It’s no news to the avid golf fans that the legend of the industry who roars on the greens is such a softy at heart when it comes to the animals. Tiger Woods has an extraordinary love for dogs. Over the years, he and his family have shared their lives with four furry friends: Yogi, Taz, Bugs, and Lola.
Fans may not know, but the 15-time major winner loves his dogs so much that he even travels with them. His close friend Rob McNamara gave us some insights on how Woods’s love for dogs looks from a close perspective. According to McNamara Woods is never seen without his dogs when he is not officially playing. “He’s always with a dog,” said McNamara in a YouTube video with Golf Digest.
McNamara further said that it is nearly impossible to not spot Woods with a dog when you’re hanging out with him. “When you’re hanging out with Tiger, you’re hanging out with at least one dog; he’s got three dogs, but one kind of travels with him most of the time; I think that surprises a lot of people”, he continued. Yogi was an all-white Labradoodle, and Taz, a Border Collie, were the first two dogs to join the Woods family and, unfortunately, the first to leave. Taz and Yogi passed away in 2019 due to old age.
USA Today via Reuters
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Currently, Woods has two dogs, Bugs and Lola, who bring immense joy to his life. Bugs is a Border Collie and Springer Spaniel mix and was adopted in 2015. Lola, who is a little Australian Shepherd, joined the Woods family in 2019.
Woods’s love for his dogs is so strong that he even allows them to accompany him on the golf course, where they’ve learned to play fetch. The 48-year-old’s dogs are more than just pets to him; they’re his coaches as well!
Tiger Woods’s four-legged coaches
It’s not just Woods who’s a dog lover; plenty of other pro golfers are too. Take Rickie Fowler, for example; he’s always sharing adorable stories and snaps with his dogs on Instagram. Then there is Justin Thomas who is also a total dog dad. But Woods has quite a special bond with his dogs. He has trained his dogs to assist him during golf practice, fetching his golf balls and bringing them back to him. In an episode of “At Home With Tiger Woods,” in 2023, he introduced his two Border Collies, Bugs and Lola.
Woods explained that Bugs had completed his training while Lola was still learning. “I have got my two Border Collies out here… She’s learning, and he’s already pretty much dialed in,” he said. Woods shared that Bugs learned to fetch balls after his previous dog, Taz, could no longer run due to old age. “He learned after Taz couldn’t run anymore.” Woods’s dogs have been an important part of his golfing routine and personal life by providing companionship and support, and the bond is only going to grow in the years to come.
