Golf after back surgery, tips?

[Bullitt5339]

I've just got back into playing a lot after having back surgery a couple years ago for some exercise, and have about 10 rounds under my belt so far. I have noticed some absolutely huge changes in my golf game from a couple years ago, it seems like my game has switched 180 degrees from what it used to be.

Before back surgery, I could never hit a decent shot with my driver. Snap hooks were the norm. So I didn't carry a driver, I could hit my 3 wood straight off the tee, around 230-240 yards, so I didn't worry about it at all. Fast forward to my 2nd round of golf since surgery, and I went back to what I was used to. 3 Wood off the tee, however everything I hit (woods and irons) goes right.

So a playing partner hands me his TaylorMade Burner driver, and I tee off, opening my stance to adjust for not using my hips. I hit it perfectly straight, 270ish yards. That's the 1st decent driver shot I've had in years. I borrowed his driver a few times during that round, and not only hit it straight, but outdrove him with his own driver every time. I ended up buying the driver from him the next day, he was so mad that I could outhit him with his own driver.....

I don't know how not being able to use my hips affected my driving ability for the better, but somehow it did. I even went back to hit my old driver because I wondered if my old driver was just horrible, and I still hit it decent.

So.....am I doing the right thing by opening my stance, since my back prevents me from doing a "proper" golf swing. I have gotten very good at judging how far to open it for my shot to be dead on line. Or should I adjust my swing to compensate? I'm sure with very little hip movement, my swing looks a bit funny now, but so far, it's working for me. I just don't know how this change is going to affect my game in the long run, once I get my handicap down. Is it going to be possible for me to ever have a 10 handicap playing this way, or am I always going to be a high handicap golfer because I can't physically perform a good swing because of my back?

[Nickynoodles]

I had back surgery and my driving got worse. Im just getting it back to normal. I went from driving to after surgery using my 3 wood. With alot of work and 2 years im back to driving again. Thats wierd. Im guessing i was hippy before and good and now less hips and worse. Im still learning to compensate. I still hit my irons and woods very good. Also if your driving straight no matter what your doing in your stance you can drop strokes.

[finoky]

Perhaps you have better tempo now after coming back from back surgery.