The arithmetic of rotation
A full backswing requires a large amount of thoracic and hip rotation. If your thoracic spine is stiff and your hips have lost internal rotation, the swing still happens — the range comes from somewhere, and the lumbar spine is the usual donor. The lumbar vertebrae are built for stability, not rotation, and repeated rotational load there is a well-known source of golf-related back pain.
What Feldenkrais works on
- Thoracic rotation. The rib cage's ability to twist, which most golfers have lost substantially.
- Hip rotation. Especially on the lead side.
- The relationship between pelvis and rib cage. They need to work in sequence, not as one block.
- Weight transfer. Most amateurs have a poorly organised transfer and do not know it.
- Grip and forearm tension. The direct cause of golfers' elbow for many players.
- Breathing under effort. Holding the breath during the swing stiffens everything.
Why this is not a swing lesson
A Feldenkrais practitioner does not teach golf. They change the raw material — how much rotation you have available and how well you sequence it — and then your existing swing has more to work with. Take the result back to your pro.
What golfers report
Typically: more available turn, less lower-back soreness after a round, reduced elbow irritation, and better consistency late in a round when fatigue sets in. Distance gains are reported but should not be assumed.
A caution
Do not try to change your swing by yourself on the basis of what you discover in a lesson. The transition period is where people hurt themselves. Change the underlying organisation, then let your teaching professional integrate it.