Tiger Woods Told to Stay Single

June 4 -- Golf's most eligible bachelor, Tiger Woods, will stay that way for a while — if his dad gets his way.

The 25-year-old celebrity golfer is an unprecedented success on the green, but when it comes to his private life, he may wait until he's a bit older before getting serious with anyone.

"I don't see Tiger marrying before 30, if then," his father, Earl Woods, told TV Guide for an article being published in its June 9 issue.

Marriage May Mess With the Swing

The unstoppable young golfer, who has won the last four major tournaments, is again single following his recent breakup with his girlfriend of two years. Unlike more traditional parents who are clamoring to see their grown children settle down, Tiger's dad is in no such rush.

"Because he has a lot to accomplish in the game of golf," Earl Woods explained. "And let's face it, a wife can sometimes be a deterrent to a good game of golf."

It may sound a bit harsh, but the advice could hold some weight for the player, considering that his dad was the one to teach him the game.

Papa Woods says the challenges of marriage would not bode well for Tiger's accurate swing.

"The level he's at, the finite little problems like that would destroy him," he said.

Some Different Advice

Offering up some competing advice is fellow golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, who thinks a betrothal would help Woods stay on top of his game.

"It will be difficult for him to keep focus on what he is doing if he doesn't get married," Nicklaus told the Scottish Daily Record.

Nicklaus says his own longtime marriage and his family gave him a reason to strive for victory while he watched his bachelor competitors eventually burn out.

"Who's Tiger going to play for? For newspaper clippings? Trophies?" asked Nicklaus. "Who's he going to talk to in his hotel room after rounds?"

Woods will try for his fifth straight major win at the U.S. Open in Tulsa, Okla., beginning June 14.