PGA pro reveals the basic—but important—lesson he learned from Tiger Woods

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It wasn't the biggest, most complicated, or even revolutionary lesson ever. But it was a good one. A reality check that the rest of us can learn from, and one that changed the course of 2025 PGA Professional Champion Tyler Collet's golfing life.

It came in 2022, on the range at Southern Hills Country Club—the site of that year's PGA Championship.

Collet explains:

"It was Sunday afternoon before the week started. It was me and one other person on the range hitting golf balls. Here comes Tiger Woods. He drops balls next to me; literally right next to me on the range. Growing up in his era, watching him play golf on TV, it was really cool to have one of my idols hit balls next to me."

Awestruck, Collet was slightly surprised about what happened next...

"Obviously when he hits it good it's a different sound; he's the best ever to do it. But I know what a thin shot sounds like, I know what a fat shot sounds like, and I know what a push sounds like or a pull based on the sound of the ball. And he was hitting those shots just like everyone else would. He's a human being, and he was mis-hitting shots just like I was."

The Lesson: Everyone hits bad shots, stop taking them so seriously

It's one of those obvious lessons that we all know, but often take for granted. Collet said he only fully grasped it after that interaction with Tiger Woods.

No words were exchanged, but it was a reality check: Even the best players in the world hit bad shots. You're not good enough to be taking them that seriously. Give every shot your best effort, but above all else, enjoy being out there.

That's what Collet did, and he's playing the best golf of his life because of it.

"I viewed it as my 100 percent job. I never had fun doing it. Now I enjoy what I do, and my mindset is it's not the end of the world anymore. It's a game that I love to play, and it's obviously the highest level, but it's not like it's life and death out there. And I think that calms my mind down and calms my approach, and I play better because of it."