Third Back Surgery - Lost Yardage and Developed a Slice

Two years ago I had my third back surgery, I took it easy last year but now I'm back into playing often (with the doctors permission). My issue is that I have lost a lot of distance with my driver and developed a slice (not a push). I hit my 3 wood farther then my driver now! I believe I am no longer able to turn though on my swing and the longer club has become a problem.

I picked up a TM Mini Driver and it works well, better than my driver, but still no distance. I only carry my drives about 180 -190, maybe I get 200 with a roll.

Any thoughts would be helpful, perhaps from others who have the same problem.

BTW I went back and had a few lessons, thought maybe that would help but it didn't.

I think turning your hips more and keeping them matched up with the shoulders could give you some pop without torquing up your body. Bobby Jones's backswing would be a good example.

Just a guess, but you may be overswinging & trying to compensate post surgery - for now, try focusing 100% on making perfect center club contact, then ramp it up if you even need to.     Usually when I slice, I'm hanging back & not getting my weight through - keep and eye on your weight transfer.

Let me guess, based a similar medical history to yours.

You are unconsciously afraid of putting too much torque on your lower back, so you retard your rotation when you come into the ball. EMG studies show this is the moment when stress on the lower back is at its peak, and you are aware of that.

Your arms keep going, though, and where with a proper turn your clubface would be square, it is now open.

SavvySwede has the right idea in keeping your shoulder turn and hip turn matched up. I have a small difference in the amount of turn I make with each on my backswing and feel like they turn through in one piece.

You are going to lose some distance, I did, too. But if you want all your distance back, you might have to start swinging in a way that would be harmful to your back, and it's not worth it.

One thing that might help you get some distance back is, if you're not doing it already, for your hands to get back to the ball before the clubhead does.

Props to you for sticking with it despite 3 surgeries. My dad used to bomb the driver, so this thread kind of reminded me of him. After severe degenerative spinal osteoarthritis in his late 50s he usually only hits it 250 nowadays, which I think is impressive. He dismisses me angrily. I will share some of the things he has done, and some of the things I tried yesterday with this post in mind to help achieve better flight.

I want to help, but of course I'm not a physical therapist or golf instructor. That said:

1. Do not dip the right shoulder through impact. Feel you keep shoulders level . Fixed a handful of golfing buddies slices right on the course because they did this often overlooked swing flaw. You can be square at address, but somehow drop shoulder during the swing. It's the first thing to check as most people have no idea they even do it, or simply forget about it over time.
2. Placing the right foot back ~6 inches at address allows for an easier rotation ( Jason Dufner demonstrating this technique). It really feels smooth on the body. While address position changes can be helpful, they can certainly mess up feel and club pathing so be cautious with whatever changes you adopt.
3. Just opinion, but I really do not like a Driver (including the Mini Driver) for your situation. If you cannot impart enough speed/force, you will not get anything but balloons and overly shaped shots out of bigger heads. Keeping a longer club like a driver in good position with a slower speed in my opinion is much harder than just ripping it like you used to.
4. So forget about high draws for now and think more straight bullets, until you get back in swing shape. Pros use hybrids , and I recommend learning how to hit a quality 2H to try and get 200+ yards, as it requires far less power to make a reasonable hit. Getting good with them off the tee and on second shots could perhaps make you a better golfer than you were before. Hybrids cut through air like butter and are nearly impossible to slice. They are very easy to push/pull so still require a good swing.
5. Hit lots of balls. It is far better to stay active and continue to develop skeletal muscles that will support your spine/joints as well as healthy protein metabolism, rather than just resting up and letting them go. I don't know your age, but coming from someone in the medical field, a bad back in your 50s is about the best thing that can happen to you. Think positive!

Good luck to you and let us know if you figure it out.

I grew up and lived with back issues, lots of them and still live with them, a large part of dealing with it is learning how to do things a bit differently and make the outcome as close to possible to what you feel it should be.

I am going to assume you didn't have a new set up clubs fitted to your new limitations. I tried playing with standard set years ago as my measurements called for them. but I learned recently I had a lot of things in the golf swing that if I were to play would have to change.

question: can you do MORE OF a normal turn if more upright? back problems are sometimes eased up if you dont lean over as much, it draws the weight to a closer standing position instead of leaning out like the limb of a tree. if you can feel more normal a few more inches upright then getting clubs fit to your new swing axis and posture while in motion it will help tremendously. I can NOT use standard length/lie cause my back really starts to hurt about the third hole. a few degrees upright in my posture and I can play 18 with little to no problem. your swing plane will almost for sure change, so length and lie on the clubs will change.

using your old clubs or something along static measurements means you are trying to get down to the ball which may have you somewhat coming over the top and or fighting the plane to contact the ball making it outside to in. with normal clubs for my static fitting I have a slice that will look like a boomerang. more distance to the right then forward.

without knowing more about the injury/surgery I wouldn't know what else to add. but I would look at finding a knowledgeable pro that understands things would have to change for you to make a comfortable and repeatable swing.

oh also! a few notes. my back compresses through the day more then normal about 2x as much. to the change to the clubs helped me there as well. even tho I am more upright I am able to take a full swing MOST of the time. but def more then with standard clubs which means more clubhead speed. with a completely "normal" set up my driver speed is about 82ish. with me having more upright I am at 95-97 and slowly getting better. Game of INCHES and in cases those inches translate from degrees.