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Lowering your golf scores with a bad back


Mr. 82

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So I've had a helluva month.  Gall bladder surgery, which led to me having massive back pain a week ago Sunday through 16 holes of the first golf I had tried to play since gall bladder surgery on March 31st.  I'm literally +1 through 15 holes (walked with my Sunday bag and 7 clubs, FYI), when I get to the 16th green and pow, there's goes the back.  Could barely stand, couldn't lift a club, let alone swing it.  I am D O N E, done.  I limp off the golf course as best I can and head home, nearly in tears.

I've visited the chiropractor 3 times since a week ago Sunday, and I'm still not ready for full time play.  But we were bored out of our minds on Sunday, and the wife had never seen the golf course I play at, so we drove up, and while I was nowhere near ready to play a full round, I hit a few range balls, and then drove around the course to show her the layout.  I opted to play the first two holes, and then all the par 3s, and then ended up playing the 18th hole as well.  

In my current condition, full swings with a driver is just not wise.  I can still hit some irons, chips and putts, but I don't want to tempt fate with driver swings.

But looking back at all of this, I went +1 a week ago Sunday, just playing the few holes I did with the wife with me.  I pared everything, and the only bogey was a 3 putt on the par 5 2nd hole.  And if you factor in that I had to quit after 16 holes the previous Sunday, and then I pared 17 & 18 the next Sunday, I was basically +2 for that 18 holes.

I attribute the lower scores to several things.  A)  In my Sunday bag I just bring my 3 wood, no driver.  I hit every fairway with the 3 wood, and actually had 3 birdies with just seven clubs.  B)  I'm swinging just a bit slower because of the back, so I have to wonder if swinging easier is helping me keep the ball on target.  

What's really strange about all of this is that I really am not worried about scoring right now, as I am just really hoping that my back holds up.  So my mind is on my health, and just happy when I make solid contact with the ball.  Now I'm not saying that any of this will translate to a full 18 in a competitive round, but I may be on to something here with swinging slower and putting the ball into play better.

  • :ping-small: G400 Driver
  • :callaway-small: XR 4 Fairway 16.5°
  • :mizuno-small: Fli-Hi Utility Iron - 21°
  • :ping-small: G Series 5-9 irons
  • :titelist-small: :vokey-small: SM7 46°, 50°, 54° & 58°
  • :taylormade-small: Ghost Spider S putter
  • :918457628_PrecisionPro:Nexus Laser Rangefinder
  • Garmin Approach S20 GPS
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Sorry to hear about you recent issues. Hope you recover quickly.

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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With only 7 clubs you were probably being more creative and just playing what you knew was possible rather than the 1 in 20 hero shots. I had back surgery 15 years ago and now when my back get tired toward the end of the round I start to play better because I focus more on my technique.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

WITB:
pxg-small.jpg 0811 Prototype Driver: (10.5 / s-flex)
image.png.cb4b01bb138fdc7ddf4f5e9396a76d82.png   Sub 70 Pro Tour Fairway 3W (15 / s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0341 Prototype, 5W (18, s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0311, 4-PW, (+1/2" / +2 up) ProjX LZ 6.0
pxg-small.jpg 0311 wedges, 52, 56, 60 degree
TommyArmour.jpg.d3c9da7d74a401e95b625f92af834200.jpg Impact No.3, Putter 35"

Dexterity: Right-handed

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Had back spasms early this yr to the point I couldn't swing a club. Just got over two months of PT and am playing descent golf again. Need to do a lot of stretching. If I'm hurting before golf I pop 2 Tylenol 8hr arthritis pain tabs and apply Iceyhot roll on where it hurts. Works so far. Hope this helps. Stretching several times a week is important.

Retired Army aviator. 2 Vietnam tours flying Hueys.

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Had back spasms early this yr to the point I couldn't swing a club. Just got over two months of PT and am playing descent golf again. Need to do a lot of stretching. If I'm hurting before golf I pop 2 Tylenol 8hr arthritis pain tabs and apply Iceyhot roll on where it hurts. Works so far. Hope this helps. Stretching several times a week is important.

I always pre-load a couple Aleve before a round.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

WITB:
pxg-small.jpg 0811 Prototype Driver: (10.5 / s-flex)
image.png.cb4b01bb138fdc7ddf4f5e9396a76d82.png   Sub 70 Pro Tour Fairway 3W (15 / s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0341 Prototype, 5W (18, s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0311, 4-PW, (+1/2" / +2 up) ProjX LZ 6.0
pxg-small.jpg 0311 wedges, 52, 56, 60 degree
TommyArmour.jpg.d3c9da7d74a401e95b625f92af834200.jpg Impact No.3, Putter 35"

Dexterity: Right-handed

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Let your body heal or you are going to cause further damage to your back and supporting accessory muscles and joints.

Controlled stretching and manipulation of muscles that support your back will increase core strength. Swinging the club is not terrible if you maintain a controlled tempo. I’d take this opportunity to concentrate on your short game and most of all be patient with the process


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Miura MB 502 Irons

ping G400 Driver

Cobra F7 3 wood

Mizuno putter

Mizuno Wedges. 

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I had this same issue after a recovery from a surgery a few years ago.  I have sciatica, but it turns out that I also have really tight hamstrings.  Luckily my wife is a PT and we did some hamstring work and I no longer have the issue. 

In my bag (for now):

Driver: :titelist-small: TS2 9.5 deg- HZRDUS Smoke 60G Stiff

3-wood: :titelist-small: TS3 15 deg- HZRDUS Smoke 70G Stiff

Hybrid: :titelist-small: 818 H1 19 deg- Atmos HB Tour Spec- 85G

Irons: :callaway-small: Rogue Pro CF18 5iron - AW- True Temper XP105 Stiff

Wedge #1: :callaway-small: MD5 Jaws - 54-10S- Dynamic Gold 115

Wedge #2 :callaway-small: MD5 Jaws - 58.08C- Dynamic Gold 115

Putter: :odyssey-small: Triple Track Ten - 34.5 inch Stroke Lab

Bag: :callaway-small: 2020 Org 14

Ball: still being settled on, but most likely the Bridgestone B-X, also testing 2020 Chrome Soft and Titleist ProV1x (my go to for several years)

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