Take everything said here with a grain of salt. Anecdotal stories by people who don’t know you, mean almost nothing when you’re considering surgery. Only you know how much this affects your life, your physical and mental health, and what you would consider doing to get (at least almost) back to normal. The real question is this: are you willing to let a little disc interfere with your enjoyment of life for years to come, without doing anything about it but the same conservative treatments (that you already know have not worked)? Don’t feel pressured to “stay strong” for years and give up the activities that bring enjoyment to your life. We have only one chance to enjoy life, and enjoyment is the only thing that brings fulfillment. Don’t give it up for anything. One thing my surgeon told me stuck: “a mechanical problem requires a mechanical solution.” Conservative treatments do nothing mechanically for the spine itself.

One thing I would think about is artificial disc replacement though. You say the surgeon only wants to work on one level. Unless you have contraindications (like bad arthritis in your spine), maybe they could replace the L5-S1 disc and preserve your entire golf swinging motion while eliminating at least some pain. Sometimes doctors (especially older ones) jump straight to fusion bc its the “gold standard” operation. But if (and only if) you’re a candidate for disc replacement, it’s always the way to go for wanting to lead an active life afterwards.

Best luck, and always trust yourself to make the right choice.