Sisters chiropractor helps golfers enjoy the game

You finally pulled the pin and left the work world behind. You threw your spouse and clubs in the car and came to Central Oregon with a big grin on your face.

Finally, you could capture all that golf potential and hit those soaring drives and pinpoint approach shots. But wait a minute; there's a kink in the plan.

The kink might be in your back, shoulders or legs. Your dreams are shattered as newly found pain curtails or even ends your quest for green glory.

It turns out that golf, although not a contact sport, definitely can be hazardous to those who don't warm up, still swing like they did decades ago and don't strengthen their body to accommodate the stress.

Help is on the way with the arrival in Sisters of Dr. J. Darcy Dill, chiropractor and golf-fitness expert. He is a devoted and enthusiastic golfer "doing what he loves" to help people enjoy the game pain-free and play well.

Dr. Dill is a proponent of "body-friendly" golf. He has written a book that explains his approach to help golfers play better, and play without pain.

He has also traveled the country giving lectures on his techniques, teaches classes at Black Butte Ranch, will begin at Sisters Athletic Club in September, and will soon appear on BendBroadband's Central Oregon Golf Channel, Channel 11.

For the present, he has office hours one day a week in Sisters at Ponderosa Family Chiropractic, operated by Dr. Anthony L. Green.

His target audience is baby-boomers who want to improve their golf game and fitness, and want to enjoy golf for many years without injury or pain.

The golf swing, especially when done incorrectly, places tremendous strain on the upper body, with common problem areas the back and shoulders.

When an injury occurs, Dr. Dill's approach is to help heal the injury and then start a fitness program so it won't happen again.

"We want to play golf until the day we die," he said.

The book, complete with an illustrative DVD, advocates 10 orthopedic tests for the golfer to take. The tests show what fitness areas need to be improved

Then, the golf swing is analyzed with a video camera. The video detects what golf swing changes need to be made.

The program has some 50 different exercises to choose from, Dr. Dill said, with maybe 10 needed for someone's problems. "We customize the exercises, and zero in on places where it is really needed," he added.

The book emphasizes a loose upper body and a full pivot to maximize the strength of the core stomach muscles, hips and legs to generate more power, especially helpful for the senior golfer.

"Look at Freddy Couples. He rotates his body to power the ball, not his hands or shoulders," Dr. Dill said.

He emphasized that his program uses techniques that may cost thousands of dollars to learn at some golf clinics or schools.

In contrast, Dr. Dill will take someone through the program for $150, and the book and DVD cost $39.95. The book took three years to write.

He opened an office in Bend 18 months ago, after touring the country in his motorhome looking for the right spot that met his criteria for beauty, outdoor opportunities and lots of golf.

Dr. Dill is 59 and is a good advertisement for his program, as he looks much younger and shoots to an eight handicap, with a smooth, easy swing.

He graduated in 1982 from Life Chiropractic College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon in speech and communications.

His early life was spent in Medford, Oregon.

For more information or an appointment call 588-6200 in Sisters, 388-8538 in Bend, or visit http://www.bodyfriendlygolf.com.