The only time Elin Woods was a prominent part of the picture was last summer at Hoylake, and only because Woods was a blubbering mess of tears having captured his first victory since the death of his father.

Elin once talked about wives and children going out to the 18th green to celebrate victory, and while she thought it was “very cool,” she had a hard time doing it herself because “it’s just not my personality.”

For other players, children are part of their careers, traveling to tournaments, caddying at the Par 3 Tournament at the Masters.

Ernie Els wants his 8-year-old daughter Samantha to watch him play at least nine holes during the weekend so she has an understanding of what he does for a living. Few moments were more charming than the American Express Championship in Ireland in 2004, when Samantha had a sketch book, like her mother, drawing pictures of every hole Els played.

Els was working his way up the leaderboard in the third round, walking up the eighth fairway, when Samantha pressed up against the ropes and waved wildly, as if she were watching a parade.

Woods is so protective of his private life, it is difficult to imagine allowing his child or children to be at a tournament lest they feel part of the circus.

That’s something Nicklaus never faced. His stardom came during the era of Sports Illustrated, not People magazine.

Nicklaus had to cope with Palmer, Trevino and Watson.

Woods has Nikon, Canon and Kodak.

Inside the ropes, it is hard to believe anything will change. Woods has talked in recent weeks about not getting as much sleep and changing his schedule to accommodate the needs of fatherhood. That’s no different from a plumber or an accountant.

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Some were curious to see how marriage would affect his practice and play, and Woods entered marital bliss in the fall of 2004. He won two majors the next year. Just as many figured the death of his father would send Woods into a funk, and it looked as though that might be the case when he missed the cut at a major for the first time. He finished the season with two more majors and six straight tour wins.

Will children make him any different?

It was never a problem for Nicklaus, whose first child was born after he won the 1961 U.S. Amateur.

“You can’t practice all day long,” Nicklaus said earlier this year. “You get your work done and prepare. You’ve got plenty of time for a family, and plenty of time to play golf. That’s not a big deal. Tiger will do just fine.”

He might be even better.

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