Considering the long road back after auto accident

[mshills]

Hello WRX....been a while. I used to spend a lot of time here and have been on hiatus. I'm starting to think about what a return to the game I love might look like. Here's why.

Over one year ago, I was involved in a serious auto accident, "high energy MVA." I was struck squarely head-on, other party was traveling something north of 60 MPH, maybe a good bit more when he crossed the double yellow and hit me. I apparently jammed on the brakes and got down to under 30, but thankfully I have no memory of the accident.

I do have memory of the recovery. Starting on the right side, I crushed my right calcaneus (heel) and lost my right kneecap. On the left side, I broke my tibia just below the knee, broke my pelvis, broke my shoulder, broke my humerus in two places including multiple non-union fractures in the elbow, and sustained an open compound fracture on my forearm. Vertigo has persisted but is tolerable. Range of motion is limited in my right knee. My left leg gets stronger every day and ROM is pretty good in both knee and hip.

The best news is that I lived. Other good news is I have zero damage to my right arm, no spine injuries, and no brain injuries. The bad news is if I want to play golf again, it will need to be with my right arm only.

Clearly my days of walking 27 holes, occasionally un-corking one 300, and holding on to a single digit handicap by the skin of my teeth are behind me, but I've been thinking hard about what returning to play with one arm might look like. I don't see why not -- I always was crooked off the tee so maybe I'll be half as crooked with half as many arms involved. 😄

So.....are there any one-armed players on here? Anyone know someone who plays one-armed? Any advice? Should I revisit my equipment setup? (of course I think I must! )

I am sure I have a long learning curve in front of me, but expect that I'll re-learn the game from the hole back -- start with putts and chips, progress to some short pitches, then we'll see.

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills
Brevity

[MtlJeff]

Theres a golfer from Quebec who became kind of famous a little while back. I don't know him personally.

That really sucks man, glad to hear you are OK, that sounds like a pretty brutal accident

Really nice to see you are looking to get back out there!

[Togatown22]

mshills; welcome back. It's great to see your username again. I can't imagine what you've faced in the past year, and I can only hope if ever faced with something similar that I'd be able to produce the same sense of optimism you do! Congrats to you on your recovery thus far and heck yes, I think getting back out there would be therapeutic for you. Best wishes!

[mshills]

Thanks both of you, much appreciated.@MtlJeff I've been playing since circa 1989 and still don't have one! I definitely need to figure out how to play again.MODS: if this ought to be in a different forum, feel free to cross-post, no problem. This place looks a little different now and not sure if this is the right spot!

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills

[jvincent]

@mshills Haivng been in a much slower car meets concrete pillar accident you are indeed lucky.
Sorry if this is a personal question, but is your left arm completely immobile? Have the physio guys ruled it out for golf?
You can certainly play one handed and kudos for the positive attitude. Good luck!

[Hawkeye77]

I just can't imagine or relate to what you've gone through and can only hope I'd be one-half as resilient as you.

No advice, almost no words, just sorry for what you've been forced to experience and hope and pray there are parts of the great game of golf that itch a little for you and that scratching those itches gives you enjoyment and peace.

[Fuscinator]

I've screwed around playing one handed, a little bit (really irritating my wife when I beat her). I also once injured my left elbow to the point where I needed PT. Before I went to PT, I would make my normal swing and then take my left hand off the club just before impact. I found longer irons significantly harder to hit than anything else, one-handed, so fairway woods and hybrids might be a better match (even single length clubs?).

It's great you didn't have any spine or brain injuries. I wish you best of luck and hope you enjoy the new adventure.

[mshills]

Great question and thanks for all the kind words from everyone. I started as a caddy and I still say that's the most fun I ever had making money. I loved caddying and golf's been a big part of my life ever since.

I'll see if I can post an x-ray of my elbow, then you'll see. It currently does not bend. 0 degrees of range. I may be able to regain some or even a lot of motion with a follow up surgery and lots of rehab. I was meant to go see the worldwide "Dean" of elbow surgery (and inventor of the procedure I am considering) in NYC before the virus outbreak, so in a few months when things are safe I will get his perspective on whether I am a good candidate for that procedure. I have had absolutely world-class medical care through this whole journey. I am so thankful, as first they saved my life, then they saved my quality of life, which is quite good, and will be better if I can play golf again.

[ChaosTheory]

There used to be a one armed guy playing every day at a 9 hole course where I had a membership. He had fun like the rest of us.

[ohioglfr]

Seems like you're on a good path to recovery. All I can say is, if Ben Hogan can recover from a bad accident, maybe you can, too. I hope your wishes come true.

[farmer]

Really sorry to hear of your accident. On the positive side, I was acquainted for years with a one handed golfer. He caught his left hand in a baler, took it off from just below the index finger across his palm to just above the heel pad. He worked and worked, finally got back to being a very good player. His right arm and hand got so strong that eventually he regained the distance he had lost. He played for years in local tournaments and was a solid scratch player. He did not have the lower body injuries that you had, but his swing was not dependent on body action. He took that right arm back and then fired it through the ball. It can be done. Best of luck to you, keep up the fight. BTW, shaking hands with this guy was like getting your hand caught in a vise.

[Yuck]

When I was growing up in FL in the many years ago, there was a one armed golfer named Virgil Ramage. He lost his left arm and played right handed with his right arm. I was a high school golfer and he was an “old man” in his 50’s or 60’s. He was a low single digit player and very knowledgeable about the game. The first time I played with him he probably shot 34 or 35. He competed at the national level in amputee tournaments. My point is that his passion for the dame allowed him to enjoy it despite physical challenges. I realize many one armed played use the remaining functioning arm as their lead arm, but he did fine using it as his trail arm. Good luck.

Mayor, Judge Ramage Fought for Education

 

 

 

 

[mshills]

Thanks all. I found this that looks rather interesting. North American One-Armed Golfer AssociationI've got a lot of strength and range of motion work to do from nose to toes, and as the weather improves I'll start working on some basic soft chips and pitches in the yard and see how that goes. I have a long way to go on rebuilding lower body strength and balance -- that's going to be key before I can expect any success on hitting full shots.

This is all quite encouraging that enjoying golf should in some form, remain possible.

Here is my L elbow for an idea on the amount of hardware in there - golf with this arm is just not going to happen. The fractures are in good shape but all that metal will stay in there forever.

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills

[Pepperturbo]

No doubt the road back to golf is a testy one. Hang-in-there, day by day you can overcome. Each and every day as you look down and step forward soon you'll look up and look back.

[scooterhd2]

Golf is all about challenging yourself, no matter your personal circumstances. Glad to hear you are alive and even focused on returning to sport. Thats a real indicator of your strength and fortitude. That alone lets me know you will figure this out and be posting guides in the future for others in similar circumstances to follow. Good luck my friend.

[FusedSpineScratch]

Wow! What a journey you've been through, that is horrible to hear. But great to hear you are alive. You don't hear of too many head on crashes at those speeds that have survivors.

Anyways... I would say strengthening your right forearm and hand strength will do wonders for the ability to hit with one arm. Also, when I taught youth golf lessons I would have contests with the kids to see if I could outdrive them with their youth clubs with one arm. I always found I could hit the ball really straight and far with one arm using a youth club. Not saying get youth clubs but maybe shorten the length of the clubs a bit and/or choke down, and find something that is a bit more light weight and lighter flex. Good luck!

[GLF4EVR]

Been in x-ray & CT now for 36 years. Looking at the x-ray post I can imagine what the left elbow area looks liked before any surgery.........many pieces, like the whole thing blew-up. So first off I give you a 21 gun salute for just even being in the frame of mind to start the work on playing again. Have spent 29 of my years in the VA & you are the exact example of why I love being in the VA....the patients. From what I have amassed over the years is if you have good feeling still in the left hand, you are one lucky fellow. Granted the numbness & pain that they have, hopefully that subsides after time.

It will be like beginning to learn how to play all over again. Kind of thinking physical therapists would not really be against starting the journey on learning how to hit a ball again. Just the working of all of the muscles involved will help with repair of bones, tendons, muscles, etc. Being with the VA, not uncommon to know of golfers that are missing parts &/or big orthopedic surgeries. All of them just love playing the game for the enjoyment of it. Hope it might even work well in the beginning, but just the will to start trying is the very important first step. Kind of like alcoholics anonymous....one step at at time. Best of wishes!

[mshills]

Thanks again everyone.
That image is the fluoro from elbow repair surgery in 2019. If you know what to look for you can see numerous non-union fractures. I have a hard time viewing the x-rays before the hardware went in. Recent X-rays are encouraging in that all the fractures have healed nicely, but discouraging in that I have so much extra bone growth (H.O.) that the elbow is locked in place. @GLF4EVR -- you are right on. Nerve damage to my hand is the big risk to the follow-up surgery to go in there and try to free up the elbow range of motion. Nerve sensation and dexterity in my left hand is not 100% and never will be, but it's pretty good, (I can type, etc.) and potentially losing that is a major risk and would be a really bad trade-off.
@FusedSpineScratch, agree completely. I'll never be like the guy who @farmer mentioned. Shaking hands with me will not likely be like getting your hand caught in a vice, but right forearm, hand, and wrist strength will be really important. Right now my focus is on continuing to rebuild leg strength, range of motion, and balance. Recovering from the lower body injuries and is key, as my pre-injury action relied a lot on leg strength. Balance is really important and has been a challenge, though I can see tangible improvement which keeps me motivated.

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills

[farmer]

My guy did not have all the damage you had. He got loose from the baler, went to the hospital, had surgery to tidy everything up and then went home. Given the time, I'm not even sure he did PT, just got over the surgery and figured it out. I tried to duplicate his swing as I remember it, and he did not have a big turn, nor did he have a lot of leg drive. It was more of a stable center and then a crack the whip type motion with his right arm. I believe that when you get stronger overall, regain range of motion, you can learn to play again. Different, certainly, but doable.

[mshills]

Quick update. Today I hit a golf ball for the first time in 20 months — 20 or 30 pitch shots of about 15 yards at my home.

It felt good. About half the shots were acceptable, but I was thinking more about simply making contact ?. Yes, I know the right arm only drill is a classic, but all the years I’ve played, I never once tried that drill.

Clearly a LONG journey between here and learning to swing a driver with one arm. My lower body injuries will pose a massive challenge, but I am pleased that balance felt ok today and I did not get vertigo, which was a real worry.

Oh yes, the ball went forward! 

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills

[NoTalentLefty]

Godspeed in your recovery.

[farmer]

Good for you. Everything takes a first step. Good luck.

[mshills]

Realize how much strength I need to build in right forearm to make this work. But also need to figure out how to let the club “slot” and go without manhandling it the whole way.

I have to re learn the game, period! All a blessing though. ✌️

[Hateto3Putt]

Glad you're alive my friend!

Must be a Pittsburgh thing, last April 28 my wife and I were hit head on by a heroin induced $%#hole who decided to pass on a blind bend. Thank God for airbags and ambulances.

We are still recovering. My injuries were primarily my legs. My right tibia was snapped cleanly in half, my left was just horribly bruised below the knee, and I had a bunch of broken toes.

My Wife had horrible airbag trauma to her chest, slightly milder leg injuries and a shattered thumb.

I spent all last summer on the couch, rehabbed through the winter. Needless to say, it was a looooong summer.

My golf game is nowhere near where it was, but I have a whole new perspective on appreciating the little things...

With your positive attitude, you'll adapt just fine.

On that note, we had a fella in our skins game who had a deformed arm, I felt sorry for him at first, within the first month he had passed me on the money list, after that, all pity fell to the wayside, he's an idiot like those other sandbaggers!

Good Luck! Hopefully we'll see you on the first tee.

My South Hills friends tell me South Park is in the best shape in it's history.

 

 

 

[mshills]

Hey @Hateto3Putt great to see your user id back on here as well! So sorry to hear what happened to you and your wife, that absolutely sucks. Everyone makes an error in judgment while driving. I can, and will forgive a mistake, but not an impaired mistake.
Sounds like you had great medical care as well. Nice thing about Pittsburgh is the strength and talent of the medical community is far beyond what one would expect in a city of this size. My accident happened in northern NJ and the care I received (and still am receiving) humbles me greatly.
You know now how you have to keep your mind right. Celebrate being alive. Being intentional about your thoughts and frame of mind has a lot more to do with physical healing than we understand — I really believe that after the last year and a half.
Let us know how your golf rehab progresses! I have a long way to go — at least another year, maybe two, before I’d attempt to play golf with one arm, but there is no quit in me. It will happen, maybe not on MY timeline, but it will. ??

Edited February 9, 2022 by mshills
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[mhudson111]

Hey Mshills,

glad to see you attempting playing again after your accident! I got hit by a car doing 45-50mph as a pedestrian while attempting roadside assistance 7-8 years ago, and ended up with a shattered spine and these rods (x2) and screws (x8).

I’ve struggled as lumbar rotation and strength is important in golf swing, and I can’t rotate as much, but still do ok. Perseverance is the key, as well as accepting limitations. I’ve had to research alternative methods on various things (posture, swing methodology, how to practice w/o long hours/reps, etc), but any day on the course beats being six feet under!

While my physical handicap isn’t arm related, I do practice one arm swings to try and groove movements at slow speed so as to not subject my back to unnecessary stress. It’s amazing how far it goes on a clean hit.

I didn’t see it mentioned, but here is a YouTube video of Mike Austin swinging with his left arm replaced by a piece of rope. Basically one armed. His form looks pretty good and appears to develop some speed!http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AH47XdXzgHQ

Again, good luck and keep plugging! Perseverance is the key

 

[PreppySlapCut]

You seem to have a really positive outlook, which is essential in your recovery! I would obviously keep rehabbing the left arm, but short term I would try switching to the other side of the ball.

[mshills]

Wow @mhudson111 that spine injury is no joke. Glad you survived!
I have a long way to go with my lower body and my left arm will likely never be right, but it’s hard to believe I escaped so many other injuries I ‘should‘ have had.

All I’ve done so far is hit 54deg pitches in my yard, right arm only. It’s quite satisfying actually. Vertigo has not flared up (a real concern), no sh#nks (bigger concern), and some decent shots. I may hit a practice area and a small bucket this weekend, then spring for a nice mat so I don’t tear up my lawn.

Edited March 24, 2022 by mshills

[Barfolomew]

Damm best of luck brother.... I'm always fighting injuries but not like you my man.

 

I did putt one handed for a long time to develop touch and got so good it would pi$$ off guys I was betting with... so no worries with putter!

[mshills]

Quick update as it's been a while.

 

I've played a handful of 3 hole stints with my R arm only.  It seems doable enough, and certainly fun enough, to commit to learning to play a different version of this great game.

 

This winter, I'm focused on lower body strength and continuing to work on balance, particularly on my right leg, where my foot/ankle will never be the same, and my knee does not have the same strength and stability with no patella.

 

One thing I will need to figure out this spring when the weather allows is if I want to attack this from the right side (and thus play with my trail arm) or from the left (and play with my lead arm.)  Not sure if I can make that decision until I make some more progress on the lower body as mentioned.  Both approaches have merit.  I like the idea of switching to the left side so I can play with my right arm as the lead, but I need to ensure that my right leg is strong and stable enough to post up on and hit into.