BRITISH OPEN COUNTDOWN:THE ALPHABET soup wasn't entirely palatable to Tiger Woods here at St Andrews yesterday. The "D" word – D-I-V-O-R-C-E, as Dolly Parton might put it – was deemed off-limits.

“I’m not going into that,” said Woods, refusing to marry his personal and professional life when asked if his divorce was finalised. And the “R” word – as in redemption, should he win – was given short shrift. “I would like to win, no matter what,” he offered.

What was on the menu, though, was the “P” word, as in Wood’s decision to change the most important tool in the golf bag. Rather than use the Scotty Cameron putter which has been his loyal and trusty blade since 1999 – a club he used in winning 13 of his 14 majors – Woods has decided to switch to a new Nike prototype putter for this 150th British Open. The “L” word, as in loyalty, wasn’t required.

Woods’s decision to switch putters was taken after playing the Old Course in recent days and discovering how slow the greens – rated at less than 10 on the stimpmetre – have been running.

In Woods’s world, the faster the greens, the better. But, with forecasts of horrendous weather for the championship, and winds anticipated to reach 40 miles an hour, the RA can’t risk speeding up the putting surfaces for fear balls will oscillate and move.

“I’ve always been tempted to change my putter on slower greens, I’ve always struggled when greens are really slow. Some of my best putting rounds were when the greens were running at 14 or something on the stimp. On slower greens, I’ve always had a hard time. I’ve always experimented with other putters throughout the years, but I’ve never put one in play until now,” explained Woods.

“This putter does come off faster with the new groove technology. It rolls the ball better and rolls it faster. I’ve had to make very little adjustment in how hard I’m hitting compared to if I had my older putter.

“That’s something Stevie (Williams) and I have been talking about over the years together, is what I can do on slower greens? I always seem to struggle on them, but this week has been a little bit different.”

It means that, for the first time, Woods will have 14 Nike clubs in his bag as he goes in quest of a major. Which, in a way, is a way of saying “thank you” to the corporate sponsor who stood by him during his personal travails of recent months.

Woods also defended his attempts to clean up his image. When it was put to him that he had often used the “F” word over the years, had been seen spitting and occasionally throwing clubs around after poor shots, the world’s number one replied: “I’m trying to become a better player and a better person, yes.”

Later, he added: “As I said, just trying to become a better person. That’s all that really matters, is that I have two beautiful children and I’m trying to be the best dad I can possibly be. And that’s the most important thing of all.”

Unquestionably, Woods’s world has changed since last November when he was revealed as a serial adulterer and underwent rehabilitation therapy. And, also, he admitted he doesn’t practice as intensely but insisted the manner in which he has prepared for majors – his last, and 14th, major was won back in 2008 when he lifted the US Open in a play-off over Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines and then underwent knee surgery – has remained unchanged.

“Well, I think that preparing for the tournaments has been the same. I’m still able to go out there and practice and do the things that I have done in the past.

“The biggest alteration in practising was when I had the kids. I don’t practice as much as I used to because of the kids, nor should I. They’re the most important things in my life.”

In Woods’s lexicon, it is the “W” word – winning – which matters most once he puts on his game face and goes into competition. His current stretch, going back to the Australian Masters last November, is one of the longest winless in his career.

“You’re right, I haven’t gone this long into the season without winning. I think ’98 was the longest time and it was like nine events or something. It’s a matter of going out and putting it together and putting it together at the right time.”