He walked away with a new approach to his game. I switched from carrying my bag to pulling a cart. And I don't swing as hard as I used to. I haven't lost any distance, but there's a lot less stress on my back. Local golf pros and sports physiologists say that golfers are not immune to getting hurt and, just as in any sport, stretching and warming up before play can be key in preventing injury.
Golf is an odd mix of violent rotating action and fine motor control.
Hilden says he treats injured golfers weekly. These are caused by the 40 to 60 maximum-effort torso rotations golfers make during a round. Shoulder injuries, caused by maximum extension of one shoulder on the backswing, and the other on the follow-through. Craig Stephens, head golf professional at Indian Peaks Golf Course in Lafayette, became a convert to pre-round stretching after he began to develop a sore neck. He now recommends stretching to all his clients.