Seniors Only. How far do you hit the ball?

[Oldmancranking]

New to the forum. I’m 63 and was losing distance though I’m relatively big (6-2 240). Decided to work on club head speed with control. Last five 9-hole “rounds” have yielded a 249.88 average drive. Not so bad because sometimes I hit one on the screws and go deep. Easy 7-iron is 140; hard 7 is 150 or so. I sweat the short game and putting. I might be close to a 10 handicap. Play from about 6200 yards.

[596]

At 64 with 2 replaced hips I drive about 230 with a smooth 7 iron at 145. It's tough for me to get to my left side as the left leg is an inch longer then the right. So I figure my distances are not all that bad.

[CROUSE99]

63 y.o. I have lupus which affects my stamina and causes hand and wrist issues. I've always been a short hitter. Currently, my carry distance with a driver is about 200 yds and my 30 degree 7 iron (about the same loft as the 5 iron in the clubs I used when I first started playing 25 years ago) carries about 140 yds. I've lost about 7 or 8 yards of carry with my irons in the last year. I have found that moving up to the senior tees has made things more bearable.

[Pete O'Tube]

65 with a partially fused vertebra T12/L1, dodgy right knee and general wear and tear all over. Driver 220-240. 7-iron 140ish. All thanks to 2 Ibuprofen and Codeine before playing.

[Joe Duffer]

Without going back, has anyone posted real Trackman numbers in this thread? -

 

Wouldn't anything less simply be hearsay? ?

 

So, let's see the numbers...

 

Variables:

- Altitude

- Temperature

- Course conditions

- Equipment

- and countless other factors (spin, launch angle, descent angle, etc.)

 

[Mike_C]

I will follow up my posts from the first page from 5 years ago. Now 57, and hit just as far if not farther than I did 5 years ago. Have kept working hard with flexibility, and have been rehabbing some tennis elbow and actually feel much stronger than I did 5 years ago, also have lost 50-60 pounds, now under 200 pounds, 6 ft 1 tall. On solid hits, I carry drives 265-70 pretty consistently, out to 280+ max going all out. I hit my 7 iron 170-75.

 

But I play with a guy who turns 71 soon, he hits it right up with me, he plays in a lot of tournaments though, very good player, plus handicap. I shot 70 last weekend (par 72, 6,800 from back tees), second best round this year, he still beat me, he beat his age and shot 69.....

[ChipNRun]

Will be 69 in November. Reasonably good shape, but I need to visit gym more. Have arthritic right hip which can be tight some days (hot weather helps hip!) Distances...

* 7i = 140 yards

* 4i = 175 yards (refitted with lively 75 gr. SteelFiber HLS 780 "R" hybrid shaft)

* 4W = 200 yards

* Driver = good question. Carries from 200 to 220 plus about 20 yards rollout. Usually a slight draw, some days longer than other. I have gone to the big-cup Martini tees, easier to tee up ball to consistent height.

 

Had several rounds in the 80s last year, but am having a low-play season due to retirement details and my wife's upcoming surgery.

[Mullyman]

71 years old, driver 180 to 190, 7 iron is 135.

[rxk9fan]

61 years old, HC has unfortunately stayed between 7 and 8.5 this year.

Trackman has my Driver swing speed average of 103-106 depending on the day. The longest Trackman Drive I have this year was 276 and the SS was one of those above the average but I can't remember that number. On the course my average carry is 235 to 240 and of course roll out largely depends on fairway conditions. It has been wet much of the year here so that 240 carry has ended up at 245, and when I have played in the SW that 240 can easily be 280.

My stock 7i is 155 with my TM P770 at 33 degree loft. When I have hit the Mizuno Hot Metal Pro's or Taylormade P790, distances REALLY jump but that is closer to a 30 degree lofted club.

[MaxBuck]

My 66-year-old body apparently is still capable occasionally of reaching 280 off the tee. More typical is 250 with 230 being carry. But I'm going onto hormone therapy this fall, and who knows what happens next? (I'll be happy if I'm able to play at all at 70. Hell, I'll be happy to look at the grass from the top rather than the roots!)

[tolmij]

At 77 I am lucky to hit 200, not too worried though, happy to still be able to play and walk the 18.

[plythru]

70 yrs old no health issues 18 holes always carry. D about 215 carry, Taylor made r7 10.5 loft I'm usually down the middle thinking of going to a 9.5 same club. 7about 140. So listen up....I play with one guy who is 87.....yes 87 and sometimes he out drives me usually about 195 D and he carry's 9 holes other guy is 84 same thing they play in alot of tournaments soooooo keep walking and swinging?

[rhh7]

I am 72, 5'7", 180 lbs., never better than a bogey golfer in my youth.

Paid for a Trackman session this week, so these are real numbers.

My best drive was 206.4 yards total, 170.3 yards carry. My swing speed was 76.5 mph, ball speed 111.7 mph, smash factor 1.46.

Launch angle was 18.2 degrees, club path up 5.1 degrees, with a 13.1 degree loft driver. My shaft is 60 grams, LL flex, jumbo grips.

[Joe Duffer]

> @rhh7 said:

> I am 72, 5'7", 180 lbs., never better than a bogey golfer in my youth.

> Paid for a Trackman session this week, so these are real numbers.

> My best drive was 206.4 yards total, 170.3 yards carry. My swing speed was 76.5 mph, ball speed 111.7 mph, smash factor 1.46.

> Launch angle was 18.2 degrees, club path up 5.1 degrees, with a 13.1 degree loft driver. My shaft is 60 grams, LL flex, jumbo grips.

 

Finally, an accurate representation (TrackMan)!

 

Anything else is BS

 

Thank you, Sir ??

[FerrariDriver]

When I was a teenager and beyond, I was a good golfer and played collegiate golf in the Big Ten. I hit the ball long and accurate and as I aged, I still played pretty well. I first shot my age at 67 with 5 birdies and no bogies playing not from the longest tees, but ones in front which are the standard men's white. At that time, my distance off the tee had dropped to around 265 with an occasional drive pushing 275. I shot my age in my early 70's three more times and the distance off the tee started dropping dramatically with the loss of flexibility and decreased club head speed. At 74 I had a tumor in my right leg which required a titanium rod be inserted from the top of the femur to just below the knee cap and I was unable to play any golf for almost two years. I am now 78 and and I have to play from a cart and can no longer walk the course which is fine, but the loss of the body rotation has been dramatic and off the tee my average driving distance is only about 180 yards and that is a pill which is quite hard to swallow. I haven't checked my swing speed with the driver since the surgery, but would estimate it to be in the upper 60's which is a far cry from the 111-114 I had as a college kid. It is a little disheartening, and I play golf only from the standard white tees and refuse to move up to senior tees, but it makes even short par 4 holes of say 375 or so a task. I still love the game and have always remained positive, but my plight just may be similar to what some of you 50 and 60 year old guys will have to experience in the next 15-20 years. I still shoot in the mid to upper 80's, but I have my wedge game and I can chip and putt well above average. Birdies are few and far between. I never thought the day would arrive, but, regrettably, it has.

[FerrariDriver]

When I was a teenager and beyond, I was a good golfer and played collegiate golf in the Big Ten. I hit the ball long and accurate and as I aged, I still played pretty well. I first shot my age at 67 with 5 birdies and no bogies playing not from the longest tees, but ones in front which are the standard men's white. At that time, my distance off the tee had dropped to around 265 with an occasional drive pushing 275. I shot my age in my early 70's three more times and the distance off the tee started dropping dramatically with the loss of flexibility and decreased club head speed. At 74 I had a tumor in my right leg which required a titanium rod be inserted from the top of the femur to just below the knee cap and I was unable to play any golf for almost two years. I am now 78 and and I have to play from a cart and can no longer walk the course which is fine, but the loss of the body rotation has been dramatic and off the tee my average driving distance is only about 180 yards and that is a pill which is quite hard to swallow. I haven't checked my swing speed with the driver since the surgery, but would estimate it to be in the upper 60's which is a far cry from the 111-114 I had as a college kid. It is a little disheartening, and I play golf only from the standard white tees and refuse to move up to senior tees, but it makes even short par 4 holes of say 375 or so a task. I still love the game and have always remained positive, but my plight just may be similar to what some of you 50 and 60 year old guys will have to experience in the next 15-20 years. I still shoot in the mid to upper 80's, but I have my wedge game and I can chip and putt well above average. Birdies are few and far between. I never thought the day would arrive, but, re is has.

[FerrariDriver]

When I was a teenager and beyond, I was a good golfer and played collegiate golf in the Big Ten. I hit the ball long and accurate and as I aged, I still played pretty well. I first shot my age at 67 with 5 birdies and no bogies playing not from the longest tees, but ones in front which are the standard men's white. At that time, my distance off the tee had dropped to around 265 with an occasional drive pushing 275. I shot my age in my early 70's three more times and the distance off the tee started dropping dramatically with the loss of flexibility and decreased club head speed. At 74 I had a tumor in my right leg which required a titanium rod be inserted from the top of the femur to just below the knee cap and I was unable to play any golf for almost two years. I am now 78 and and I have to play from a cart and can no longer walk the course which is fine, but the loss of the body rotation has been dramatic and off the tee my average driving distance is only about 180 yards and that is a pill which is quite hard to swallow. I haven't checked my swing speed with the driver since the surgery, but would estimate it to be in the upper 60's which is a far cry from the 111-114 I had as a college kid. It is a little disheartening, and I play golf only from the standard white tees and refuse to move up to senior tees, but it makes even short par 4 holes of say 375 or so a task. I still love the game and have always remained positive, but my plight just may be similar to what some of you 50 and 60 year old guys will have to experience in the next 15-20 years. I still shoot in the mid to upper 80's, but I have my wedge game and I can chip and putt well above average. Birdies are few and far between. I never thought the day would arrive, but, re is has.

[Bigarch]

Hang in there, Ferrari and just keep swinging. I'm 53, former club professional and I can't hit it any further than 235-240 tops anymore. I need two knee replacements but keep putting it off. Bottom line, my legs just aren't strong enough anymore to play well. Handicap is up to a 6-7 but I need my short game to be sharp to break 80. Whenever I try to go at it hard, I start moving off of it and the results are predictably horrible. Hitting 3 woods and hybrids into a couple par 4's every round is a real reality check. I would encourage you to not be bashful and move up a set of tees though. I think its a great way to challenge yourself when you start losing length. On those long par 4's, its a better challenge to have to drive it into the narrow parts of the fairways and avoid bunkers instead of hitting short of them...and also to have to hit a challenging 2nd shot into those greens instead of laying up short of the greenside trouble and pitching it on. The length may not be the same but you'd still get the satisfaction of producing those shot values that prove to yourself that you've still got it! Best of luck, my friend!

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[Sean2]

I am 65, in very good condition, walk 99% of my rounds and average around 200 yards off the tee. Moving up to the senior tees has been a big help.

[Richard 77]

I’m 79 soon to be eighty. Not very far!

[deadsolid...shank]

Not everything else is BS. Some people actually know their distances from the course. When I laser a pin and the ball mark is within a step or two of the flag, that’s as accurate distance wise as anyone needs to be.

[DLiver]

I am in my late 65s () and have noticed a real drop off in everything since turning 60. I work hard (really hard) on fitness and have a driver SS in the mid 90s. Decent drives get out there 230-250. 7-iron is my 160 club (155 carry). It takes a lot of dedication and work to keep my game from dropping off the cliff.

[Pepperturbo]

Agree regarding course distances. I only used a trackman a few times maybe four-five years ago. I didn't see the big whoop. Anyone that maintains a serious index and or plays regional events especially knows club CARRY yardages. Last weekend, if I didn't my 7 iron wouldn't have covered a pond fronting the green and got me a GIR and par. Knowing trackman numbers is like knowing stroke and bore or gear ratios of a GT3 engine, no real benefit other than bloviating.

[Tumbleweed_1968]

A really good drive for me is 175 with roll. I turn 60 in 2 weeks. I play the gold tees, which share the tee box with the reds. Play red on par 5s and one par 4.

7 iron is 135. PW is 90. Putter is anyone's guess.

Home course has 2 par 5s and 3 par 3s. My approach shots are a short iron usually, except the par 5s. Scoring in the 40s with this approach keeps the game enjoyable.

I have verified my numbers with a gps, but are obviously dependent on how I'm feeling that day. Also play a soft ball because I like the feel on approach and chips.

I've never been a long hitter, but strive for accuracy and recovery skills.

My 2 ¢.

 

[scomac2002]

62 years old and losing distance fast, especially since a back injury in 2017. I'm recovered from that finally and can play pretty much as often as I'd like.

I can still manage 200-210 with roll from the driver, but that has to be pretty much a perfect strike. 185 (or less) happens just as often. I feel like I've lost about another club length on my irons as I'm routinely hitting a 7 iron now on an uphill par 3 from 120. That used to be an easy 8 iron as recently as last year. I find myself taking one more club than I normally would for most shots. Senior tees of course are a must unless I'm playing an executive length course which I do almost exclusively now because it's walkable. Short sets offer real advantages at this stage. Getting the gaps set is the tricky part because it's not as simple as a consistent loft gapping.

[Sean2]

I am in the same boat. I moved up to the senior tees and it has made a big difference in my game. It's more fun hitting irons into greens rather than fairway woods, and shooting in the 70s more often than not.

[uitar9]

I'm 67 and this is me. Drive 175 to 205 with roll out. Yes, moving up to the whites makes all the difference. Played 9 holes last night. No doubles or triples. I see very few folks at the par 68 muni I regularly play who actually hit even 225, at least to the same fairway as they tee off on. lol

[Guest]

Thanks to OP for this discussion. Very interesting for a novice golfer. 70 now. Started playing a year ago at 69, so I am slowly gaining distance in last 6 months. Reasonably good health. Play or driving range 4-6 times a week.

Driver: Callaway XR 16 avg 190-210yds. Sometimes 220-230 yds.

Irons: Callaway BB OS have been getting longer. 7i is now 135-145 yds.

[miamistomp]

Personally except for fitting or gapping , I think trackman is pointless

I am 68- walk and carry a bag or use a pushcart

7 iron carry 150

5 wood carry 190

Driver carry 230 ( swing speed averaged 94 mph at a Wilson demo day )

I am 6' 1"- 185 lbs-worked a physical outside job ( telephone lineman) so needed to stay in good physical condition

Played well as a junior and young man- then didnt play for 35 years

Started playing again 2 years ago when I retired

 

[Guest]

I’m 65, just started playing again about a month ago after nearly a 20 year layoff. I’ve lost a lot of strength in my legs from nerve damage when I injured my back a few years ago. The big shock when coming back was the loss of distance. Trackman showed driver length of 215 yards. My 7 iron (34* loft) goes about 130. I’m working hard to get some swing speed back and getting fitted for more modern irons to give me enough length to reach par 4s in 2. I am hitting all my clubs as straight as ever though.