Equipment question related to a Bad Back

[i-Guy]

I would really appreciate constructive feedback from anyone related to the following:

I have had a bad back for years (degenerative L4 & L5 disc). Not sure if it is originally related to golf but here is how golf affects my back. It seems like I can hit irons all day long with no problems. But as soon as I start spending time hitting balls (30-40 at a time on the range) with a 3 Wood or Driver my bad discs act up and I am laid up for days. It appears to be related to when my swing speed goes up. I do not currently own a Driver but I have a Burner 3 Wood and when I purchased it I decided to install a Dynamic Gold S300 because that is what I have in my irons and hybrid and I like the feel of a heavy club. However, I think between the increase in swing speed (3W) and having a 127gram steel shaft that could be what is affecting my back. I am thinking in order to continue to play golf, I need to go to a graphite shaft (70-80grams stiff) and learn to swing easier and let the club do the work. I would think with the lighter shaft and swinging easier I could generate almost the same club head speed as with the steel shaft and put less stress on my back. I currently hit my 3 Wood between 240-250 yards off the tee. So do you think that changing to a graphite shaft and slowing down my swing some might help my back but still generate almost the same distances??? Thanks for your help…

[SirMilton]

i-Guy

3 years ago (almost exactly) I rolled a SUV 9 times (no seat belt) and was thrown out on the last roll and landed on my neck and shoulders. I broke both shoulders and screwed up my back. My left shoulder now is almost totally numb and is in a semi-cramp almost constantly (nerve damage at the spine). I also have limited movement in my left arm and less than 30% of my former strength. My lower back is also screwed up and I hit the percodan, the heating pad and the recliner when I do very much physically.

I recently resumed playing golf and dumped all my old stiff shafted clubs graphite or steel for regular flex graphite after my hard swinging of the stiff shafted clubs actually tore muscles in my right arm (twice).

My driver and fairway woods in regular graphite shafts are much longer, straighter and more accurate than I could hit my old stiff shafts, and I have now switched to regular graphite shafts on my irons. My last 4 complete 18 hole rounds were (4, 6, 8, and 9 over par). I no longer swing hard, but smooth (like swinging the breakaway swing trainers) and my driver is 240-270, my 3 wood 190-215, 5 wood 165-185, and 7 wood 145-160. All are straight, consistent and accurate; I can knock down pins with the 5 and 7. My irons are straight and accurate but very short - I am looking for new irons.

My game is steadily improving as my stamina increases; in each of the above four rounds I doubled bogeyed the last hole - mainly because I had become too tired to play well. If I can find some irons with a little more distance I think I can be a scratch golfer again

I have found after years of swinging fast and hard and rarely breaking 80 that now after suffering some physical limitations I can swing slower and score much better. But you have to change the shafts to do this, a slower swing with stiff shafts means a severe loss in yardage and a severe increase in harshness.

After playing, I will become stiff quickly and experience some minor back pain, but very little. In short, I have traded distance, for accuracy, consistency, scoring and no pain from playing. I can play several days in a row when i have time with no problem.

[Sean Cassidy]

If you're suffering pain now and you want some more longevity with your golf game... I'd suggest going graphite woods, irons and wedges.

I had golfers elbow on and off for a couple of years, tried everything that I knew to clear it up, but it kept returning when I played or practiced a lot.

I resisted the temptation to go to graphite irons... I'm only 34 and I was saying, "No Way, they're for seniors".

I tried a few different steel shafts with "shock absorbing" inserts... pretty much a waste of time.

Since changing to graphite... No Pain!

I initially went with lighter graphite shafts, but have a new set of Mizuno MP 57's coming any day now, with the 105 gram Tour Spec shaft.

Ultimately, find what works best for you that also takes the shock out of it.

Let me know how you get on.

Sean

ps - they make some pretty good graphite iron shafts nowadays, usually more expensive but worth it to be able to play without pain.

I find them just as accurate as steel... you get rewarded for good swings and penalised with both... the ball doesn't know what shaft you've got in there.

[i-Guy]

Thanks so much for the feedback so far I feel for you and your injuries and I commned you for sticking with the sport and finding a way to continue to play and play well based on your handicaps. I think it would be stupid on my part to not try to take advanatge of technology which can help me continue to play a game I love. I am defintiely going to graphite in my Burner 3 wood and maybe even my Burner #3 Hybrid. Your experiences have helped convince me to go in that direction even more. Thanks again...