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Even Rory and Tiger are struggling…and you think golf is such an easy sport
The explosive nature of the modern-day golf swing is generating an unbelievable amount of torque around the spine
Collin Morikawa took one practice swing on his second hole of the opening round of the Players Championship last week, and he immediately knew his participation in the tournament was over. The in-form American, one of the favourites going into the tournament, hobbled away, holding his back.
Almost a similar scenario played out with Rory McIlroy the week before at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The world No2 played two rounds at Bay Hill and then needed to withdraw because of spasms in his back.
Of course, we have the example of Tiger Woods. The 15-time major champion has undergone more than 20 surgeries and procedures on his body. He has had seven procedures on his back, including microdiscectomies, fusions, and the latest lumbar disc replacement.
Back issues have caused major concerns with some of the young stars as well. Will Zalatoris has had a microdiscectomy at the age of 28. Sahith Theegala, just when it looked like he was all set to become a world top-5 player, had an issue with his oblique muscles, and that led to back trouble.
Here are a couple of studies on golf injuries that prove a point.
An Australian study in 2007 by Andrew J McHardy found that golf-related lower back injury ranges from 15-34 per cent in the amateur golfer, and 22-24 per cent in the professional.
Nearly a decade later, Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), which is known for its golf swing-specific biomechanics testing and exercises, conducted a research that showed lower back pain to be the most common ailment suffered by golfers of all ages. Data collected from over 31,000 golfers showed 28.1 per cent of all players deal with lower back pain and over 23 per cent professionals played with lower back pain.
When non-golfers argue with me about the non-athletic nature of golf, I have often used this rather unfortunate example of back injuries to convince them why golfers need to be in the finest physical condition. The golf swing, I have often contended, is one of the most dangerous moves in all sports.
In a 2008 study, GS Gluck, JA Bendo and JM Spivak calculated that the lower back of a golfer is subjected to about 1370 pounds of compressive force in the case of amateur golfers, and about 1700 pounds for professional golfers. It’s much higher than the amount of force endured in most other sports. Comparatively, one of the highest forces the human body endures in sports is about 1900 pounds when an American football player collides violently with blocking sleds (a training aid).
If it feels that the number of back injuries in golf is on the rise, the observation is correct. The evolution of the golf swing has a lot to do with this. And no, contrary to a few articles that you may have read blaming the TGL and simulators for this, that is surely not the case.
Before the 2000s, most golf swings were rhythmic in nature. A tempo like Ernie Els was what everyone wanted. That has changed. The modern golf swing is a relentless pursuit of more swing speed. Explosion is the name of the game now. The body now uses a lot of ground force, shorter swing sequence and more violent twists and turns of the hips, shoulders and spine.
So, even when the modern golfer is a much fitter athlete, spending countless hours in the gym, his body is more vulnerable to injuries compared to someone like Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan.
There are many other facets of the golf swing that lends itself to injuries, like the reverse spine angle and the asymmetrical strain.
What is important is how you avoid these back injuries and enjoy the sport for a long, long time.
For most professional golfers, back injuries might be difficult to avert. That is the price you pay for hitting 500 balls at the practice range. However, the amateurs may have a better chance.
The most important thing one must do before playing a round is to warm up properly. That includes proper stretching exercises, with particular focus on hip and shoulder rotations, and building up your tempo on the range from a slower, more deliberate swing to faster swings. Core strength and flexibility should be the aim when working out in the gym.
It will also be a good idea to get your swing checked by a coach. A few changes could help prevent a painful experience.
