Back Pain

Zak Flaps

Hi, i've started playing recently (only at the driving range) for the first time in years. I got a couple of lessons and am practicing on the range 2 or 3 times a week. I am in the process of changing my swing (due to advice from pro). But every time i'm up at the range,my back (mid back in particular) gets sorer the more i hit...i usually hit between 70 and 90 balls.
Am I overdoing it too soon, or is my new swing hurting my back seeing as i may be using muscles i'm not used to using?
I seem to be hitting the ball ok,so I don't think my swing is radically wrong or anything. I don't really warm up for long before i play. Should i stretch beforehand for a while?

Zak.

GreeBo

I dont do a huge amount of warmup, but I do a few windmills and touch the toes a few times.
Make sure you are taking breaks and not stuck in a golf stance for hours on end.
On a side note, I often get a pain in my right ass cheek after playing golf...strange but true.

toggle

Mostly like down to your poor warm up, as said above windmills are an excellent warmup for the mid back area, but you also need to stretch everything else.
Decreasing the number of balls your hitting will also help.

I assume your golf pro has looked at your setup posture, you may just lack flexibility in the mid-back area. If the pain continues then I would suggest getting an assessment, if there is a titleist performance institute approved medical person near you they would be the best bet.

soundsham

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Hi, i've started playing recently (only at the driving range) for the first time in years. I got a couple of lessons and am practicing on the range 2 or 3 times a week. I am in the process of changing my swing (due to advice from pro). But every time i'm up at the range,my back (mid back in particular) gets sorer the more i hit...i usually hit between 70 and 90 balls.
Am I overdoing it too soon, or is my new swing hurting my back seeing as i may be using muscles i'm not used to using?
I seem to be hitting the ball ok,so I don't think my swing is radically wrong or anything. I don't really warm up for long before i play. Should i stretch beforehand for a while?

Zak.

you pretty much have all the answers to your own questions

take it from someone with a bad back,warm up 1st,and have a bit of a stretch after too if you can
also don't just bang away take at least 30 secs to a minute between shots,
practice swing between shots,not always at full tilt

also after your warm up work from your wedges back to longer clubs 3-4 balls with each maybe skipping every 2nd club(pw,8,6,4,5w,d) and alternate this at next visit, begin with a few easy pitches(at 50-60%) to get going,maybe going back to hitting a few pitches after every 15 balls
better to hit 50 quality shots than thrashing 80 out there

thats kind of my routine but have to say i don't go to range except in winter,

Swinging Looney

I would see your trouble as a symptom of the most common driving range experience which is to stand in place and hit ball after ball without any real pause between.

Try going through a full pre shot routine before each and every shot. Pick a target, set yourself up to the ball, and swing. Then tee up another ball, step away, think about your shot, pick a target, set yourself up to the ball, and swing.

It takes me somewhere around 1 1/2 hours or more to hit 100 balls at a range, so I'm in the region of 1 minute per shot. In that time most people in the bays next to me have hit at least 2 or 3 shots for each one of mine. How they can be set up properly and safely for each one is beyond me.

I always finish any range visit with an imaginary few holes on an imaginary course. Leave maybe 20 balls aside at the beginning and then when you've hit everything else, pick some of your favourite holes from your favourite courses and play them out until you on the green.

So, the 7th at the European Club needs driver off the tee. I take my driver, imagine the hole, pick a target and hit a weak cut shot to the right rough. Then I decide that will only have gone maybe 230 or 240 yards so that means 210 left to go. Out with the hybrid, pick my target and hit it well but to the left of my imaginary green. Next it's a gentle wedge to the net 30 yards away and I'm on the green with a short putt for a par!!!

It can actually be good fun doing this and it gives your body some time to recover before you hit your next shot. Also you are thinking about what you need to do as opposed to just hitting every ball as hard as you can which is the normal driving range visitors experience.

Try it and see!

Zak Flaps

thanks guys for your help and advice...i was worried that i may have damaged something and that i would always have this problem...it's a relief to know that i'm not the only one this happens to(i don't mean that in a bad way!!)...
next time i'll stretch, hit fewer balls,and take more time between shots...i'll also start with wedges and make my way down to the driver...
cheers again,you've put my mind at ease...

zak.

staker

I'm the same as you Zak, I get a pain in the small of my lower back on the range always.
Gonna follow Soundsham's advice on the 50/60% warm up shots on each consecutive iron before giving it wellie.