Tiger's Back Baby and moving all needles!

[TheNuclearOne]

Anybody who has lower back issues knows that it is extremely painful to swing a golf club. The glutes are major muscles attaching the legs to the pelvic girdle and to the lower back. The right glutes attach to the left lat muscle and the left glutes attach to the right lat. Any soft tissue injury in the lower back/pelvic region will put the glutes and other muscles of the pelvis into spasm. It doesn't take much to injure a body that has been subjected to the compression forces of millions of violent golf swings over a 25 year period.

Yes but how come it's far more pronounced on the bad shots with him? We've seen this numerous times now.

[Shane788]

I hope he's not putting it on more so for bad shots like it looks but I did see billy pick up his tee for him on the 7th or 8th, you'd think they would see if he was putting it on and not do that for him...

[razaar]

Yes but how come it's far more pronounced on the bad shots with him? We've seen this numerous times now.

It may not be an issue on the practice ground or during practice rounds when he is relaxed and tension free. Totally different situation in competition. Excess tension in the body can lead to poor swings and tight muscles. Throw in playing difficult shots from deep rough and unlevel lies etc and Tiger's mentality to give it everything. Tiger is a fuel guzzling power machine with 500k miles on the clock, not a corola with low mileage. Which do u think has more chance of breaking down? My money is on the gas guzzler.

[Jarro]

But why does it seem that he's not in pain with every shot Ray ?
I watched all of his twelve holes yesterday, and on his good tee shots there was no sign of pain ???

[jimandr]

But why does it seem that he's not in pain with every shot Ray ?
I watched all of his twelve holes yesterday, and on his good tee shots there was no sign of pain ???

What you were seeing was the difference in his body language between hitting a good one (where you want to believe your back is coming good) and hitting a bad one (where you convince yourself you hit it bad because of your back). It may have been at least partly unconscious, the difference in body language. One of the best shots he hit all day was his final one, on the par 3. He looked fine, but pulled the pin straight after.

Regardless of that, his swing looked terrible, with so much body movement from a squatting position. If it wasn't his back causing that, then this was a swing that is unlikely to hold up under pressure. It could be time to revisit the Tiger Gawwn thread.

[razaar]

My guess is that he is doing something different on the swings that cause pain. It could be having to swing steeper to get at the ball from some lies which can cause flex in the lower back and early protraction of the right shoulder. This combination puts the lower back in a compromising position. In his good swings right lateral bend in the lumber region has the back spines of the vertebrae locked together with the back extended in lordosis. If the spine flexes well before impact these spines separate from each other and each vertibrae in the lower back is subjected to the torque of the downswing. Tiger's swing had a ton of torque and force so if he loses lordosis a fraction too early then he is at risk. Do a search on spine engine in the golf swing for more info.

[TheNuclearOne]

The Memes are warming up

[meh]

He's done.

[yoyo]

Its not pronounced because its a bad shot, its a bad shot because the pain is more pronounced. What dont you guys understand about this ??

[goughy]

Don't knock the glutes! I've been having back issues on the bike and one of the things my Physio has me working on is activating my glutes

[virge666]

But why does it seem that he's not in pain with every shot Ray ?
I watched all of his twelve holes yesterday, and on his good tee shots there was no sign of pain ???

He was a mess with any of the long clubs, pretty much from the 2nd shot of the day. He also was hurting with the stupidly long rough at Torrey.

It just aint a show, let it go. The swing is shit, the technique is shit, he has a swing speed in the low 120's with the driver and he drops his head almost a foot on the downswing and torques up the back.

You just cant play golf like that with any longevity.

(and there was NO good shots yesterday)

[virge666]

Oh and did I mention his treatment of the media is also shit.

For **** sake, open up and let the guys in just a bit, you will be surprised just how much they want to be on your side.

I guess that bridge has been burned already....

[Tongueboy]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/golf/why...07-138g04.html

He has gone in my opinion. Physically gone. Mentally gone. He has found out he is human. That is what getting old does to you. His mind is rooted. He is now no different to us chasing that holy grail.

[yoyo]

He'll be back, just not this season.

[TheNuclearOne]

Why would he be out for the season when it was (supposedly) just spasms related to sitting out fog delays and going cold?

[timah!]

He'll be back, just not this season.

I don't think he has much longevity left, and he knows it. If he weren't to play this year I'd reckon he wouldn't play again ever. There's no point, there's only be a tonne more younger guys to crush it past him.

He knows the end is coming, and I reckon that's why he pushes so hard to get out there.

[JADO75]

I believe his body is failing due to soft spots from years of juicing.

[3oneday]

Doubtful, doesn't your old fella shrink? Wouldn't have thought that was an issue

[LoveGolf2012]

Its not pronounced because its a bad shot, its a bad shot because the pain is more pronounced. What dont you guys understand about this ??

Exactly correct totally agree I have the same trouble,you just can't turn through which causes a bad shot.Some shots it hurts some it doesn't,bad backs suck!

[virge666]

Exactly correct totally agree I have the same trouble,you just can't turn through which causes a bad shot.Some shots it hurts some it doesn't,bad backs suck!

They don't understand - cause they don't get it. The idea that i can play 8 holes of golf, twinge it by doing something almost innocuous, and then just be in pain for a day or so, and then be fine again after a bit of gym and physio.

It isn't a bruise, it is a channel in your spinal column that gets inflamed and squeezes on a nerve running through the center of the spinal column. The hard bit is finding the movements that cause the inflammations.

My guess is that Foley's swing pattern just aggravated the back so he was injured for almost ever. And now he is with a bio specialist that might help him avoid that again.

And he is not mentally gone, that is just pessimistic media fodder because they have 4 hours to fill with nothing other than tiger on the screen. In fact all of golf commentary is pessimistic to create the non existent drama that is golf. The guy is simply frustrated that the body is not holding up and he is trying to find a way to make it work and cant seem to get it done no matter how much money he spends.

The question is how long it will take... and he has to play the comps due to sponsor and PGA pressure, so he has to do the whole thing in a media spotlight whilst putting on a bullshit bravado face of "It is just this", or "it is just that".

My only opinion is that the head drop on the downswing, that he does to create power (and he is still frigging long,30 past Billy with a sore back) has to be replaced with something else to create power.

good luck with that.

[LoveGolf2012]

They don't understand - cause they don't get it. The idea that i can play 8 holes of golf, twinge it by doing something almost innocuous, and then just be in pain for a day or so, and then be fine again after a bit of gym and physio.

It isn't a bruise, it is a channel in your spinal column that gets inflamed and squeezes on a nerve running through the center of the spinal column. The hard bit is finding the movements that cause the inflammations.

My guess is that Foley's swing pattern just aggravated the back so he was injured for almost ever. And now he is with a bio specialist that might help him avoid that again.

And he is not mentally gone, that is just pessimistic media fodder because they have 4 hours to fill with nothing other than tiger on the screen. In fact all of golf commentary is pessimistic to create the non existent drama that is golf. The guy is simply frustrated that the body is not holding up and he is trying to find a way to make it work and cant seem to get it done no matter how much money he spends.

The question is how long it will take... and he has to play the comps due to sponsor and PGA pressure, so he has to do the whole thing in a media spotlight whilst putting on a bullshit bravado face of "It is just this", or "it is just that".

My only opinion is that the head drop on the downswing, that he does to create power (and he is still frigging long,30 past Billy with a sore back) has to be replaced with something else to create power.

good luck with that.

Great post mate.I played with the boys yesterday and struggled all day.I hardly hit any iron shots well,no confidence to power through it.I was so crooked last night after cooling down,I came home at 12.30am back to Melbourne just to ice it,stretch it,and lie on my bed.

Not by choice,but I just know how to manage my back.Got up this morning,and just about straight again.

Doesn't matter what you do,only YOU yourself know what works best for you.Im almost certain Tiger would be distraught about what's going on here.

You can't tell me he's playing this badly just cause he's 'Lost it'

Give me a break..the guy is hurting!

[Jarro]

He's now taking leave of absence from golf until further notice.

[pt73]

Doesn't sound good and love him or not he draws people to watch golf so ratings will most probably be down.

[talbo]

He did say that the latest injury isn't related to the recent surgery so that's positive.

[3oneday]

And he is not mentally gone, that is just pessimistic media fodder because they have 4 hours to fill with nothing other than tiger on the screen. In fact all of golf commentary is pessimistic to create the non existent drama that is golf. The guy is simply frustrated that the body is not holding up and he is trying to find a way to make it work and cant seem to get it done no matter how much money he spends.

The question is how long it will take... and he has to play the comps due to sponsor and PGA pressure, so he has to do the whole thing in a media spotlight whilst putting on a bullshit bravado face of "It is just this", or "it is just that".

sorry, disagree, he's been mentally gone since he was exposed as a serial shagger. His "indestructable" aura has gone, forever as far as I am concerned.

I said at the time he'd never win another major, all this is just theatre.