Prevent Golf Injuries. A Discussion With Steven Diack.
Julie Diack, MOA from Impulse Port Moody, interviewed her brother who is an aspiring PGA golfer. He is currently set up to move to Texas to play as many professional tournaments as he can with hopes of making the Web.com Tour. Here is his take on injury prevention in the golf community.
Tell us about yourself and your sport.
My name is Steven Diack. I am from Coquitlam BC and attended Terry Fox Secondary School. I grew up playing every sport imaginable and have always wanted to be a professional athlete. When I was 18, I chose to quit competitive soccer and focus all of my energy on golf. I received a full scholarship to play at Wayland Baptist University in Texas where I recently graduated in May of 2017. I have played and practiced out at Pitt Meadows Golf Club and most recently The Vancouver Golf Club. My lowest round is a 62 (-10) and I have 3 hole-in-ones. Before I turned professional, I was ranked inside the top 800 in the world and 18th in Canada.
Why did you choose golf?
I chose golf because I love the challenge of trying to get better at something every day. I started when I was 13, and only started taking it seriously when I was about 16 so in a sense, I have always been behind compared to a lot of players.
What is your favourite thing to do with golf?
I love that golf is different every day. Sometimes that’s what sucks about it too – it can seem so easy one day, and then all of a sudden the next day it can be so difficult. The chase to get better is what a lot of people, especially me, enjoy about the game of golf.
What are your aspirations as a golfer?
My goal is to play and win on the PGA Tour. Since I started golfing, I knew it was something I wanted to do. It has taken me to a lot of great places around the world, and I hope I can make a great career out of it as well.
What are the most common injuries related to golf?
The golf swing is quite an unnatural movement for the body, so a lot of injuries occur for players. The most common is the back and the wrists. Many players also suffer from hip, shoulder, knee and neck problems as well. The more fit and flexible you are the less likely you are of incurring any injuries.
What are the common methods of injury prevention well known in the golf community?
The top professional golfers will see chiropractors, massage therapists, and physiotherapists regularly, and they will also have a personal trainer and nutritionist to ensure they are giving themselves the best chance at staying healthy and preventing injuries for a long golf season.
What has worked for you personally regarding injury prevention?
I am in the gym 5-7 days a week doing full body training that includes many golf specific workouts as well as flexibility and cardio. I have performed my absolute best when I take my off-course training just as serious as my on-course. I also use rollers and massage balls to keep myself loose and pain-free.
Have you had any injuries personally, and what did you do to recover?
I have had some hips problems in the past and in the summer of 2017, I was seeing a chiropractor 3 times a week. During the golf season, I am walking 18 holes 5 or 6 times a week as well as practicing for hours every day, so my legs and hips start to tighten up. We were working very hard to strengthen my hips and glutes, as well as maintain the flexibility so I could go play tournaments without feeling any pain. I have been lucky to not have any serious injuries related to golf, and I believe the way I train has and hopefully will prevent future injuries from occurring.
Follow
You can follow Steven Diack at http://www.stevendiackgolf.com/ and @sdiack_golf
Collaboration
The Injury Prevention Series is a collaboration between The Chiropractor West Vancouver and Port Moody Physiotherapy Team.
