeon community,” Ansari said. “He should not have been able to overcome the type of spinal fusion surgery he had and perform at a world-class level.”
When the experts count you out, it’s extra tough. When logic, science, and history teams up against individuals, it can be daunting. 
“I could never give up,” Woods offered in a late interview. “It’s not part of the equation. What I know is to keep fighting. Every day, there are different challenges. [I] Just fight through them,”
Humility was a new and tender part of his post-round interviews as well. 
“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to get back and do normal things with my kids and participate then compete again,” he said. “It’s tough not even being able to play with my kids in the yard or in their sports.”
Tiger is back and could be better than ever. With two of the next three majors on courses he loves, get ready. The PGA Championship is at Beth Page Black and where he has won before. Pebble Beach will host the US Open again and Tiger he has an unbelievable track record there. 
Your assignment this week is to look up Tiger’s record at Pebble Beach and my hope is you get a chance to visit the RBC Heritage this week at Harbor Town. It’s South Carolina’s only PGA Tour event. 
Another assignment is go to usga.org and look up where this year’s Women’s US Open is played, then compare your findings to your June calendar. 
Creig Dupuis had a hole in one with an 8-iron on Hole #17 at Mid-Carolina Club a couple of weeks ago. When I reported his perfect shot, I completely goofed up the spelling of his name, so I just took a mulligan to get it right. 
There are several different golf camp opportunities this summer for golfers ages 3–15 and of all skill levels. The Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission will host two different ones, the first being Crooked Creek Park’s camp July 22– 24 and the second is at Seven Oaks Park camp July 29–31, both for ages 6–16.  For more information on either of these camps,  call (803) 345-6181 or (803) 772-3336.  
George Bryan Golf Academy will also host two camps, the junior camp is for ages 6-15 and will take place June 24– 26 and the Pee Wee Camp for ages 3-6 will be July 15– 17. For more information, call (803) 781-2063.