OT: Bryson DeChambeau will change the physics of golf

[Jim Lipstate]

Professional golf is an exhibition sport and for me I find bomb and gouge golf to be boring to watch on television. I want to see players have to hit every club in the bag and I want to see players successful with different styles of play. Television golf may lose its luster if the golfing fan can no longer relate to the game.

[David_Tepper]

"I want to see players successful with different styles of play. I want to see players successful with different styles of play."

Jim L. -

Barely 6 weeks ago Collin Morikawa won the PGA with as "classic" a golf game as you will see these days. I wouldn't give up hope just yet.

DT

[Lou_Duran]

"
Maybe "physique of golf" was a more appropriate query?

Pat , that's an awful story about your wrist but pretty good one about your getting fit. I'm going to start today because of your post !

Let me know how it goes.  I've been "inspired" numerous times, but have not been able to jump start it, now going on for 10+ years.  No doubt in my mind that getting fit would lead to much better golf.  A lot to be said for Bomb and Gouge.  I just wish I could do it.  A lot more fun than hitting 11 fairways and 7 greens, my YTD average. 

[Pete_Pittock]

With a hat-tip to Padraig, what are the ramifications for the LPGA?

[David_Tepper]

"what are the ramifications for the LPGA?"

Pete P. -

I think you will see bigger, stronger women emerging to play golf at the highest levels over the next 10-20 years. It is not uncommon at all to see women 5'10" or taller now ranked among the best women tennis players. The same may very well develop in golf.

DT   

[Doug Siebert]

I don't know why people would assume that Bryson will have back problems just because he's swinging hard. He's got a lot of muscle to support that hard swing.

Back problems in golf seem to be a mystery. Fred Couples struggled with back issues most of his career despite famously practicing very little compared to other pro golfers, and while he was long he sure wasn't putting a lot of visible effort into his swings. Jack was one of the longest hitters on tour for years, and his back held up just fine. Had he been as into fitness as Gary Player he might have lengthened his career and squeezed out a few more majors (especially in 1998 when he just needed to make a few putts on the back nine)

[jeffwarne]

I don't know why people would assume that Bryson will have back problems just because he's swinging hard. He's got a lot of muscle to support that hard swing.

Back problems in golf seem to be a mystery. Fred Couples struggled with back issues most of his career despite famously practicing very little compared to other pro golfers, and while he was long he sure wasn't putting a lot of visible effort into his swings. Jack was one of the longest hitters on tour for years, and his back held up just fine. Had he been as into fitness as Gary Player he might have lengthened his career and squeezed out a few more majors (especially in 1998 when he just needed to make a few putts on the back nine)

Jack had back problems for many years-as far back as I can remember.

"Jack Nicklaus: Experimental stem cell therapy curbed chronic back pain
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[Jeff Schley]

Had he been as into fitness as Gary Player he might have lengthened his career and squeezed out a few more majors (especially in 1998 when he just needed to make a few putts on the back nine)

Doug you bring back one of the true disappointments in my golf majors memory of Jack at 58 almost doing it again.  What a great week and you are totally right that if he had dropped a couple more putts on the back he would have been the leader in the clubhouse and O Meara would have had big pressure. Great week for him and just like we pulled for Watson at Turnberry and a to a lesser extent Norman the year prior.

[Kalen Braley]

The golf swing in general is not the best thing for the back with all of the twisting and torque for full shots.  BDC will no doubt be fine for awhile with youth on his side, but the breakdowns will come soon enough, and the extra muscle won't help much to prevent further injury.  Beefing up only means the failure point is transferred to the next weakest parts down the line (joints and tendons).

Offensive lineman in football run into this all the time with the pressures they exert on their legs, and nearly all of them wear knee braces as thier knees won't handle the increased loads, (in many cases its mandatory that they have to use them).

[cary lichtenstein]

I don't think it's the golf swing that produces back problems, it's more your inherited genes and the spine structure you are born with and whether or not it undergoes degenerative changes. My mom was very arthritic, I have it in my shoulder, neck, back, hip, fingers and feet, so does my sister.

[Steve Lang]

   Yep,  physics in play, but I'm thinking that maybe Bryson can cross-train as a lineman