 Behind these pain-prone spots can lie stiff joints, stretched out tissues, and nerve damage. Hi, I'm Dr. Greg Rao with Central Minnesota Foot & Ankle. The three most common painful foot conditions that can ruin your golf swing are heel pain, arthritis, and pinched nerves. Arthritis causes pain in your big toe, making it difficult to follow through on your golf swing. Heel pain makes it hard to maintain a solid stance during the crucial part of the golf swing.