When to Golf?

[mainframe]

Our company has a company sponsered golf best ball tournament in early June. That will be about 12 weeks post-op for me.

O.K. to golf? I really don't care how well I play not that I'm that good anyhow. It would just be fun to go out with folks I don't see that often. (we are consultants placed in different companies)

Chris

 

[Ross]

Myself, I think it's too early, but that's my opinion.
How does your Sternum feel?
Is swinging the club going to make you flinch in agony?

I guess you better check with the Doctor and see what he says.
I'd go anyway, just to get out and around, if you haven't seen most of these people in a while.

 

[Marty]

When to golf?

When to golf?

Chris, I was fortunate......my pro at Army-Navy had open heart surgery...a CABG a couple of years before I had my MVR so he could identify with the problem. He had me chipping and putting at 3 weeks post op. He wouldn't let me take the full turn until 8 weeks. When I did I was fully healed and had no pain. If you wish to play seriously you must work on your rehab which should
include beside the cardiac workout stretching and some weights.
I tired very easily at first but now can walk the course with my kids and have no trouble keeping up. Good luck!

 

[Perrster]

Fore!

Fore!

I played in a best ball outing about 12 weeks post and it felt great! I took it easy which was actually better for the swing.

Watch that beer cart! Free liquid refreshment is so tempting!

Enjoy!

 

[mainframe]

Thanks Guys.

My doc's assistant finally called my back and she said it would be o.k. to go 12 weeks out, but not too much before. Perhaps I'll hit a bucket of balls a day or two before. If only they could have also transplanted my swing.

Perry, You bet I'll be watching out for the beer cart. All this talk about mechanical vs. tissue, I suprised the beer issue doesn't come up more as primary criteria.

Chris

 

[John Cochran]

Chris,
What an opportunity! Any bad shot can be blamed on lingering aches and pains; any great shot can be supplemented by the comment, "Well, you should have seen me BEFORE the surgery."

My father-in-law (much older than you) resumed golf at about the time you are contemplating. His doc had him doing extra stretching exercises which helped. If you keep a soft touch and remember most of golf is in the short game, I bet you'll be fine.

Happy golfing!
--John

 

[jackc]

When To Golf

When To Golf

Hey Mainframe!

That was my question to my surgeon to be..when could I start golfing again.
He said after 3 months..should be OK. In the meantime nothing but putting...then some chipping...then short pitch shots..gradually working up to 12 weeks.

The important thing he was concerned about was the shifting of the sternum before it was properly healed...a disaster!!

Listen to your body and don't force it. SLOWLY , EASY , GENTLE
According to the experts thats what makes a successful swing anyway you cut it.

Good Luck...its a game so have fun!!

Jack ( Welland )

 

[Ron K]

Chris,

I don't know about golfing, but I went back to bowling in a league yesterday and it felt great. If fact, in spite of an eight week layoff, I bowled over my average each game. I even finished with 7 strikes in a row for a nice 245!

The important thing was that I didn't tire out, I had no pains in my sternum, and I had plenty of strenght to still handle my 16 pound ball.

I do have to admit that I was a little apprehensive when I threw the first couple of balls. After that , it was pretty much back to normal.

I hope you do as well in your first effort at your favorite sport.

Ron K

 

[mainframe]

Thanks Ron,

The tournament is actually kind of funny, in that it attracts many "non-golfers", which is o.k. with me, but bugs some of my co-workers, guys I played regularly last year. Some of the folks don't know the etiquette of golf, like don't yell to buddies when someone is trying to shoot, one guy even wore dress shoes, (not very good on the greens, haha.) There are very few good golfers and many more really bad ones, folks playing cause it's free. Play is excruciatingly slow.

Sounds like a good time, no?

Well my favorite sport is actually skiing, but a little accident in January while training for city league racing, (lots of former college racers with a former US teamer or two, pretty competive) left me with a torn ACL. I skied a couple of times after, but it's starting to bug me a bit more now. Ah, the prospect of another surgery. What fun.

Chris

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi chris!
i remember joey going back to golf about 3 months post op. he did fine playing a few times on our vacation.
however, 3 weeks later he went on a golf outing with his buddies and played mornigns and afternoons and ended up very sore. it was too much to play that many times sequentially.
glad to see you are thinking ahead! have a great time when you do get out there!!
be well,
sylvia