Golf for the First Time Since Hip Replacement and Shoulder Arthroscopy
I just completed 9 holes of golf today. It was my first time playing in over 20 months. I’m a 63-year-old male who had shoulder surgery last June and a right hip replacement on December 22, 2025. The hip surgery was posterior using the STAR Method.
I’ve been waiting for this day since the surgery. Even though it’s been almost five months, I didn’t want to rush the recovery process. I still have lingering pain in my right knee and lower back issues, so I wanted to be smart about it.
As a reward to myself for getting through both surgeries — and to help with the lingering hip and back issues — I bought a new set of irons with graphite shafts and new golf shoes.
Today, I was driving the ball much farther, but something surprised me: almost every shot was straight. I wasn’t keeping score, but I was probably shooting 7 or 8 strokes better than before the surgeries, and I only lost one ball instead of the usual 6 or 7. I also used a cart, which definitely helped.
People ask me what made me decide to have hip surgery. The answer is simple: life is short, so why not enjoy it? I’d rather deal with 4 or 5 months of recovery than spend the rest of my life in constant pain and unable to enjoy the things I love.