WITH the club head accelerating from nought to 100 mph in less than 0.4 seconds, we can hardly be surprised that medical experts describe it as the most traumatic phase of the golf swing. This is the downswing, which accounts for 50 per cent of all golfing injuries, generally involving the wrist, back and elbow. And for amateurs, the most vulnerable area is the tower back.
If evidence were needed to support these statistics, it was to be found last week at the Dryburn Hospital in Durham. There, x-rays confirmed that John Fyfe has sustained a pro lapsed disc and two cracked vertebrae in his lower back while playing golf.
Doctors informed him that they had never before heard of a man causing such damage to his spine, simply by swinging a golf club. I found myself smiling at this, while recalling that exactly the same medical opinion was expressed to me when I, too, broke bones in my back as a result of golf, in 1980.
It became a source of some amusement to my friends, who could hardly credit that so much effort could produce such poor results, in terms of my golfing prowess. Either way, through silly, over vigorous swinging at a driving range, I broke two small bones in my upper back. The two fragments of bone were surgically removed and, thankfully, I have had no trouble since.
With regard to John Fyfe's injury, Joe Pooley, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, explained that the action of contracting the muscles to stop the swing would have exerted great pressure on the spine enough to fracture the vertebrae. Though he added. "He must really have let fly."
More than 80 per cent of professional golfers suffer an average of two injuries during their careers, each injury necessitating an average of 9.3 weeks (men) and 2.8 weeks (women), away from the tour. The prevalence and severity of injuries is similarly substantial for amateurs and it is interesting that elbow problems are more common among women. All of which emphasises the importance of warm up exercises.
Meanwhile, older golfers should be conscious of other hazards such as the danger of aggravating arthritis. They are also more susceptible to tendinitis of the elbow and vertebral compression fractures during mid swing. And they should be prepared to accept that loss of strength in the legs, torso and shoulders, results in slower club head speed and a consequent loss of distance.
With regard to physical setbacks, however, experts point out that most injuries can be curtailed through a well planned conditioning programme designed to increase strength, endurance and flexibility. In short, it is folly to think that we can emerge from our cars and proceed almost directly to the first tee, without ultimately endangering our physical well being.
It's really a matter of common sense. But then as we're all aware, that can often be a rare commodity among golfers.
Michael O'Rourke I settled in front of his television last Sunday night, wondering if Greg Norman could hang on. Hang on to what? To his six stroke lead in the US Masters, of course. But that was old news, I hear you insist. Not to O'Rourke, it wasn't.
Incredible as it may seem in these days of high powered communications, a keen enthusiast was actually able to watch videotapes of the Masters, two weeks after the event, without being aware of any of the competitive details. And no, he wasn't marooned on a desert island or stranded in outer Mongolia.
I was on holidays in Italy in Rome and Sorrento," said the former captain of Clontarf GC. "We left on the day the Masters started and I didn't buy any newspapers. The only reference I saw or heard of the Masters was a report on Sky News to the effect that Gordon Sherry had failed to make the cut."
On his return home, O'Rourke watched the first two rounds last Friday night. While playing golf at his club last Saturday and Sunday, he specifically asked his colleagues not to tell him anything about the Masters. And to their credit, nobody breathed a word. So he watched the third round on Saturday night and the finale on Sunday. His reaction? "Sad but remarkable," he said.
"I'D rather die on the golf course than linger somewhere" that is the philosophy of veteran American professional Paul Runyan who, at 87, recently bettered his age by no fewer than 14 strokes with a three over par 73 over his home course in Pasadena. And he has a number of dos and don'ts which help him stay in remarkable shape.
"I keep my weight down," he said. "I'm strong willed and when I go up three pounds, I drop desserts and I love my desserts. But I never drink ice cold sodas on a hot day and I'm against eating ham at any time." When away from the golf course, he exercises daily with a device called the "Power Swing."
Runyan, who won 28 American tour events along with two USPGA Championships (1934 and 1936), urges golfers to resist the very idea of getting old. "If we try to excel physically, we will succeed," he said. "There are too many people my age who retire and do nothing and wait for the inevitable. The thing to do every day is to set a goal and try to achieve it.
THREE golf competitions on three continents in one day. It's breathtaking prospect, particularly since one of the venues is the majestic, new course at Adare Manor, outside Limerick. And for those with comfortable reserves, the cost is a modest $9,500 or £6,450 if your preference happens to be Sterling.
The event, involving flights on Concorde, is on August 2nd to 4th, starting and ending in Paris. From there, competitors will be whisked by Concorde to Marrakech where they will overnight at the five star La Mamounia Palace Hotel, after a welcoming dinner.
Competition commences at 7.0 the next morning at the Royal GC in Marrakech. Then the schedule is 10.30 Depart Marrakech on supersonic flight to Shannon 12.30 Tee off at Adare Manor, 16.30 Depart Shannon by Concorde to Atlantic City, US 16.00 Arrive Atlantic City and transfer to golf course.
16.30 Tee off at Blue Heron Pines GC, Atlantic City 20.00 Competition ends 21.30 Gala Dinner at Trump Taj Mahal (for all remaining in the competition) 20.45 Bed time and return to Paris.
How is the field made up? The idea is that the competition be limited to 60 competitors, with a maximum handicap of 20, on a first come, first served basis. When I contacted the organiser, Emmanuel Aeschbach, in Zurich, he informed me that they already had commitments from 30 players. He can he contacted at 0041-1-456-40-30. Boom! boom!
PHILIP WALTON positively glowed at the memory. He was recalling the utter fascination of his audience at East Cork GC last Monday, with the sight of the Ryder Cup. "Just to see their faces was really special," he said. "Some of them touched it reverently, afraid to hold it others just stood there gazing." He added "There must have been over a thousand people in all and I reckon I had my photo taken with most of them."
While all of that was going on, Walton's skipper, Bernard Gallacher, was explaining to me how he hoped to have it flown to The K Club that evening. But, as things turned out, Walton and the Midleton gathering had the trophy to themselves. And much to his relief, it was safely back at PGA headquarters on Tuesday.
Walton still winces at the memory of another revered trophy, which had rather different fortune. The superbly crafted solid silver lion, awarded to the winner of the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Championship, was brought home by Walton to the old Malahide club in 1981, never to return. Sadly, it was stolen in a break in and has never been seen since.
TEASER In stroke play, A who had mistakenly left his sputter at the previous green, borrows a putter from B, a fellow competitor, and uses it. At the next tee, the committee is advised of the situation. What is the ruling?
ANSWER A was not entitled to borrow a club selected for play by any other person on the course Rule 4-4a. A incurs a penalty of two strokes for a breach of Rule 4-4a and must immediately declare B's putter out of play as prescribed in Rule 4-4a. If A recovers his own putter, he may use it. B may have his putter returned to him and use it for the remainder of the round.
