(Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times)The wrong golf swing can ruin your game and your back, but some new gadgets for golfers may help.
Avid golfer Tim Carroll, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, reviews the swing aids and a number of other golf gadgets in a special report. While golfing purists may scoff at the notion of a gadget, the right aid may be the difference between practicing the right way and the wrong way.
“Practice makes permanent,” said Dave Pelz, who coaches golf great Phil Mickelson, to Mr. Carroll. “And if you practice as poorly as most golfers do, then you will be a permanently bad golfer.”
The article includes the $220 SKLZ Gyro Swing, which includes a gyroscope in the clubhead. The battery-powered device emits a hum when you swing it, but if the swing starts to go wrong the gyroscope pushes you back in the proper plane.
Another $229 SmartStick is a bright orange stick with small lasers that trace the ideal plane of a golf swing, Mr. Carroll writes. The article also includes information about golf simulators that let you practice at home, teeing off, managing stress and even how a low-tech gadget, the simple whisk broom, may improve your swing.
For golfers, a better swing can mean better health. About one in three golfers suffers from back pain according to a 2006 golfer health study from Golf Digest. Mistakes made in the swing may contribute to the problem. In a bad swing, the forces that would normally be absorbed by the hip often are instead shifted to the back, forcing it to do far more work than it should.
To read the full Wall Street Journal report on gadgets, as well as a photo slide show and podcast, click here. And click here to read a 2004 story I wrote about back problems and the golf swing.
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10 Comments
Thank you for this story! I suffer from a back problem that started two years ago when I picked up the game of golf. Remember, golf plays you! Very helpful report on WSJ, too.
— GolfngirlThere are more effective ways to prevent “bad back,” a shortcut for assorted muscle spasms from poor circulation, ligament tears caused by tense muscles, symptoms of fibromialgia, assorted age-related neuropathies, osteoarthritis, than just gadgets:
1. Always stretch out before your outing. It may not improve your performance by much, but will increase your range of motion considerably, and will lessen your risk of experiencing spasms and tears;
2. Take cod liver oil regularly. It’s essential to healthy muscles, bones, and joints. There is a good reason why Japanese — avid golfers — treasure toro (fatty tuna);
3. Take calcium and magnesium supplement, preferably Cal/Mag citrate. Both are essential for normal neuromuscular activity, bone health, and so on… Both minerals are lacking in ultra-filtered top/bottled water;
4. If you are over 50, take regularly (or at least before your golf outing), sublingual B-12 supplement to improve oxygenation and circulation. Helps a great deal;
5. Again, if you are over 50, apply heating pad (low setting) to your back for about 15-20 minutes. Then, use hand massager or massage chair to “soften” up your muscles;
6. Fibromialgia is one of their most common side effect of statins, and a perfect spoiler for any middle-aged golfer. Food for thought…
7. And don’t forget to consume reasonable amount of animal fat — without it you can’t assimilate vitamins A and D, and related calcium and magnesium, essential for healthy bones, flexible muscles, and “calm” nerves;
These few “tricks” are far more effective than any gadget… All the same applies to any other physical activity, particularly for people over 45-50…
Konstantin Monastyrsky, author of Fiber Menace
— Konstantin Monastyrskyhttp://www.FiberMenace.com
Visit your friendly Chiropractor.
— Michael Seven NYCIt worked for me and do follow his/her
lessons in keeping your spine flexible
sort of like a cat with EASY exercises.
I cured 3 herniated discs in my sacrum
in just a few weeks with chiropractic manipulation
and a little Physical Therapy.
What’s more my HMO paid for it gladly.
Streching…streching…streching that is the key to keeping your back in good health while playing golf. stretch before you leave home to go play, and also strech at the course. Ask your doctor for appropriate streching exercises.
— golfnutgolf gadgets do not work
— tom sawyerpractice and more practice
learn your own swing
im recovering from shoulder surgery are there any gadgets i could use to help my swing get back on track.
— The 19th holeyes, there are some gadgets to help you out, but you may also want to take some lessons because your swing plain has changed because of your surgery.
— 4-ironI haven’t tried too many gadgets but I can tell you what helps me. I do quality stretching before each round to get warmed up. Then, i usually swing take 5-10 swings with two golf clubs to get my arms used to moving down the swing plane. If you are not cheap, i suggest trying out the medicus. Its a weighted club to use before play. Only a suggestion though :)
— Foxyhttp://golfinstructionsonline.blogspot.com
From a professional prospective, most swing aids are not worth their price tag. I rarely use teaching aids with my students because everyone swings a little different with different limitations in range of motion. I work with my students to incorporate principles that I discuss in my book, Golf Fitness FOR MEN, to help my students increase their range of motion and decrease their risk of energy.
Clayton Garland, PGA, C.G.F.I.
— Clayton Garland, PGAhttp://blog.pgaclay.com
A great resource - many thanks!
— Mike