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Hmmmm, I’m laying down here at home feeling pretty fucking despondent about golf, and well life generally too ATM.
I had a golf lesson yesterday and the reality of my lower back and its impact across all aspects of my life has well and truly lifted it’s ugly head.
At the lesson, it was quickly diagnosed that my set up posture had changed and the recommended posture not good for my back. I have somehow changed my set up and posture to compensate for my lower back and had, along the way developed a semi functional swing, but the reality is with the starting position wrong and lower back restrictions the entire swing is basically a disaster waiting to happen. It does explain a lot of my misses and the “why” of an inconsistent swing outcome…
We spent a lot of time working on my posture and set up into a no lower back pain alignment. It turns out a huge part of it links with my shoulders being too rounded. Once straight, holy fuck my lower back hurts!
So, after doing a lot of drill work and testing out posture aligned to a functional swing and no lower back pain, I am in pain today from upper to lower back. That’s meant no surfing and likely none for a few weeks now either….
I’ve been down this path before, where golf impacts me negatively and have had to bench the golf goals and clubs entirely. In the past, a return to surfing focus and with it building fitness, strength and overall health has been the solution. I think I’m back there again now.
My golf coach has suggested a full TPI assessment to figure out the functional movement issues. Great in theory, but I know it will come with recommendations for stretches and exercises, which quite frankly I won’t do … I know from past experience I stop because they cause issues for me as my body gets out of balance. I’ve learnt my body is a functional beast and balances itself with doing an activity or activities. Stretching or going to the gym do no give me that functional aspect. I need to be out doing, like surfing or golf… It’s a process I’ve found I need to trust otherwise my mental health deterioration is quickly evident.
So, folks, this may well be the end of the golf improvement path for me. The reality of that is in itself quite disheartening. I function best when working toward a goal, and I though I was getting close to cracking it. But, alas no.
PS: I walked 9 holes and shot 8 over OTS on Monday afternoon. I used it to test and record my misses, which upon reflection were short game not full swing related. I missed 3 birdie putts, 1 a genuine 1m chance. The other 2 highly likely chances but miss reads. I also had another 3 holes where my chip recovery left me too far for a highly likely 1 putt. So, having looked at that, my OTS result was 6 shots impacted by short game. I did play off the white tees though so not a blue tee benchmark.
Sorry to hear Hack hang in there and slowly work through it and see how it goes.
There’s no point in destroying your back for a few points lower in handicap.
Just accept that the best has been and gone and now it’s time to just enjoy the game with whatever you feel like doing on the day. With WHS at the end of the month, your GA handicap will go up 7% anyway.
By all means work on perfecting your short game. That only strains the brain.OB, I’m only late 40s, so the concept of best it’s been does not compute for me!
And, WHS has given me +2 shots on my daily handicap!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
Hmmmm, I’m laying down here at home feeling pretty fucking despondent about golf, and well life generally too ATM.
I had a golf lesson yesterday and the reality of my lower back and its impact across all aspects of my life has well and truly lifted it’s ugly head.
At the lesson, it was quickly diagnosed that my set up posture had changed and the recommended posture not good for my back. I have somehow changed my set up and posture to compensate for my lower back and had, along the way developed a semi functional swing, but the reality is with the starting position wrong and lower back restrictions the entire swing is basically a disaster waiting to happen. It does explain a lot of my misses and the “why” of an inconsistent swing outcome…
We spent a lot of time working on my posture and set up into a no lower back pain alignment. It turns out a huge part of it links with my shoulders being too rounded. Once straight, holy fuck my lower back hurts!
So, after doing a lot of drill work and testing out posture aligned to a functional swing and no lower back pain, I am in pain today from upper to lower back. That’s meant no surfing and likely none for a few weeks now either….
I’ve been down this path before, where golf impacts me negatively and have had to bench the golf goals and clubs entirely. In the past, a return to surfing focus and with it building fitness, strength and overall health has been the solution. I think I’m back there again now.
My golf coach has suggested a full TPI assessment to figure out the functional movement issues. Great in theory, but I know it will come with recommendations for stretches and exercises, which quite frankly I won’t do … I know from past experience I stop because they cause issues for me as my body gets out of balance. I’ve learnt my body is a functional beast and balances itself with doing an activity or activities. Stretching or going to the gym do no give me that functional aspect. I need to be out doing, like surfing or golf… It’s a process I’ve found I need to trust otherwise my mental health deterioration is quickly evident.
So, folks, this may well be the end of the golf improvement path for me. The reality of that is in itself quite disheartening. I function best when working toward a goal, and I though I was getting close to cracking it. But, alas no.
PS: I walked 9 holes and shot 8 over OTS on Monday afternoon. I used it to test and record my misses, which upon reflection were short game not full swing related. I missed 3 birdie putts, 1 a genuine 1m chance. The other 2 highly likely chances but miss reads. I also had another 3 holes where my chip recovery left me too far for a highly likely 1 putt. So, having looked at that, my OTS result was 6 shots impacted by short game. I did play off the white tees though so not a blue tee benchmark.
Sorry to hear Hack hang in there and slowly work through it and see how it goes.
Cheers Mike.
I was only reflecting today on my posture and feedback you have me when we played (more weight onto balls of feet) as that came up yesterday during the lesson.
I’ve been reading a lot of TPI and other web stuff about golf and lower back etc. I think my self development posture may actually be playable! Since I worked on my swing myself I have not had any lower back issues really. It’s been every time after the new coach…
Looks like my old coach, who also did the club fitting, is now back at the golf s hook with Harris. I might go and have a chat with them.
If nothing else it would be good to see my trackman numbers now compared to back when I did the fitting in early 2017.
Just need the back to settle and get some surfing fitness!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
1 user liked this post.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
1 user liked this post.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Yep… Set up slightly closed and open right hip at set up. Allows for a 3/4 swing, good firing of the left hip and good clearance at contact. No improvement in distance, but control improved and excess strain on back reduced. 15.1 to 13.8 in 3 weeks and getting some consistency for once. Hope I haven’t spoken to soon.
Hang in there Hack. Learning to enjoy what you can do will lead to better results anyway. They may not be as good as what you desired, but hey, how often do we get what we wished for. Raquel Welch still hasn’t rang me..
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Cheers Weeti.
I had already been looking at info on the www for tips n tricks re the back. TBH, I think my swing was functional enough to score… The 8 over from the white tees was easily only a couple over with short game impacts removed. I hadn’t really practiced short game in a while due to the condition of the greens.
My downer aka bummer is the overflow impact ATM onto, into, other parts of my life, aka surfing. Awake again at usual time today and I’m no chance of surfing…
Hmmm. The mental aspects of this are harder than the physical I think!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Yep… Set up slightly closed and open right hip at set up. Allows for a 3/4 swing, good firing of the left hip and good clearance at contact. No improvement in distance, but control improved and excess strain on back reduced. 15.1 to 13.8 in 3 weeks and getting some consistency for once. Hope I haven’t spoken to soon.
Hang in there Hack. Learning to enjoy what you can do will lead to better results anyway. They may not be as good as what you desired, but hey, how often do we get what we wished for. Raquel Welch still hasn’t rang me..
Thanks Commish.
TBH, I think I had it sorted, it’s just the set up.posture change thing that’s now thrown me. I also think, looking back, it’s been worse working with the new coach.
I might go and get a second opinion from my old coach, who did the club fitting in early 2017. Fuck knows what he’ll think when I show him the standard loft n lie 718 AP2 Ii bought off a mate and have been using!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Yep… Set up slightly closed and open right hip at set up. Allows for a 3/4 swing, good firing of the left hip and good clearance at contact. No improvement in distance, but control improved and excess strain on back reduced. 15.1 to 13.8 in 3 weeks and getting some consistency for once. Hope I haven’t spoken to soon.
Hang in there Hack. Learning to enjoy what you can do will lead to better results anyway. They may not be as good as what you desired, but hey, how often do we get what we wished for. Raquel Welch still hasn’t rang me..
Raquel has missed out badly!
1 user liked this post.
Good luck Hack, work through the mental grief and you know the positives will come
1 user liked this post.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Yep… Set up slightly closed and open right hip at set up. Allows for a 3/4 swing, good firing of the left hip and good clearance at contact. No improvement in distance, but control improved and excess strain on back reduced. 15.1 to 13.8 in 3 weeks and getting some consistency for once. Hope I haven’t spoken to soon.
Hang in there Hack. Learning to enjoy what you can do will lead to better results anyway. They may not be as good as what you desired, but hey, how often do we get what we wished for. Raquel Welch still hasn’t rang me..
Raquel has missed out badly!
Others may disagree.
Bloody sucks mate
Maybe look up swings for older golfers which often involve more arms and less twisting
Yep… Set up slightly closed and open right hip at set up. Allows for a 3/4 swing, good firing of the left hip and good clearance at contact. No improvement in distance, but control improved and excess strain on back reduced. 15.1 to 13.8 in 3 weeks and getting some consistency for once. Hope I haven’t spoken to soon.
Hang in there Hack. Learning to enjoy what you can do will lead to better results anyway. They may not be as good as what you desired, but hey, how often do we get what we wished for. Raquel Welch still hasn’t rang me..
Raquel has missed out badly!
Others may disagree.
That’s a powerful argument you make there Commish
If you ever get a role in a debating team let me know – I would like to attend the full presentation
1 user liked this post.
Few weeks without swinging a club now.
Decided to test the back and walked 9 holes at the home track yesterday afternoon. I did some warm up on the practice range, hit about 50 balls starting with wedges then walked onto the par 3 8th.
Shot 9 over OTS to course par.
3x 3 putts and 4x short first putts, and 4x short pitch / chip shots really cost me. Just couldn’t get the feel of the greens. They were crazy slow!
Course is starting to kick after all the rain.
I’ve booked in for the Blue Marker on the 28th. Goal is to shoot sub 90, which is bogey golf working off course par. Daily handicap will be 20.
I’m going to concentrate practice on short game. Chipping, bunkers and putting. I’m going to have to practice on the greens and course more than anywhere else to get a feel for the greens.
Oh, yeah, and my back is ok ish this morning. Bit tight and stiff but not out of action sore. Need to stretch … more, lots more!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
Good news that the back isn’t broken
Yes, very good to have my afternoon outdoor activity.
Walking around finding a little white ball at least gets me out doing something!
By the time you realise this part of my signature doesn't say anything it's too late to stop reading it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Meditation makes doing nothing quite respectable.
1 user liked this post.
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