Bernhard Langer admits he can play golf no problem but it will be another few months at least before he can walk on a golf course again following an achilles tendon injury.
Langer was forced to withdraw from what was supposed to be his final appearance at the Masters last month after rupturing his achilles in February and he has only recently made his return to competitive action on the Champions Tour.
Speaking ahead of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, the German said he will be using a golf cart this week.
“I’m just glad to be playing golf after my Achilles surgery three and a half months ago. I’m just happy to be back out competing,” said the 66-year-old.
“Funny thing is I can play golf but I can’t walk, so makes no sense. But that’s where it is right now.
“We have strict rules, and I had to apply for ADA, got the ADA, and that’s why.
“But if it hadn’t been for that I wouldn’t be playing golf anywhere right now because I can’t walk 18 holes. It’s not just this week, it’s every week for a few more months.
“You can put me on the flattest golf course anywhere in the world, I can’t walk that long. Standing for five hours and walking is not on right now.
“So that will be a few more months and then hopefully I’ll have a better chance of being fully restored.”
Langer sustained the shock injury playing pickle ball, a racket sport, and he was surprised to learn that half of his orthopaedic surgeons patients have suffered zpickeball injuries.
“It shocked me because I thought pickleball was not a dangerous sport. I go snow skiing and do a lot of other things that seem a lot more dangerous than pickleball.
“When you talk to orthopedic surgeons they will prove me or anybody wrong. 50% of their clientele is pickleball players, believe it or not. Has nothing to do with fitness. Nothing whatsoever.
“Yeah, whether you’re fit or not you can tear your Achilles any time. Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles, and baseball and football players and bobsleders, anybody, and they’re very, very fit, believe me.
“The bobsled on ice when they push the bobsled, two men, four men, and then they jump in and they’re as fit as any athlete in the world, and they tear the Achilles more than anyone in the world. It’s that motion, just putting that pressure on it.”
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