Which Would You Choose?
Would you rather average 70 for the season with 2/10 low-back pain during the round and 4/10 pain for three or four hours afterward, or be pain-free with a scoring average of 80?
I’m a golfer at heart and care more about performance than pain, so I’m taking the first option. Several professional golfers are in the same boat: they would rather compete successfully with back pain than correct a swing fault and fight misses.
Match the Swing to the Player
I’ve been a critic of restricting the hips in the backswing and early extension in the downswing because of their effects on consistency and the stress they can place on the lower back, elbows, and wrists.
But just like physical therapy, there is never a one-size-fits-all answer. We have to match the player’s swing to what the body can do. Mobility restrictions are worth addressing, but what if changing them makes the player worse?
Four Ways to Get Better at Golf
- Technique
- Your body
- Equipment
- Course management and psychology
Finding an expert who can work on your body while connecting what you can do physically to your technique has to produce the best results. Get assessed, create goals, make a plan, and stick with it.
