Golf Talk Tuesdays - 2021

[garyt]

Anybody here playing after hip replacement? How long after surgery were you able to play? I've seen elsewhere some guys were playing after 3 months.
My surgeon says I'm in danger of dislocation until 3 months are up and total and full healing can take 6 months to a year. I'm still following the protocols they put in after surgery, no crossing legs, no bending over 90*, etc.
I feel good, walking fine, stairs no problem, PT released me a few weeks ago saying I'm doing fine. However I do get some pain if I forget to move my feet and just pivot. Got a sharp pain yesterday doing this. Still a little sore today.
I don't feel like I could swing a club with any speed yet. We were planning on a golf trip in mid April which would be 4 months but don't want to book anything if I can't play. What's your experience?

 

[Huston55]

Anybody here playing after hip replacement? How long after surgery were you able to play? I've seen elsewhere some guys were playing after 3 months.

I have a golf buddy who came back to the course after what seemed like well less than 3 mos. He told me that his surgeon used a new, less invasive technique which minimizes both tissue damage and recovery time. Don't know the specifics.

 

[garyt]

I have a golf buddy who came back to the course after what seemed like well less than 3 mos. He told me that his surgeon used a new, less invasive technique which minimizes both tissue damage and recovery time. Don't know the specifics.

Yea, probably anterior approach. I had posterior.

 

[Huston55]

Yea, probably anterior approach. I had posterior.

I can see how that would be a real PITA!


Sorry, just couldn't help myself.

 

[garyt]

I can see how that would be a real PITA!


Sorry, just couldn't help myself.

That it was, that it was

 

[zinger1457]

Any golf club tinkerer's here? I tend to do most things myself like changing grips, adjusting lie/loft, adjusting length, checking swing weight, etc.

Been reading some of the discussions on the golfwrx forum about golf club MOI matching but haven't tried it. It's an alternate way, instead of using swing weight, to get your golf club set to match so that they all feel the same when swinging. Seems to be based on first selecting the club that's your favorite (consistent center hits) then adjusting the length increments by 3/8" based off of that club. So if your favorite club is a PW you would increase the length of your 9I to be 3/8" longer and use that same gap for the rest of the set, the standard gapping for most iron sets is 1/2". Many on the golfwrx forum swear by it, some fitting centers now use it when building a set for a customer. Anyone have any experience using this method?

 

[frayne]

Any golf club tinkerer's here? I tend to do most things myself like changing grips, adjusting lie/loft, adjusting length, checking swing weight, etc.

Been reading some of the discussions on the golfwrx forum about golf club MOI matching but haven't tried it. It's an alternate way, instead of using swing weight, to get your golf club set to match so that they all feel the same when swinging. Seems to be based on first selecting the club that's your favorite (consistent center hits) then adjusting the length increments by 3/8" based off of that club. So if your favorite club is a PW you would increase the length of your 9I to be 3/8" longer and use that same gap for the rest of the set, the standard gapping for most iron sets is 1/2". Many on the golfwrx forum swear by it, some fitting centers now use it when building a set for a customer. Anyone have any experience using this method?

My theory is that as I age and my body and flexibility changes, all I have to do is make minor adjustments in order to square the club face. There are already so many variables in golf, tinkering with my clubs would be the last thing I would have any desire to do but YMMV.

 

[garyt]

I used to build clubs all the time. It was fun then but just a chore now. I'll still swap shafts now and again but not too often.

 

[Midpack]

Tobacco Road Golf Club Sanford NC

I’ve played a few tour level “bucket list” golf courses, but Tobacco Road is the most unique, rustic and interesting course I’ve ever played - it’s fascinating. You’ve never seen another course like it. If the Pinehurst area is on your list of places to play I’d highly recommend Tobacco Road. It’s #52 on the Golf Digest Top 100 list of public courses if that matters. It’s a tough course, but you can score better than expected if you manage well, all 8 of us scored a little better than we expected. I’m a 12-15 HI player and expected to lose a bunch of balls, didn’t lose any - though there were some lost balls in our group!

If you like classic, traditional, formal, elite courses - you won’t find that at Tobacco Road, you might hate it. If you don’t like risk-reward challenges stay away. You have to think on almost every shot, but good shots are immensely satisfying, and waste areas-bunkers aren’t the end of the world - sometimes you can recover. If you like courses where you can always see everything in front of you and blast away, you won’t like Tobacco Road.

Greens, tees and fairways are top notch, but the rough is thick in places and there are waste bunkers/areas everywhere. The clubhouse is nice, but small and unpretentious (with quality merch) - unlike grand courses. The practice putting green is two tiers about 6 feet in elevation change, made us laugh. There’s no out of bounds, and no sand traps - but again there are waste areas everywhere so you’ll have sand shots, more than 20 feet below the green on #9 and #11! There are lots of blind shots and you can’t hit driver on every hole, so study the course carefully before you play or hire a walking caddie or forecaddie. We bought course guides, and used them a lot, mine was full of notes before I played. Some of the greens are reasonably forgiving but a couple are brutal with big elevation changes, and punishing false fronts on a few like #5 and #8. The #13 green is set in a punch bowl like I’ve never seen anywhere else with just a narrow path! Teeing off on #1 is intimidating, with a very narrow gap in front of you, though the fairway opens up nicely beyond - so not as tough as it looks. Only one water hole, the par 3 #14. #16 is scary looking, a blind tee shot and blind approach - but it’s a short hole so not hard if you’re accurate. I’d love to go on and on about each hole, but I’ll stop...

I can’t wait to play it again in a couple months when it greens up more (it was greener than I expected in Feb). The video below is very entertaining, but not work safe language.

https://tobaccoroadgolf.com

https://youtu.be/Ys7dQZUKKWE

 

[aja8888]

Anybody here playing after hip replacement? How long after surgery were you able to play? I've seen elsewhere some guys were playing after 3 months.
My surgeon says I'm in danger of dislocation until 3 months are up and total and full healing can take 6 months to a year. I'm still following the protocols they put in after surgery, no crossing legs, no bending over 90*, etc.
I feel good, walking fine, stairs no problem, PT released me a few weeks ago saying I'm doing fine. However I do get some pain if I forget to move my feet and just pivot. Got a sharp pain yesterday doing this. Still a little sore today.
I don't feel like I could swing a club with any speed yet. We were planning on a golf trip in mid April which would be 4 months but don't want to book anything if I can't play. What's your experience?

I have had both hips replaced (12 years apart) and the most recent on 11/2/2019. Both were done using the anterior procedure. I started playing golf after the second one last September so I was well healed and 77 years old, BTW. I am playing at least as good as I played in my 50's again. Maybe it's the slower swing?

I can't give you any advice about being able to play after 4 months of healing, but I was pretty much all healed and walking 10,000 steps per day after three months past surgery for sure. Good luck!

 

[Huston55]

I’ve played a few tour level “bucket list” golf courses, but Tobacco Road is the most unique, rustic and interesting course I’ve ever played - it’s fascinating.

Watched the video. All I can say is, "Holy Bunkers Batman!"

Doubt I'd score well on this course but, it would certainly be memorable.

 

[garyt]

I have had both hips replaced (12 years apart) and the most recent on 11/2/2019. Both were done using the anterior procedure. I started playing golf after the second one last September so I was well healed and 77 years old, BTW. I am playing at least as good as I played in my 50's again. Maybe it's the slower swing?

I can't give you any advice about being able to play after 4 months of healing, but I was pretty much all healed and walking 10,000 steps per day after three months past surgery for sure. Good luck!

Thanks, walking is no problem. The torque of a golf swing still seems to be a bit much yet, I'd say. Still a month to go, so we'll see,

 

[garyt]

I'd like to play Tobacco Road once. I don't like that type of course all the time but as a once off, why not? Sort of like Wolf Creek in Mesquite, it's more E ticket Disney ride then golf course but a lot of fun occasionally.

 

[Midpack]

Watched the video. All I can say is, "Holy Bunkers Batman!"

Doubt I'd score well on this course but, it would certainly be memorable.

I was careful to avoid the deep waste bunkers. A few of my buddies did go in, one never even found the ball on #9 (2nd pic below) and dropped, took him two tries to get out. Another we couldn't see 20 feet below us on #11 (first pic below), but after a minute or two he came walking out with his ball in his hand, told us he made three tries and the ball rolled back to him three times - so he gave up and picked up his ball. There are railroad tie steps out of several of the waste areas or you'd need climbing gear to get out...

 

[Jerry1]

S.E. Michigan had a few nice days and I got out today for my first round of the year. Probably last round was in November. Shot a 96, which anything under 100 is good for me, so had a pretty good day. At my skill level, it was also good that I carded no snowmen. Then had lunch with my golf buddy. Pretty good day in retirement land!

 

[frayne]

I played Monday, shot a 39 on the front and a 47 on the back, a model of consistent inconsistency. Tee to green was decent but my putting on the last nine killed a good round, three double bogeys will do that. Playing a tough course tomorrow but the weather is going to be great, so no complaints here. Jonesing for a new driver that I really don't need but hey, you can't take it with you.

 

[Midpack]

I played Monday, shot a 39 on the front and a 47 on the back, a model of consistent inconsistency. Tee to green was decent but my putting on the last nine killed a good round, three double bogeys will do that. Playing a tough course tomorrow but the weather is going to be great, so no complaints here. Jonesing for a new driver that I really don't need but hey, you can't take it with you.

Welcome to the club. A week ago I had a round where I was 7-over thru #14, and 8-over on the last 4 holes, so 15 over total. This week I was 10 over the first 6 holes, 8 over the last 6 holes and 1 under on the middle six holes. Just call me Sybil...

 

[pb4uski]

The pros do it too. I follow Keegan Bradley on the PGA tour since he is a local guy. In last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational he shot 74 in the second round, 64 in the third and 78 in the final round.

 

[Huston55]

Tried to play yesterday (my normal Tuesday group) but, gave it up after 9. The wet & cold was unpleasant but, the standing water on parts of some greens was what convinced me to quit. As an aside (FOR MIDPACK), despite the pouring rain, my MGI Navigator performed well; no battery issues at all from the water.

So, since I've become a "California Weather Wimp", I'm heading to Palm Desert next week to play some "warm & dry" golf.

 

[garyt]

Played for the first time since hip replacement in December. All went well except my swing. But no hip pain was the main thing.

 

[Midpack]

I really didn’t want to buy new clubs, but my wrists and left elbow seem to be telling me I should seriously consider graphite shaft irons. It’s reached the point I’m uneasy playing two days in a row, I need a recovery day between rounds. Sucks to get old...

Lots of peeps on golf forums claim graphite iron shafts made a huge difference reducing joint pain. And evidently graphite shafts have evolved to compete with steel across the entire flex/weight spectrum, so they’re not just for really low swing speed players these days.

I’ll have to compare buying new with graphite shafts minus (current set) trade in - versus reshafting my current irons. I suspect the latter will be less expensive, trade-in values aren’t great, and I’m not keen on selling them myself.

 

[Dawg52]

I’ll have to compare buying new with graphite shafts minus (current set) trade in - versus reshafting my current irons. I suspect the latter will be less expensive, trade-in values aren’t great, and I’m not keen on selling them myself.

I've sold a few clubs on ebay. Everything I listed have sold. I don't do it that often tho.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Got in my first legit round at the club yesterday, made a few tweeters and finished up par, bird

 

[zinger1457]

I really didn’t want to buy new clubs, but my wrists and left elbow seem to be telling me I should seriously consider graphite shaft irons. It’s reached the point I’m uneasy playing two days in a row, I need a recovery day between rounds. Sucks to get old...

You can install dampening inserts in your irons to help reduce vibration, see link below. My Ping irons came with a dampening insert that seems to help although not sure if it's the same as shown in the link.
https://www.golfworks.com/prosoft-shaft-dampening-inserts/p/ps5000/

 

[Midpack]

You can install dampening inserts in your irons to help reduce vibration, see link below. My Ping irons came with a dampening insert that seems to help although not sure if it's the same as shown in the link.
https://www.golfworks.com/prosoft-shaft-dampening-inserts/p/ps5000/

Thank you. I’ve heard of Sensicore inserts. But what I’ve read on golf forums is that inserts aren’t nearly as helpful re: joint issues as graphite shafts. I can’t play without a compression band on my left forearm now, so I think I may need the maximum available remedy?