I am baring my soul about what happens to my golf game as I mature. I want to warn you, it is not all good and if you want to read a little upbeat inspirational guide to senior golf, don’t read on. That said, golf is still great fun if not quite as pretty as it once was.
My confessions are about my Playing Skills, my Equipment and finally my Course Management.
Playing Skills.
Plan and simple, at some point in our lives all of our golf games will decline. For the most part I think the decline for me was rather gradual and consistent, but there is a lot of evidence from the PGA Champions (Senior) Tour that something rather abruptly happens to us in our late 50s. It is a rare occurrence when someone in their late 50s wins on that tour. I also noticed a rather big change in my golf skill about this age. There may be some other milestone years that someone else will have to comment on, and I would like to hear from readers about these other milestone years so I will know what to expect.
Why would this happen in our late 50s? I personally think that my ball striking skills diminish mostly from lack of power or the combination of speed and strength. I am sure that eye hand coordination, balance, and vision take their toll on our golf games, but for most of us it is lack of power. I am also sure that working on strength, flexibility, and balance help but don’t expect that you will turn back the clock. I have been on a running and on a fitness kick the last few years, but my handicap does not know this as it keeps inching up.
In talking with Brent Norton, V.P. of the golf shop and a club fitting expert at Miles of Golf, here are his observations on golfers 55-65 that he has worked with. The vast majority of golfers that age swing 80-95 mph with their drivers. Carrying the ball over 210 yards is not common and a drive of 230 yards is about it. There are exceptions of course. Three of the better senior amateurs (55 yrs. and up) in the country are from Michigan and have been tested on the Miles of Golf TrackMan monitor. Greg Reynolds who has won the USGA Senior Amateur and finished second another year could carry a drive 250 yards in his early 60s. John Lindholm, a former Michigan Amater Champion and great senior player carries his drives 225-230 yards with monotonous consistency. Bill Zylstra, currently the best senior in Michigan and a nationally ranked senior, drives the ball 250-260 yards
Here is driver data Miles of Golf collected at the Michigan Amateur and Senior Amateur in 2010. These are numbers for some of the best amateur players in the state.
Comparison of PGA Tour, Michigan Am, and GAM Sr. Am Driver Data.
| Club Speed | Ball Speed | Smash Factor * | Launch Angle | Spin | Carry Dist. | Total Dist. | |
| GAM Super Sr. | 91 | 136 | 1.49 | 10.9 | 2926 | 203 | 232 |
| GAM Senior | 98 | 144 | 1.47 | 10.3 | 2903 | 217 | 240 |
| State Am. | 109 | 161 | 1.48 | 9.9 | 2920 | 257 | 280 |
| PGA Tour | 112 | 165 | 1.49 | 11.2 | 2685 | 269 | 294 |
Because I am distance challenged, I have to resist doing counterproductive things in attempting to hit it further. Things like gripping it too tightly, extending my back swing beyond what my body rotation will support, and just plain trying to swing harder. It is a classic example of the phenomenon of “the harder I try the worser I gets.”
A lot of my confessions relate to the fact that I started playing as a youngster. If you on the other hand started golf late, you have the joy of getting better and this can go on for a long time as your skills improve. I am envious of you.
Equipment.
If only the game were driving. Ah, let’s talk about driving. Since I have played the same course a lot for about 20 years, I can with some certainly say that my driving distance has changed less than my irons distance. Unfortunately, I cannot take the credit. The ball and driver have improved so much that there is definite evidence where here, indeed, “you can buy a game.” The trajectory on drives with new balls and new drivers is so much more efficient today than even 7 or 8 years ago it scary. The correct launch and spin on drives can neutralize a pretty significant decline in ball speed. I can still hear the hissing sound of a well hit wound golf ball spinning like crazy as it fought its way through the air. I like today’s jet-like sound much better.
There is help on the way for my irons. Unfortunately, even with improvements in irons, this is where I see the most significant drop off in distance. To help me with this problem, I seem to be on a hybrid a year program, every year I take out a club and replace it with a hybrid. First I shelved my #3 iron, than #4, than my #5 wood, and last year the #5 iron departed never to be seen again. I am not quite sure why hybrids work so much better than long irons as club head speed, and therefore ball speed, decline but they clearly do for me. The ball goes much higher and carries much further than the irons I am replacing with the only downside being a slight loss in accuracy. By making these changes in equipment, I am having unbelievably better success with the 160-190 yard range that I was pitiful trying to hit irons.
As time passes, I seem to be going for more forgiving irons. I have noticed that my ball striking is less consistent. I am guessing this is from poorer eye hand co-ordination. The other thing more forgiving irons do for me is get the ball up higher which I seem to need. There are irons sets in our golf shop that bill themselves as totally hybrid sets which means that every iron head is hollow. Maybe someday, but not quite yet for me because I still seem to do better with more traditional short irons than these clubs.
Give me light ones that do not hurt. The theory calls for lighter more flexible shafts than we used in the past. I do play with lighter more flexible shafts than I did in the past but all shafts have become lighter over the last few years. We get into some really deep discussions about the importance of shafts versus heads at our golf shop. I tend to be more of a head guy. Give me a club head I like and I can find several shafts that all seem to suit me fine. The reverse does not work if I do not like a head. That said, there are clearly some shafts that work better for me than other and it is worth experimenting to find the right ones. I do play with graphite shafted woods and irons, but although graphite shafted iron are better for me, they are not all that much better.
And why can’t I play with a juiced golf ball? I am still blown away at how good all golf balls are. I could play with just about any ball on the market now and still be relatively happy. At this point in my golfing life, I play a ball with a moderate spin rate and good short game feel. Even though I am distance starved, I think it is foolish to get a ball that may go slightly further if it means I do not do as well around the green. As times passes, I will probably need a ball that spins more, and don’t give me a chance to play with a good juiced golf ball because I will take it.
Although equipment cannot completely counteract the effects of time, I am convinced equipment changes, especially hybrids, have made the game more fun for me.
Course Management.
I consider the null option. The first rule is should I play this course at all. Some courses are just not that enjoyable if you cannot consistently fly the ball over a bunch of forced carries. For me, if the course demands carries of 180 yards, count me out. Courses with elevated greens and bunkers that do not lend themselves to the occasional run up shot are not favorites of mine.
Design my own course. I make my own course by the tees I pick. On a short par four, I want to be able to hit a short iron; on a long par four I want to hit something other than a 3 wood. If I am playing with some big hitters, I want to be able to drive the ball to the same position on the fairway which means I need a head start. Actually to be fair about it, my tee shot should be ahead of long hitters so I can hit the same iron they hit for their second shot. I don’t hesitate playing tees different from the rest of the group. It is more fun for everyone if I do.
I did some thinking about which course length is best for me. As it turns out, if you take the total length of a good drive for you and multiple that by 28, it will give you the yardage of a course that will be a lot of fun to play, not too hard, not too easy. If you want to read the whole article on this, go to www.milesofgolf.com/blog and look for an article called “Which Tees Should You Play”.
Just as the universe expands so have distances on golf courses. Something I have been able to avoid that is a problem for many of my senior friends involves club selection. Too many of my old buddies can still remember the day when they once connected with a 7 irons that flew 175 yards. These guys will hit shot after shot after shot short because they have not adjusted to the facts of life that they cannot hit the ball as far as they once did. I am a big believer in laser range finders for many reasons, but one big reason is to truly understand how far you can carry the ball with each club. Once you know this, get real.
My need for fuel during the round has become apparent. I do notice some physical and mental changes that I need to consider. Where once it seemed that I never got tired playing golf, I notice now that late in the game sometimes I do tire. Another thing that has affected my game is poor concentration. I used to have no problem being fully focused on my game for an entire round. Now I find that I make mental mistakes and suffer from lapses of concentration I never experienced before. The only thing that seems to help me to some extent is to eat or drink a high carb bit of something late in the round that can perk me up mentally and physically.
Older bodies are not intended to work in certain weather. When we were younger, my very best golfing buddy used to say he can play in two out of these three conditions: cold, wind, and rain. If all three occur, forget it. I have had to modify this as I age. Cold trumps everything, and if it is cold, I do not play, period. I still can enjoy a round if it is windy or rainy, but when it is cold, my body refuses to move enough to enjoy playing.
My mature nerves are an improvement over the old ones. One very nice little positive thing that has happened to me is that controlling nervousness when playing is less of an issue. Playing and especially competing can be nerve racking, but I seem to have a better perspective on this than I once did. Clearly my expectations are different and maybe that has something to do with it. Unfortunately, I do not think this is a universal phenomenon because I know of other golfers my age that nervousness has become more of an issue.
Everyone who plays golf must come to grips with the fact that inevitable their skills will diminish. How you deal with it will be different from how I deal with it, but somehow things like this work out. For me, I would not miss out on an opportunity to be with some good buddies on a golf course even if I just busted one 225 (including roll).
I am 64 and I am moving up to the white 6200s for the first time from the blues at 6500s tomorrow. I have a hard time coming to grips with it but I know its best as there are 3 par 4’s i hit driver 3 wood from the blues and can’t get there. I was a 3 hcp in my 30s.. I dont look forward to waiting for everyone to hit so I can move up to the whites but it is what it is, I m old and had open lung surgery.
Hey Chris, just stumbled into your excellent ” Golf and Age” article, suspect it was written in about 2009. Now 2021 and I am now 75. I googled “accepting loss of power as I age and play golf” after a muddy and really lousy outing and there was your article. I started playing at 29, a miserable athlete but fell in love with golf. Lots of ups and downs but some good moments, into my 40’s and beyond. Never had a lot of power but soon developed a deadly short game. About the time of your article, was about 63 right then, I had a decent run going. Funny enough, at that time I worked for a year in Dearborn and was more than pleased with my game. Soon after, a steep decline set in and by my late 60’s I was really struggling. Eventually even my short game began to frequently desert me and the shorter and shorter distances with every club was terrifying. Then 2 hip replacements one at 69 and the other one early this year. The first hip lead to a drastic reduction in power, some recovery and the second didn’t help, maybe after more recovery? I moved to senior flex shafts, a much more modern Ping driver, higher loft 11 versus 10, moved up to the middle tees, playing only my 2 nine hole home courses and executive tracks (your 28 x suggestion is 20:20), accepted that my days of + 3 or +4 for 9 were gone, set new bogie golf expected scores. There are still some wonderful moments but the lack of distance causes me significant discomfort. Your article and the various comments from folks help some, I am certainly not alone with the aging process. Also, I have learned recently of the passing of some classmates from high school and university, all much better athletes and golfers than me. I feel low when I feel sorry for myself and my declining abilities, those guys are dead. At least I am still kicking around, I should be grateful……but all of that also only helps a little. Still….can’t wait to play tomorrow…….all the very best to you and yours Chris.
Fred, You are correct about the date of this article. It needs updating and is on my to do list. One of the problems with the update is that I too have aged since the article was written. I need to find someone to help me who is more in touch with “young seniors” in their 50s and 60s than I am.
Chris Mile
We all age differently. I have been lucky. Still going at the cusp of 80. And also lucky because I started golf in my forties. Baseball and then tennis, and golf as a last resort. I haven’t lost ny distance because I never had any. I can still poke it out there about 240 in the summer. Us northwest golfers, playing on very wet fairways, are short weather hitters. I have found that keeping relaxed keeps my distance where it’s always been. I love winter golf, don’t play when it gets above 80. ….what really keeps it going for me is the history of the game. I’ve started using hickory and have a collection of 50’s blades and persimmon woods. I care about scoring but mostly care about how much fun it is to use old equipment. If I’m golfing when I need to score well I use callaway x18s, 4 thru p, taylormade aeroburner, 3, 5 and an 11 wood that has taken the place of long carry iron shots. Handicap runs around 12 but I was never a great golfer, thank the golf gods for that. Never met a great golfer who wasn’t a total pain. Being 80 and being outside on a beautiful course with great friends is a great gift.
It’s all about the short game, fellas. Adjust your game play accordingly.
I’m 54, still play a solid game at a 5 index.
I’ve lost a little juice off the tee, but routine drive is 270-285, with the occasional 300+ drive if all the planets and wind are in alignment. My accuracy off the tee is a respectable 50-70% in fairway.
In my early 20’s my drive was 300-320, but my accuracy was terrible.
My 150 yard club is a 9 iron.
My 7 iron is 170-175
My 5 iron is a 200 yard club.
All that is just numbers.
As long as you can get 250 yards off the tee, you can play very competitively. Even less, actually.
You do have to adjust your game plan and bourse management is absolutely key.
Yes, you may be 10-30 off the green but a fantastic chip or pitch is just as good as rolling a long putt. Being a solid bunker player pays big dividends as well. You no longer have to be concerned about bunkers. A lot of players just go for it constantly knowing that if they misjudged a shot and end up in the bunker it’s no big deal
You may be scrambling a LOT, but getting up/down can still win games and tournaments and keep low handicap. I’ve known a lot of guys in their 60/70’s who have perfected this style of play.
Golf power is a combination of factors.The Coil is what gives you part, but!leg /butt muscles, good core, ground force effect, and good swing mechanics are just as important. Physics plays a big role. Bad physics = bad results.
I do find that I wear out easier. I ride almost 100% now (I want to do things after I golf) – my feet aren’t very happy when I carry. I lose my concentration, I have bad days, etc. That’s just life…
I think that I’m playing some of my best golf. I’m looking forward to playing competitively when I’m eligible for senior tournaments at 55.
I think there’s plenty of people out there who are fantastic golfers at 55, 65, even 75. And I mean scratch or better.
A good swing coach and teacher can help you with your age related adjustments, and to optimize your game.
Keep playing, keep grinding- it will come!
This topic is the subject of many of my conversations at the golf course yesterday and this morning. 12-14 years ago, I was the proud owner of a legit 2.7 handicap at my home course (2.0 most everywhere else), Long Island, NY (near Bethpage Black Course). I had a few disadvantages in the beginning of my affair with golf and I didn’t pick up a club until age 29. After John Daly won the PGA and after becoming a serious Fred Couples fan, I played the game with a set of ladies clubs/muscle back irons and real woods (no metal) for 6-8 months. They were short and whippy! I was immediately hooked. But I was awful so I took some lessons (about 20) and had myself fitted for Lynx irons and Big Bertha driver. I found a part time job at a local driving range and the range company owned a wonderful links layout on the south shore of Long Island. Employees played free. I played a lot…before work, during work and after work. I was also lucky enough to receive free instruction from local PGA teaching and playing professionals at the driving range (PJ Cowan, Arjun Atwal). My handicap was dropping from 21 to 16 to 12. At 12 handicap, I switched focus and started to practice more on scoring shots from 100 yards and in, pitching, chipping, bunker play and putting. I got my cap down to a 6 after this. At this handicap I switched to balata balls but I didn’t like there lack of durability. Lee Trevino started playing the Strata model of Top-Flight and Nick Price was using the Precept ball. I tried these and loved them both. I became a good enough ball striker that I mastered the 2 bounce and stop chip shot with the new balls. 2006, I changed my irons to Callaway X Tour with 52, 56 and 60 wedges. My driver was also changed to a FT5, 9 degree with S shaft from 10.5 regular. Handicap went down to 4 and know I could work my ball right to left, left to right, high or low. My lessons were now playing lessons with a PGA pro and putting work. When I hit the 2.7 mark at my home course, I entered my 1st amateur tournament on Long Island, 2 man better ball. Finished 23rd with scores of 73-74. That was 12 years ago. I’m now 56 and have had 1 back surgery, several knee surgeries and suffer from wrist and finger arthritis. My physical strength and stamina for practice is gone (although I still hit ball everyday). My hand eye coordination is shot, I have never been a great putter however, I know how to read grain and slope but my eye sight is terrible. I use to refuse to take a cart at any golf course, ever. Now, I can barely finish 18 holes with the cart. The two most significant things I’ve noticed and that are painfully obvious, a 4-6 yard loss of distance on average, A bit more with driver. The most concerning thing, for me anyways, is a loss of balance throughout the swing. especially after contact. I hope some of it is getting use to the spike-less style shoes (that are really golf styled sneakers). I’m switching back to rubber/soft spikes today. It’s humiliating to me that 50% of the time, I can’t hold my finish after contact. Balance was the strongest part of my game. No mater what the lie or stance, I always stayed on balance. Today’s golf tech is keeping me long enough with the driver to keep my carry distance at 247-253. I can still bash my 5+ wood and I gave up my 3 iron for the Callaway Epic Flash hybrid. Still learning that club. My irons are now the Callaway X Forged 2018 4-P with Mack Daddy 4 wedges, 50, 56, 60. This Callaway model is, on average 2 degrees stronger than my X Tours per club. Since I really trap and squeeze down on the ball aggressively into the turf, I have always been a long iron player (in distance, especially short irons). So even if I was being out driven, we were always hitting the same clubs into the greens. Unfortunately, I’m coming to the realization that, for a quick game of golf, I really don’t need to play from the tips anymore. As I age, 6,800 – 7,100 yard courses put too much pressure on my game. Thanks for listening to my frustration.
Marty,
I enjoyed hearing your playing history. What interested me is the life of your game from beginner to a two handicapper to a senior golfer. Speaking from experience as a very senior golfer, we need to appreciate the fellowship of golf spending 4 plus hours with buddies and not worry so much on how far we can hit it. You might want to read “What Tees Should You Play” in the Miles of Golf blog that will help lessen the frustrations of playing senior golf.
Chris Mile
I’m 57 and have been playing since I was 10. I still enjoy the game and the advances in equipment have definitely helped me stay in it. Things have come a long way from the persimmon woods and blade irons I used as a kid (that was all they had back then). I’m still driving ~220 with an occasional 240 yarder. My 7-iron goes about 160, and I’m an anomaly in that I can still hit a 3-iron, but who knows for how long. For me, the biggest change I need make is to quit focusing on my score/handicap, and just enjoy being outdoors and above ground. I was recently paired with 3 other singles. One was a female in her 70s. She teed from the whites with the guys, never missed a fairway, outdrove us all on many holes, and carried her bag the entire 18 holes. She advised me to get moving and keep moving. Because first you won’t, and then you can’t.
My game was Tennis with golf as a 2nd great game- I’m 62 with a back injury- hard court tennis is much harder than golf, So now have flipped with Golf- Just came back from an evaluation with a pro, Time to look at this new technology and ditch the 3 iron…and the 4 iron to follow soon I’m sure. That advise to keep moving- that is perfect advice.
Brad,
I think you are on the right track looking at replacing your longer irons. The game is a lot more fun seeing the ball fly in the air rather than skimming along the ground. When I think about my father playing the game as he aged, I cannot believe he kept playing when equipment was so unfriendly for senior golfers with their heavy stiff iron shafts, 2-PW muscle back irons, and woods that required such precise hits.
Chris Mile
I started playing golf at age 12, and at 80, I agree with almost all you said accept that I would continue to go all the way up to a PW with the much more forgiving, shank proof hybrids. Also, I would use 25 rather than 28 as the driver distance multiple to decide a more fun, but still challenging course.
Ken,
I’m glad to hear you have developed a formula for your game that you enjoy. There is no question that at the fringes of how far a golfer hits a golf ball, the formula breaks down. If someone hit the ball over 260 yards or less than 150 yards with their driver the formula starts to degrade.
Chris
Your article certainly was food for thought as I start back playing after years of absence from the game. A few sessions at the driving range convinced me that, at 73, it is going to be a long road back to playing with any fluency. I do notice that there are some here in the comments who seem to be exceptions to what others experience and accept. I think that all has to do with conditioning and strength training as well as practice. I hope I’ll be able to beat the odds and play better than the average player describing their game here…we’ll see.
Well, since I wrote my above comment, I have done some thinking and researched the senior long drivers…in 2018, the winner of the 70+ division hit it 306. Admittedly this is a different technique and competition, but I think it highlights how really good conditioning could mean hitting the ball 230+ by your average, very well conditioned 70+ golfer. I think what you are writing about, Miles, is the inevitable deterioration of performance by senior who don’t work on strength training, 100% excellent nutrition, weight control, etc. Life at our age is certainly a bullfight and you are not going to escape being gored unless you work hard at it. On the other hand, what else have you got to do that is more important? The state of your golf game could tell you something about how long you have got to live. I see the same phenomenon in my tuba playing group, where player routinely shift to lighter tubas and in my astronomy group, where people give up their large telescopes because they can’t lift them any more. And we’re not talking about hundreds of pounds, merely about 40-50 lbs. So clearly these seniors are not keeping up their strength and muscle tone. I would admit it is hard for me to get out of my chair and get going, but I do see the handwriting on the wall. Sure, it might be good to give up a 2 and 3 iron for metal woods, but how far are you going to go? Can you find an 11 wood to hit instead of your 9 iron? I’m betting on flexibility exercises and strength training and I would suggest to you that if all you can do is bemoan the effects of time and aging and counsel people to accept scores 10 to 20 strokes worse than they scored in their primes, you are doing a disservice to senior golfers.
Roy, I certainly agree with you that it is important as a senior to work on physical conditioning, but at the same time, we must realize that no matter the conditioning, advancing age and how far we can hit a golf ball are inversely correlated. I realize we are all different and that my experience may be different than yours, but I am a bit of a physical fitness nut and have seen my clubhead speed still decline. Unfortunately, I still believe it makes sense to accept that as we age how far we can hit a golf ball declines. If you do not accept that fate, you will probably get extremely frustrated and want to quit. If you do accept it, you will play a set of tees that still make the game fun. For help with this, you might want to visit “Which Tees Should You Play” in the Miles of Golf Blog https://www.milesofgolf.com/which-tees-should-you-play/
Chris Mile
I think this was the best single piece of realistic wisdom I have read on the subject of aging. At prime, I was a 0-2 and played in things like Open qualifiers etc. Then at 50 or so, I kind of backed off doing some other things. I started playing again but was startled by the loss of club head speed and distance. There is a need to face reality and not the past. Thanks for writing such a good article
I am 80 played gold most of my life. We raised 5 children so had periods of time where i didn’t play that often. After i turned 50 had lots of time and played 5-6 days a week for a couple of years. Got down to a 2 handicap. My longest drive 331 yards. In 2001 went to live in Italy and played little golf. I 2016 we moved back to our home town near Seattle. I started playing again, usually 9 holes 4-5 days a week. Played 65 times this year. Best score even par 36 at Avalon. Worst 49 at Avalon. Longest drive now 190 yards. I play it forward based on the PGA/USGA advice. My biggest problem is consistency. I play most of my golf at Eaglemont in Mt Vernon, Wa. Forward Tee’s front 2537 back 2600 / 5137 yards 69.7/125
No doubt there’s a challenge to hitting long drives when you’re 60 and older. I’m 63, but I have begun using a connected back swing coupled with a baseball swing coming down.ya I don’t know why, but this dual sport approach has helped me gain significant yardage that I lost. I think the baseball downswing allows me to swing fast with abandon. I have picked up maybe 20 plus yards, and this has really helped me with my GIR because I’m coming in from 125 instead of 155 or 160. I play from the Men’s white tees (5900 – 6300 yards). I’m really enjoying golf now that I can spend time on my short game and putting while just keeping my full swing well-oiled.
Christopher
I’m 76 and have noticed that each year the greens keepers on the courses I play keep moving the par threes I used to reach easily further away. So, I have to use a lower numbered club to reach them.
I can still reach all the holes except a few in regulation strokes, but have to use more club to get there.
Daily stretching and especially leg exercises have helped a lot.Also, lots of short game practice. I really appreciate all the guys who have responded to this article. Thank you so much for writing it. It helps to know we are not alone with our frustrations.
Agreed. It is nice to know we are not alone working through the issues of senior golf. Agreed also that the comments add a lot to the article.
Chris Mile
I’m 86. I started playing at 14, used to be scratch, but now play woefully. I have experienced everything that people describe. But for me, there’s more I don’t understand. I seem to have lost the ability just to stand, swing, and hit the ball. I can’t get the ball in the air with a driver. I am no longer the model of consistent striking I used to be. It’s as though I’m playing for the first time. It isn’t just an overall weakening and deterioration, it’s worse! Anyone else experienced this?
Ron,
You are not alone. You have about 10 years on me but I have the same thoughts. It is like I have forgotten how to play the game. I am still not sure my woeful play isn’t largely a result of getting weaker, less flexible, and losing some eye hand coordination, but I agree there is some mystery about what else is happening. It maybe that golf is just not a game of a lifetime and there comes a time when we just need to enjoy the memories.
You have raised a very interesting question and hopefully others will chime in.
Chris
Hi Chris,
I am 80 years old and been playing since age 10. I was once a 4hdcp at age 50 and did shoot my age at 75 and at 77. Since turning 80, my game has been nothing but a struggle. I can play 6 holes well, 6 holes very badly, and final 6 holes are a total mixed bag. I try to play twice a week and never know what to expect. My energy lags after about 12 holes and golf becomes work. Bad golf is not fun golf, and I play more for the exercise than anything else. I have good understanding of the basic fundamentals but my body just won’t do what my mind tells it must be done. Sometimes I can embarrass myself with shots a child could have made. Just wanted to write to commiserate with other senior players. Old father time will have his way with us.
Chris,
Thank you for your reply. I seem to have reached an accord with my swing. One can’t read the messages
here and not have your spirits raised. Accepting the advice about course management has just clicked
in my head. It is the walk, the game, staying fit etc. that makes it worthwhile.
I see my occupation as staying out of a nursing home. Nothing is as pleasant as using golf to do
just that. My score is moving down and I know that there 9 strokes available for trimming on the greens.
This will mean a handicap of 9 on a nine hole course. A visit to a good professional and perhaps a check over of equipment is next on my list.
Many thanks for a great site and a feeling of fellowship,
Kind regards, Dennis
Good day Chris, thanks for the Blog and the great information contained in it. I am 70, picked up golf after a 40 year absence. Strangely the gap did not help my golf at all. I enjoy golf, the walk alone is great value, hitting the ball a wonderful bonus. The Australian summer has been fairly warm this year however
still worthwhile golf to be had. I have a serious tilt to the left, could you offer some suggestions about positioning the ball please? The centre of my swing is about 3 or 4 inches left of the centre line.
I play a par 28/9 hole course which suits the shorter shots I have available. I would like to take my handicap towards the equivalent of an 18 hole 24.
Thanks and good wishes, Dennis
My comment:
Dennis, I wish I could help you with your swing questions but I think that needs to be left to an instructor. I would encourage you to find one. If he or she is good it will make golf more fun and help you get to a 24 handicap or better.
Chris Mile
I am 70 and just started playing golf again last year after about an 18 year layoff. Wow, what a difference! The equipment is much better making it much easier to hit the ball and get decent distance, but I am much worse and usually don’t know where the ball is heading. My short game has gone the way of the dodo. I still have lots of power but I can’t control it very well. I have to admit, I do not enjoy struggling to break 100, when I once thought 80 was a poor score. My ONLY good score last year was 83; today I shot 98 and realized that this is probably going to be how it is, if I continue. I honestly do not think I can continue to play if it means being depressed all the time (cause I don’t think I will improve with age).
Jerry,
Pick the right weather. Pick the right course. Pick the right people to play with and see if that works for you. If it doesn’t, don’t frustrate yourself.
Chris
I didn’t start playing golf until I was 57. Unlike most guys of that age I was still at peak strength – spending days shovelling several meters of sand through the mixer, into wheelbarrows and onto hardcore, laying slabs or demolishing old masonry. Also walking miles delivering free papers and doing circuit training at the gym. I had no technique other than a swing similar to wielding a sledgehammer. Crazy fast backswing and an immediate forward whammy. I saw a lady waiting by the tee jump in alarm once !!!! Yet the ball would travel vast distances against all the principles taught by pros – although it could end on an adjoining fairway. Now, 17 years later I rarely hit a ball past 220 yards – unless there’s the usual 40mph wind blowing in from the North Sea alongside our course. Then again, I rarely miss the fairway now. Nothing longer than a 7 iron ever sees the light of day. A typical par 5 goes driver, 3 wood, 5 wood and putter/lob wedge depending on result. I just hope I’ve got another 17 years of playing ahead of me. I don’t think I’ll ever hit the ball any farther though. I have noticed the biggest decline in the past two years.
Hi Chris:
Nice article about aging. Your insights are all excellent.
In terms of lagging energy on the back nine, I stumbled upon a method to stay sharp – buy a bottle of orange juice at the turn and sip it through the rest of the round. It’s really helped me.
I’m 67 now and shooting the best golf of my life. I broke par twice this year which took more than 55 years.
I credit my improved play to a Miles of Golf fitting with Brent Norton and to practicing my short game – everything from 100 yards and in. That’s no secret, is it?
At the beginning of the season I was a 7.4, and by this fall, 3.3, ending the season at 4.1.
Getting to the gym is a goal but the motivation is difficult to generate. Maybe if they had a room with the smell of cut grass piped in.
Thanks again for being there for all of us in the greater Ann Arbor area.
David Gordon
Dave, congratulations on your play this year. It is a rare case where someone as good as you are at your age can drop their handicap like you did. I am envious.
Chris Mile
My name is Richard Burton from the U.K.
Have been playing golf since my Dad handed me a wooden shafted club back in 1955.
At my best I got down to 1 in my 20’s and kept at 3 or 4 through my 30’s- 50’s .
I retired from work at 60 and found my handicap had drifted up to 5 as I was not practising at all / hard enough.
At 67 my handicap went up to 6 and my wife ( 12 handicap ) jokingly ( I think ) said I’ve never known your handicap so high and if you don’t get it back down ‘ I’m off ‘
SO, joined the gym which I go to 3-4 days a week in the morning and golf range in the afternoon ( free range balls for members which is great ) and play 3 times a week .
Today I shot a 2 under par gross round in competion play which bought me back down to 4 handicap . It’s been hard ( quite enjoyable if your determined ) work but well worth the effort and pleased my wife.
I received regular technical updates from the team @ R Golf in the U.S. Which I find so v v helpful if you practice area’s you want to improve on.
Richard,
You have some sound advice for getting out of the downward spiral that many senior players, including me, find themselves in. As we age, it is common for playing skills to decline and to start playing poorly. Because we are playing poorly, it is not quite as much fun so we end up playing less. The less we play the more our games deteriorate and the cycle continues. We have two choices, play poorly which usually means playing less or work harder on our games.
Chris Mile
Thanks Chris kindly for your reply.
I am trying to get into the ‘ downward golf spiral ‘ you mentioned but want it to be my handicap number ! When I get down to 3 I’ll let you know at Miles Golf.
A Merry Christmas to you your staff and family .
Richard . UK
Joseph,
For the easy part of your questions, or maybe not so easy, I am 74. Regarding grips, I play the Golf Pride New Decade, not the MCC +4, with a couple of extra wraps. I have relatively large hands so the couple of extra wraps is probably warranted, but at my age, I think it is advised to error on bigger grips. If going larger feels better but makes you leak it to the right, you have a dilemma. I have never really considered the difference in the weight of the grips when I get new grips. I have just gone for the ones that feel the best, but I do know players who will counterbalance clubs to get the swing weights they want. The New Decade vs the MCC +4 is slightly over 1 swing weight.
On a side note, our club repairman, Alan, recently updated me on a problem he is seeing with New Decade grips. Players are buying “New Decade” grips on the internet and bringing them in to him to install. Pretty much without exception, they are counterfeit grips. The most prevalent counterfeits are the New Decade, so beware.
Chris
I’m 76 next month and your article certainly helped me in my golf thinking. I’ve been playing for close on 40 years and at one time down to 5. Been a UK Yorkshire man I have a profound love of cricket and played a lot in my youth. I am still extremely competitive and I believe it’s this that still enables me to hit 250 yard drives. But things are changing, I’m starting to feel my years and associated pains, shoulder, lower back etc. But all is not lost, a friend of mine had ladies shafts installed in all his clubs and recommended the change. I’ve done the same but only the irons, the difference remarkably, now hitting my 7 150 again.
I have been rehashing your articles on maturing golfers. I might want to pose a few snappy inquiries. How old would you say you are? I am 70 and have a few restorative issues. I accepted your recommendation and propelled up to the tees. It feels pleasant to have the capacity to hit an option that is other than a wood or mixture into the green. I have finished your club changes the years. thought that it was all extremely fascinating. My inquiry revolves around the grasps. What grasps do you play? Have you gone to bigger grasps? I have short fingers and wear an expansive glove. Have played undersize, however presently play golf pride MCC standard. Have considered going to average size. I have been worried about the weight distinction. What is your interpretation of this? What do you think about MCC +4 holds? Your upsides and downsides on weight and size would be significantly refreshing. Much obliged to you for your chance and your knowledge to the above inquiries. Joseph
Great article! Help bring a 60-year-old plus golfer into the world of reality. Was having a hard time appreciating the fact that I might really need senior shafts. Looking forward to starting this year by working with the club fitter. Thanks!
Hi Chris iam a new to golf learner age 68 neaver played golf in my life before , iam 8 months on now.
What a refrehing article you have written I love this game and all its challenges . I have 5 clubs all senior flex as I had no real idea about clubs and shafts I have spent many hrs down on a golfing range watching some fine players along with well known tutorials on you tube ,
I have also walked many miles over pitch and put courses learning this game the hard way 😣.
Having Brocken many bones in my early years in racing motor cycles but you will mend (plenty of sun and none fat milk swimming also helps the older body) then get on with it!
I have now found a fine young pro player who is helping me here in Wales UK we get on with it, as time waits for no man.
I hit the driver 200,the seven iron 130, hybrid 155 ,my coach explains consistency is the main game so tidying up the game is the order of the day.
I intend by the end of this year to get my handicap and next year join the seniors to play the game.
My mind is clear age is life enjoy it iam on my journey .
Thank you Chris
Regards Jack
Chris I have been rereading your articles on aging golfers. I would like to ask you several quick questions. How old are you? I am 70 and have several medical issues. I took your advice and moved up to the forward tees. It feels nice to be able to hit something other than a wood or hybrid into the green. I have followed your club changes through the years. found it all very interesting. My question centers around the grips. What grips do you play? Have you gone to larger grips? I have short fingers and wear a large glove. Have played undersize, but currently play golf pride mcc standard. Have considered going to midsize. I have been concerned about the weight difference. What is your take on this? What do you think about mcc +4 grips? Your pros and cons on weight and size would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and your insight to the above questions. Joseph
Hi Chris, I am a 75 yr old, once professional football player, I am shocked how my love of golf has changed my life. I read your article, very well said! Being competitive, once an athlete, and wanting to be respectable, it’s a bear to see many skills diminish. I’ve been playing golf since my early 20’s, I caddied , but didn’t it up right away. You mentioned graphite shafts, ck; play it forward, ck; great attitude, ck; focus, really difficult! I’m trying to improve my strength, stamina, flexibility and course management to offset lack of focus! Trying to be very patient too!
That’s it, this old guy will give it the old college try! By the way, love playing w/younger guys, my sons, and 40, 50 & 60 yr olds! But I’ll never, ever give up my buddies, life’s too short to miss out on friendships. Us oldies, that love golf, have the best of both worlds, golf and great relationships!
Patrick,
I guess I am preaching to the choir by saying “Yes, we have to change the things that make golf enjoyable as we get older. It is less how well we play and more how we enjoy being with friends for four hours in a beautiful place.”
Chris
You have it figured out. I was a 10 handicap most of my golf life and now an 18. My drives were 240:-250 and now 180-200. I have hybrid 3,4,5. My 5 hybrid goes 150 yds. I Went to a local golf shop and explained my dilemma to the store pro. His comment, “I don’t have a club that can help you. Focus on “acceptance” and practice putting and chipping.”That is what I do and play every week shooting 85-95. Welcome to reality.
Hi, Chris, I can understand though as a young golfer. My dad went through all the things that you wrote in the post. I feel admiration for him. What can I do to help him?
Hi Chris, from Britain—-Thanks for your article, it makes me feel not so bad about my deterioration. I was once a plus handicapper and won many championships, but am now 70 and just can hardly cut it. I used to hit a 7 iron 1
Chris
also am 70 but am now on a mission to play my best golf of my life this year.
I rank the following as musts to achieve this.
1 practice (planned practice 1 hour a day)
2 equipment ..have to be fitted for my swing(its too late to learn a whole new one)
3 fitness.. somehow I am going to have to get more core strength
4 attitude and knowledge.. Have to develop a system I believe in
for putting chipping and bunker play(there are many theories out there I have to choose one I am comfortable with)
5 I have to play with better players ..better players make you better
..now there is the problem I enjoy playing with my buds
oh well choices choices
Paul,
I like all five of your plans for the summer except one, I wouldn’t abandon you buddies. For me I would much rather play with my buddies on a bad course than play on a great course with some jerks even if they are great golfers.
Chris
Chris, great article! Helps bring a 70 year old plus golfer into the world of reality. Was having a hard time appreciating the fact that I might really need senior shafts. Looking forward to starting this year by working with the club fitter. Thanks!
Walker, Thanks for the comments. I do think it helps enjoy the game more if you can remove some of the frustration of trying to do something most guys our age cannot do. If you look at the driver numbers from the Michigan Sr. Am., some of the best seniors in the state, it drives home what is possible.
Chris
Dave,
There is no question in my mind that good club fitting can improve your play and make the game more fun. An important aspect of this is choosing the right clubs for the set. The old days of a set consisting of driver, #3 wood, #5 wood and irons 3-PW are happily gone. My set has 5 hybrids and I cannot imagine living without them.
Chris
Club fitting is what you definitely want before you get new clubs. Miles has very good club fitters. Also, take a look at http://wishongolf.com/. Tom is known as one of the best in the business, and is where I was fitted for his clubs. Being 69 years old, I have experienced all the same symptons as described in the articles about aging, and its effects on golf. The right fitting irons and woods will enable you to get maximum enjoyment and results.
What a downer age can be on your game. Have been playing with the same great set of irons for over 10 years, but seem to have used most of the long distance in these clubs. What use to be 150 yard 8 iron is more like a 6 iron. (on a good day) Don’t wish to sound cheap, but will club fitting really help me? Is the club old tec. or is Father Time trying to tell me something that my old ears can’t hear? Will the new clubs know that I don’t swing as fast or on as wide an arc as when the clubs were new? How do I find a clubfitter that wants to help me improve my game and not just his balance sheet? Only time will tell, but how much of that do I really have left?
Jack,
As you can expect, I do think clubs can help make the game more fun. For me there were distances that I was just dead meat. By supplementing hybrids for long irons I now have a much better chance of handling those distances. I now have mostly graphite shafts and that has helped me too. The really big thing for me this year was increasing the distance of my drives. It was real simple, I just moved up a tee box. There is an article in our blog dealing with this you should read. It is called “Which Tees Should You Play?”
Chris, you have stated in your article exactly what I would have said and have been experiencing for a few years now. I am 68 years old now and usually play with younger fellows (10 years or more younger) and sometimes feel as if I don’t really belong there with them. Don’t get me wrong: I really love the game and the guys I play with are a great bunch and do nothing to intimidate or make me feel unwanted. I think they realize my situation and know they sooner or later will be in the same boat. I just wanted to thank you for letting me know there are others who feel like me as we get on in years. Stay on (the) course! Jim Spratke
I am 70 and used to be 9 handicap . Well now all I can do in try to play bogey golf and hope for a par once in a while. Changed to senior graphite shafts and sometimes I sit down and say what the hell happened. Got to love the game
Got tip from my neurologist who is 72 yrs.old how he hits the ball 300yrds. A full shoulder turn in your back swing. I am 82 hit 220 -230 and play seniors 10 to 20 years younger than me none can hit over 250yrds, I wont be seeing this guy any more lie in golf lie in life.
I’m 57 and recently switched from stiff to regular shafts which helped me regain lost distance after seeing a struggling for several months, mostly towards the end of a round. I now find it more important to find the fairway than bomb a driver into the rough, trees, water, jungle, etc., so I’ve tried to step up course management, but younger self still rears it’s ugly head and I try to swing like back in the day, often leaving me with deep regret.
I still play traditional blades, but know that graphite and forgiveness clubs are in my future, and the switch from stiff to regular really opened my eyes in regard to where my limitations currently are, and won’t hesitate to adjust to continue enjoying the game versus living in yesteryear. Be true to yourself!
i know exactly how you feel. once i was 6 and now i struggle at 15. what happened ?
This is perfect for me. In 2006 at age 54 I had a double lung transplant because I had pulmonary fibrosis. Started to golf after 6 months. It was awful. My 150 yard club was a seven iron and my handicap was 5. Now, three years later I have accepted that a 5 iron (if I hit it well) is my 150 yard club and my handicap is 15. I was once club champion. I had seriously thought about quiting. I didn’t. Changed woods and irons and also shaft flex. Still would not go far enough. I am hooked on golf and will do more radical changes this winter to get some of those shots back. I now have too may dbl boggies. Your article has given me some inspritation. I need to see Brendon Anderson again and maybe just start over. He was very good to me last year. I thank you very much for your article and will pass it along.
Thank you so much,
Mark
I’m 81 and have been active and healthy my whole
Ice except for two, total knee replacements. I agree with the 150 yard club which used to be a 7 but now requires a 6 or 5 iron. My Tee shots are usually around 190 to 210, with an occasional do it right longer drive. A 5 wood is a close friend as is the 4&5 hybrids. I sometimes T from the white tees but usually it is the senior tees that I use. For you younger whipper-snappers out there pay heed because catching up is inevitable, but you can still have fun and enjoy this great game.
Well said. I’m 80 and still enjoy the game.
Mark, I’m 91 been playing golf for 84 years. My teacher was Eric Monte, we called him sheik, he turned pro after we ( a group of 7) played a round with Sam Sneed I think in 1948. The rest the guys turned pro& moved to Calif, I got drunk & joined the army. I fought in Korea & re-enlisted in China Chon Korea in 1951. When I got out of the army I took up golf again ,but my wife & I had 8 children so much for the golf fo about 30 years. I’m playing again have a 13 hdcp, I’m 100%disabled from my service, but never the less I’m trying to get my hdcp down to a 5 or 6. Any suggestions?
I have a steel right hip, wear braces on both legs & need anew left shoulder. My right ankle is fused I only have 10% used but I don’t want to use that as an excuse.
I’m 82 now and never played from the senior tee until I turned 76. I actually played my best golf in my 50’s and 60’s since I did not play all that much when I was younger. My 7 iron is now around 130 yrds, that is when I make good contact. I was a pretty good golfer when I was somewhat younger. I have had 7 holes in one , and once had 10 birdies in 18 holes, and three bogies in the same round. I’m down to just one round a week now, and I feel like I’ve been hit by a mack truck for a day or two after finishing a round.
Hi John, just curious as to what adjustments to your setup and swing the fused rt ankle may have required. I am a rt leg below the knee amputee (no/fused ankle) chasing a swing. Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom Peadon