Hey Baby Love!
I miss my sonny boy too. Very sorry to hear you're not doing well
Here are my thoughts:
#1, you have herniated disks which inevitably protude and put pressure on your sciatic nerve.
#2, the larger the protusion, the more pressure on the sciatic nerve, the lower down the leg the pain radiates.
#3, you were already experiencing a stiff lower back as a result of the herniated disks putting pressure on your sciatic nerve. Herniated disks do not cause pain unless they are pinching a disk.
#4, Golfing is an aggressive repetitive rotating motion rigorously involving your lower back... a.k.a. your ruptured/herniated disks so it sounds like you were already doing bad and the golfing irritated the hell out of it, which is why you feel the pain all the way down to your foot.
#5, The repetitive motion and body positioning during golfing also engages a muscle known as the "Piriformis" which amazingly not too many doctors even remember learning about in medical school.
The "Piriformis" is the small muscle which runs through the small insert in your hip bone along with the sciatic nerve. People who do repetitive activities involving that part of their body such as dancers, (probably hookers!) and computer geeks like us who sit at the computer for WAAAAAY too long (which has the same irritating effect on it) can experience swelling on that particular muscle which since it runs alongside the Sciatic nerve through the small insert, puts pressure on the nerve and it is the most excruciating pain you will ever ever ever feel.
Are the muscles on that leg contracted almost all of the time? Taking steps is excruciating. Your foot feels like it is breaking in half.
The answer?
Increase your potassium intake because it helps against muscle spasms. (consult your doctor for the right amount, don't poison yourself).
Take an anti-anflamatory such as Aleve (Naproxen.) You can take up to 3 Aleve twice a day without hurting yourself but this shouldn't be done long term.
Take a muscle relaxant such as Flexeril 5 or Soma temporarily to help release the kinks.
But most importantly and the only thing that is going to truly help and not just mask the problem is to STRETCH!!!
It is extremely painful, you will cry and be in tears like a little bitch but it is the only thing which is truly going to help you.
You may want to try a Bikram Yoga studio because the elevated temperatures in those studios (107 degrees) warms up your muscles and that really helps you stretch out the muscles which are being affected by the sciatic problem.
Also, try to get some traction on that lower back.
There is a traction table called Vass D which has a different type of effect and creates suction which can help suck the disks back into position.
Okay my dear, this is all I have to say about this. I could be barking up the wrong tree but considering most doctors don't remember the piriformis, I would say that is the root of your problems.
Much love,
Leslie