How I Became Hooked on Golf

I still remember the first time my friend brought over a golf club, I was 12, and the club was a 10-iron, weird to reflect on now, but essentially a pitching wedge (PW). It was a rusted blade, with a worn down grip and faded green cord. Not the easiest to hit, but then again I didn’t know better. There was something about this challenge and the game from early on that drew me in. I ended up convincing my friend to lend me the club.

It was the late 90’s and Tiger was also busting on to scene. I believe he had won his first major a few years before at Augusta and was starting to make winning a routine as a pro. As a kid it was easy to love watching him. He made the game that much greater and the buzz he created got me HOOKED. Before I knew it I was tuning into almost every tournament he was playing in. In my off time from soccer I was practicing taking divots in my yard ( my dad was so pleased), hitting plastic balls, and chipping real ones.

I was Golf CRAZY

A year later and I had gotten my first set of clubs for my birthday they were a set of knight golf clubs. I remember going nuts! Golf was always on my mind. That following summer I remember cutting about an 8 foot green with scissors, yes with SCISSORS! It took me hours to hand cut this green as the lawn mower couldn’t quite trim it low enough. I soon dug out my own hole so I could chip and put in my front yard. Who does that?!

From about 14 on I played at the local course with my friend, never came close to breaking 100 and was usually much more concerned with leaving the course with as many golf balls as I started with. With more practice at home, watching Tiger and watching golf channel I came to understand more about the game and the swing. I played my last two years on the high school golf team which equaled golf in the spring for free. Though out of the 5 players who counted, I might have been the 5th man a handful of times. I did not let that bring me down. I loved the game and loved the challenge of improving.

For the next 5 years I played the game as much as I could given my soccer schedule. The pressure of living up to being a good soccer player combined with my ability kept me on the field and away from golf. I continued to watch as much Tiger as possible. He was the one sport figure I truly cared about. Each year I slowly got better, shooting into 80’s and had a better understanding of the game.

College Years and Tiger’s Struggles

photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/7452662016

Throughout college I continued to be an obsessed Tiger Fan watching him accrue a few more majors in my first two years. My last few years of college though 2009-2012 Tiger hit his first of many major speed bumps in terms of injury and life. I was in PT school and heavily absorbed in anatomy and beyond. I loved sports and orthopedics and was starting to get excited about PT any my future in it. Learning your favorite golfer and Idol did some very not kosher things was tough. It was also tough seeing him struggle with knee, achilles, elbow, and most significantly back injuries.

Back injuries were everywhere!

As I played more and more golf in PT school and beyond I met more folks in their 30s,40s, and 50s who talked about back injuries and how tough they had been. Some echoing the recent Tiger: “ I wasn’t sure if I was going to ever play again”. In my early twenties I’m thinking one: we have to be able to do something about this and two: I don’t want this to be me in 10 years.

Seeing Tiger further struggle through up until this year as well as hearing all the things he said about his back and his recovery made him extremely relatable to so many folks out there. I have seen many patients who have struggled with chronic back pain that go through many downs and have many doubts about their future. Many folks, like Tiger, also have inaccurate images in their heads of what their low back actually looks like and how strong it actually is. This is fostered by a system and practitioners who use language such as my “back is out” ,“I have blown a disc” “I have a back of an 80 y.o.” How does this help our patients view their body? IT DOESN’T! Low back pain can catch folks in a cycle of hopelessness and despair and whether you are a friend, family member, physical therapist or fan of an athlete or friend it is tough to see.

Things Have to Change

Low back pain and injury is the most common injury that people sustain. It is also the most common injury among golfers. This is a problem. Chronic low back pain can significantly impact lives and careers like we hav seen in Tiger’s case but also so significantly in others who aren’t as fortunate to have the financial stability of Tiger. How many other golfers are out there that have had to step out of the game as an amateur? How many of you reading this have had to take time away from golf, but have also had pain that has stopped you from being able to perform all your work duties and or your duties at home? I’m sure many of you can raise your hand or know someone that would.

There is Something to be Done

Unfortunately too many people don’t seek immediate care, and as a healthcare system we haven’t:

Been good enough at educating people and patients about low back pain
Don’t manage patients well enough- too much imaging and less education, empowerment and treatment
Had been relying on more opioids for pain management ( though is slowly changing)
Have not been preaching an active enough message about lifestyle, sleep and diet
Haven’t made Physical Therapists the front line for management

For the past 6+ years since earning my Doctorate in Physical Therapy I have been continuing to work hard to become the best golfer and therapist I can be. I have worked down to a low handicap player and most importantly have taken numerous courses improving my manual skills, intervention and evaluation skills, and education skills to help those dealing with low back pain. Having been around hundreds of golfers at my local course, the clinic, and through tournaments it is easy to see that there are so many players out there that will benefit from simple information and steps to better manage their games, their bodies and their lifestyle to significantly reduce their chance of pain and injury!

I want to see LESS and LESS golfers: suffering with back pain, taking time away from the course and cutting back on their social life and MORE and MORE players enjoying the game, shooting lower scores and feeling their best!

Thanks for reading through this story and post and taking the time to learn more about what makes me tick!

As always to better health, golf and beyond!

Dr. James Ashcroft DPT, OCS, CSCS

My Golf Story: Why I love the game and want to help eradicate back pain in golf