[ovenco]

I'm not a surgeon, but as a chiropractor who sees people with back surgeries/problems all the time, you have to be careful with the whole "I've got no pain" feeling. Usually, pain is the last thing to manifest itself with a joint problem and the first thing to go away when the problem is fixed. Building that stability in the low back by working your lower back muscles and core is going to help A TON. The real issue is going to be how your core musculature in your low back is going to withstand your swings. I would really stretch your low back, hamstrings/quads out before the round begins, even more than maybe you usually do. Definitely don't over-swing and try to kill the ball (which I'm sure you weren't going to do.) Just take it really easy and allow your body to get back in the flow of things.