Quote:
Originally Posted by justjim
Probably no golfer was more fit than Tiger Woods and he has back issues and leg issues. Experts of the game (including Jack Nickalas) believe that the length of golf courses and the lively golf ball may have something to do with the injuries plaguing professional golfers today.
No doubt there appears to be more and more injuries even though today's professional is more fit than those of previous years.
There are ways to swing the golf club that will better protect a golfer but you won't be driving the ball 300 plus yards and that could seriously make you less competitive.
We have not heard the last of these issues.
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I have wondered if Tiger's new swing while working with Sean Foley has hurt his back. A certain type of swing is harder on the back then others. I don't know Foley's methods but if he adheres to certain principles he may have contributed to Tiger's problems. Tiger also works out like a mad man. I know people that have been in the gym with him and they say it's simply unbelievable. While you would think that this is good, if certain muscles get too strong they can twist the back in ways that it's not meant to be twisted.
I think that Jack also has a point about how hard some of these guys swing, but then again, sweet swinging Freddie Couple had back problems as well. Freddie's swing should not cause him any problems but it has. Sometimes you just have the wrong genes.
As for myself, I believe that my physical problems came from the fact that I didn't do the things off the golf course like stretching and strengthening that should have been doing. I was very busy running a golf course and when I had the opportunity to play, it was just jump onto the first tee and go. I'd also not play or practice for long periods and then realize that I had a tournament coming up and go out and hit 500 balls or so and spend several hour chipping and putting the day before. Not good after a period of inactivity.
But, backs are funny things. Some people just have problems and I don't think that anyone really knows why. As has been pointed out many professional athletes in excellent physical condition have discs pop out on them. I know overweight, out of shape people that play golf and have no back issues.