Old Boys Golf

[rubin]

My old man is just looking to get back into golf after about 20 years without touching the sticks. And (naturally) he's turned to me for some help.

He's recently had 2 hip replacement ops (over the last 2 years) and first of all, I'm wondering if this is going to affect the way he'll be able to swing at all, and also any tips for getting him back into it?

Apparently, he reckons he used to play pretty good, but never used a handicap or scored all that often, so I don't know what 'pretty well' would equate to.

If anyone has had a similar experience or if anyone has any decent tips for getting the older guys into the swing again, it would be appreciated.

[chappy1970]

Not exactly the same scenario Rubin, but my dad has been playing golf for 35 years and always made compensations with his swing for a rooted knee (old footy injury). 2 years ago he bit the bullet and had a knee replacement.

About 2 months out of the game for the op and recovery and now I think he is swining the club better than ever.

[matty]

Hey Rubin, I'd take his 'used to hit it pretty well' with a grain of salt.

You know the older we get the better we were. :wink:

Don't know how he will fair with busted hips as that is where all the drive comes from, but then again there are plenty of old guys who get around the course just fine swinging with their arms.

[Daves]

Quite a few of the Champions Tour regulars have had full hip replacements, Tom Watson being probably the most well know amongst them. Not sure what if any swing method allowances have to be made for it though.

[raidrboy]

Rubin,

I have had both knees totally replaced and also my right hip. I am back playing 3 times a week and sometimes 4 days. You can never in my experience get back to hitting them the same as the pre-op days. You quickly learn that the body rotation will not be the same and it is difficult to clear the left hip in your follow through. But I just enjoy getting out and having a hit with some of my mates of which some have had similar re-structuring of body parts. Tell your Dad to just swing easy he probably won't ever get to hit the ball the same distances as in his younger days to just make sure he does not finish his swing as I was with my body leaning back at the contact with the ball. Once I overcame that hiccup I started to hit the ball a little further but I had to settle for the next best result in that I have lost a lot of distance but hit it down the middle most of the time. Tel your Dad I wish him good luck.

[rubin]

hahaha yeah, having never actually seen him play, Im assuming the played pretty well was hitting about 100 - 110 through 18.

I've still got some relatively old stick lying around that have a bit of weight in them, and will probably get him to start off with those first. They are incredibly easy to hit, with big thick soles and huge cavities (I just cant remember what they are). The only thing that would need to be purchased as well would be a driver and/or 3 wood. I was thinking along the lines of a Wilson deep red or similar. Something that bombs, with minimal effort.

Another question for the fitting guys, the sticks I'm going to get him to start on are a steel shaft, probably quite stiff. If he's only going to be 'arm' swinging (not a lot of rotation) should I get him to stick with steels/stiff shafts, or find something relatively soft and flexible? My thinking would be that a person who swings mostly with their arms and not a lot of rotation gets a bit of a 'whip' effect anyway and something stiff would be more controllable.