Now this picture made me wince, I literally couldn’t do this.

If we really love golf, we practice and play as often as other commitments allow, and if we do too much it generally takes its toll. In my case a fractured lower disc which can play up occasionally, as it is now. That means that, as much as I love it, I play golf sparingly and hold my breath that “the back” wont be back.

When a big wig in golf once said to me “you don’t play golf, do you?” I silently screamed for five seconds before beaming him a tolerant smile and replied “That is not true. I play golf when my back allows”.

And that’s the thing. Golf can be a lifetime sport if it is taken with good measure, unless you’re planning to be a world beating professional, and the money involved does have an element of compensation for earning a living through a sport that can be cut short through injury. So to prolong your golfing lives, please don’t do what I did and over rotate and over practice while you’re younger. Take it nice and steady to protect your back.

I do pilates to strengthen my core.There are plenty of golf specific programmes, usually led by nubile females, Here’s one which is quite good, look after your back to look after your golf.