[markbila]

Hey all,

I have a disease of the spine that started when I was in my early 20's and gets progressively worse over time. At this point I'm about as bad as it can get, I'm 45 and my spinal column is totally fused together. Naturally I am stiff in my movements and don't have much flexibility left at this point. I am wanting to get back into golf and my Rheumatologist thinks it would be good for me to do so. Naturally I would like to enjoy the game with as little pain and restricted movement as I can, but I know there's nothing I can do to eliminate everything painful.

As you can probably tell, the traditional golf swing isn't going to work well for me anymore. Sure I can go out and get to a point where I can play and enjoy the game again, but I'd like to enjoy it as much as I can. I know I am never ever going to break 80 and I'm cool with that.

What got me to ask this question, about the Moe Norman swing style, was me thinking about what I could possibly do to get as good as my condition will allow. After watching several Moe videos on YouTube, his swing just looks like it would involve a LOT less bending, twisting, uncoiling and so forth, all of which I can't do very well at all. For instance I will never be able to get a full turn on my backswing and bring the shaft to parallel or finish my swing with my belt buckle pointing at the target line. The Moe swing doesn't involve a lot of this movement and he hardly has an extended backswing at all. In fact at the top of his backswing is about the LIMIT I can get with mine, if that gives you any indication of my level of limited flexibility and movement.

What do you all think? Is it worth a try for me to try and learn his swing or at least try and learn as much as I can about it and incorporate what works for me as much as I can? Or is there a way to "modify" the traditional style swing methods to try and find something that works for me and is repeatable?

At this point I don't know what way to go. I haven't hit any balls in over 6 months and am wanting to try a go at the range and at least get some strength built back up in some kind of a swing. Back then, when I was hitting just a few balls, I was using a single 6 iron and some of the hard foam balls in my side yard. Before doing that little bit of hitting, I hadn't tried to swing a club in over 10 years.

The bottom line is I LOVE the game of GOLF and have since I first tried playing it. Some of the best times of my life were had on the courses with my fraternity brothers in college and other friends right after finishing. I just want to get back to playing as best I can and loving to participate. I don't have to shoot 79, I wouldn't care at all if I shot 98 or 108 as long as I know I am doing as well as my body and mind will let me do.

One more thing, I can't afford to go seek lessons from a pro. I wish I could, it would make things a whole lot easier. If you all know of someone in the Houston, Texas area that deals with people that have really bad back conditions that I can talk to and ask a few questions, I'd like to get their contact info.

I also only have a 7 iron, a 6 iron and 5 iron, all different brands and all were DEMO clubs. That's the club situation at this time, but that will change as I progress.
Any other advice or suggestions you want to add would be great too.

Sorry for the length.

Thanks for your time.

Nalajr

[nonDosearrany]

Hey all,

I have a disease of the spine that started when I was in my early 20's and gets progressively worse over time. At this point I'm about as bad as it can get, I'm 45 and my spinal column is totally fused together. Naturally I am stiff in my movements and don't have much flexibility left at this point. I am wanting to get back into golf and my Rheumatologist thinks it would be good for me to do so. Naturally I would like to enjoy the game with as little pain and restricted movement as I can, but I know there's nothing I can do to eliminate everything painful.

As you can probably tell, the traditional golf swing isn't going to work well for me anymore. Sure I can go out and get to a point where I can play and enjoy the game again, but I'd like to enjoy it as much as I can. I know I am never ever going to break 80 and I'm cool with that.

What got me to ask this question, about the Moe Norman swing style, was me thinking about what I could possibly do to get as good as my condition will allow. After watching several Moe videos on YouTube, his swing just looks like it would involve a LOT less bending, twisting, uncoiling and so forth, all of which I can't do very well at all. For instance I will never be able to get a full turn on my backswing and bring the shaft to parallel or finish my swing with my belt buckle pointing at the target line. The Moe swing doesn't involve a lot of this movement and he hardly has an extended backswing at all. In fact at the top of his backswing is about the LIMIT I can get with mine, if that gives you any indication of my level of limited flexibility and movement.

What do you all think? Is it worth a try for me to try and learn his swing or at least try and learn as much as I can about it and incorporate what works for me as much as I can? Or is there a way to "modify" the traditional style swing methods to try and find something that works for me and is repeatable?

At this point I don't know what way to go. I haven't hit any balls in over 6 months and am wanting to try a go at the range and at least get some strength built back up in some kind of a swing. Back then, when I was hitting just a few balls, I was using a single 6 iron and some of the hard foam balls in my side yard. Before doing that little bit of hitting, I hadn't tried to swing a club in over 10 years.

The bottom line is I LOVE the game of GOLF and have since I first tried playing it. Some of the best times of my life were had on the courses with my fraternity brothers in college and other friends right after finishing. I just want to get back to playing as best I can and loving to participate. I don't have to shoot 79, I wouldn't care at all if I shot 98 or 108 as long as I know I am doing as well as my body and mind will let me do.

One more thing, I can't afford to go seek lessons from a pro. I wish I could, it would make things a whole lot easier. If you all know of someone in the Houston, Texas area that deals with people that have really bad back conditions that I can talk to and ask a few questions, I'd like to get their contact info.

I also only have a 7 iron, a 6 iron and 5 iron, all different brands and all were DEMO clubs. That's the club situation at this time, but that will change as I progress.
Any other advice or suggestions you want to add would be great too.

Sorry for the length.

Thanks for your time.

Nalajr

Some random thoughts:

There certainly are ways of compensating for physical constraints, and it will probably be some combination of equipment and technique that will help you get the most out of your situation. Just as an example, though, if you had clubs with a lot of flex, maybe even a senior flex, with practice you could get some pop out of your swing despite not being able to make a full turn or a vigorous swing.

You might want to do a search on "golf swings for people with bad backs" or "golf swings" & "limited mobility." I did a quick search and here's a thread on another board that discusses the topic (not sure if it's helpful or not): http://www.planetruthgolf.com/Player...6/Default.aspx

You might also want to post this question in the Ask the Pro forum on this board: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...red-by-GolfTEC

With respect to equipment, don't sweat it. You will need more than a 5, 6, and 7 iron, of course (e.g., a wedge and a putter!). There are lots of second hand clubs available with senior flex shafts. Go to estate sales. A lot of times, you can get full sets of clubs that the family is willing to sell cheap. It may sound morbid, but clubs are clubs, and if there's a financial constraint, then who cares? But you can hack your way around a muni track with a very limited bag of sticks. Also, I've seen garbage cans full of old irons at some driving ranges over the years that were like $5 a club. It would be mix-and-match, but, again, who cares?

So my short answer to your question about Moe Norman is "I don't know." But you can absolutely develop some kind of swing that will accommodate your condition and allow you to enjoy the game.

Good luck!

[grattperret]

Dag makes some good points above, the Golftec guys have something for you I'm sure.

[Pcodaygs]

I don't know about Moe Norman. However, I'd like to add that this is one case where technology really may come into play. I suspect the softest shafts possible may be a real help to you (ladies vs. senior???) in compensating for your mobility constraints. I also second the advice about buying them used. Keep an eye on Craigslist and/or look for estate sales. You will be surprised by the deals you can find, especially when you aren't in a hurry to buy something.

[markbila]

Hey all,

Thank you all, I appreciate you taking time to offer advice and help. I'll certainly look into those links and do some searching myself. There is a quality range and facilities pretty close to me that supposedly has instruction and help available. I am going to visit it this week sometime when the heat goes down a tad in the evening.

As to the clubs, that's how I got the ones I have. The first one I picked up after deciding I was going to at least try it and I didn't want to die someday without ever even trying to do something that brought me so much happiness and joy earlier in my life. I stopped in one of the Sports Resale shops and found a used Mizuno MP33 with steel shaft and I got it for 5 bucks. Hey why not? It's not as if I was going to get worse and I had ALWAYS LOVED the looks of the Mizuno irons. So I walked out with a 6 iron and I changed the grips to one of the Tacki-Mac arthritic grips and it feels great in my hands.
The other 2, the 5 and 7 irons, they are DEMO clubs that were sent to me by a couple generous members on the forums.

I have never thought of using a SENIOR flexed iron. I suspect that the flexes on TODAY'S Graphite shafts are MUCH different than what I would be familiar with, the irons of the late 80's and early 90's. I have never swung a hybrid or one of those HUGE Drivers. I have to admit that I did get a bit excited when waggling one of those Drivers last year and looking down and seeing how HUGE they looked compared to those that I used to play with. They inspire the feeling that "I can't miss with this Baby" type of attitude. I assure you though, if there is a way to miss with these new LARGE head Drivers....I'll find it. I can't wait till I actually get to hit a real golf ball with one of these new style drivers. Just imagining it gets me excited to try again.

I'll keep an eye out for a senior flex iron to try. I'm kinda curious to see what happens with that myself.

Won't be able to try hitting for real again for another few weeks. I have to get my regular infusion of medication that makes it even fathomable for me to even entertain the notion of trying to play the game of golf again.

Thank you all again for your time and help. I'll check out the things you told me about.

Nalajr