A while back, Frank L. wrote: 'I have recently gone to a strong rotational swing, straight leg and back setup. I was hitting the ball well but I now have a ruptured disc and another which is almost gone. I have been down for eight weeks. I guess I am looking for hope. After I get this back fixed, either rehab or surgery, do you think your swing would be one of the least damaging to the spine? Any suggestions? I am recently retired and golf next to God and family is my passion … I am looking for something to hang on for the future.'
Many of you may already know what I told Frank, but questions just like this come in by the hundreds. So here it is again, simply put.
Frank,
The Peak Performance Golf Swing (PPGS) is mainly noted for two things: it's easy to learn and maintain, and it's body and back friendly.
I have helped thousands of golfers with back problems. Many had quit because the pain and poor scores were not worth it. In just the first lesson, most said their backs started feeling better and, as a bonus, they were hitting it better. All my students improve immediately from the first lesson. I even have one student who quit playing because of back pain with a big turn swing, who says that when he's working or driving and his back starts to tighten up, he often goes to the course and hits some balls to stretch and loosen his back up. So, what used to be his malady is now his remedy. The 3/4 limited turn swing helps, not hurts your body.
The body is not designed to rotate, and thus the big rotational swing is the major cause of back, hip, neck, knee and ankle injury in the golf swing today. And the greatest stress is now more from the rotating finish, with the right shoulder pointing at the target, rather then the backswing big turn. Adding the straight legs and back setup really compounds the stress. There are a number of Australian professionals using this straight leg swing method, and I fear they will all suffer back problems, as well as a swing that will not last.
The knees and ankles are flex joints and are designed to be flexed when in motion. Straightening them just turns up the stress meter on your back immeasurably and dangerously. You will see that I get the same results (reducing torso lower body, especially legs and hips and torso movement in the backswing) by using the wide knees with outward pressure in a dynamically balanced setup. It is efficient and the least stressful position in which to swing a club.
I hope this answers your questions, and wish you a speedy recovery, so you can try the PPGS and practice and play without pain.
The Surge!