Dad's turning 77, needs new clubs, help please.

[Bob Cat]

We play a couple of times a year but he still plays with a buddy every couple of weeks. Tough to get the ball up and any distance. He's playing some Adams now but I've not paid much attention to what model and mix.

Probably needs more hybrids.

Can anyone suggest a set, please?

[TimV]

What is his current club make up, lofts and flex? Saying Adams isn't giving us a starting point.

[Bob Cat]

Yeah, I know, but I don't have any more info than that.

[Sean2]

I would suggest he get a fitting. Shaft, flex, etc., can make a big difference.

[Texsport]

He needs to play at least 12* loft, and probably more on his primary driving club - possibly just go to a 3-Wood.

 

Play softer balls designed for lower clubhead speeds.

 

Texsport

[Juice__25]

He needs to play at least 12* loft, and probably more on his primary driving club - possibly just go to a 3-Wood.

 

Play softer balls designed for lower clubhead speeds.

 

Texsport

 

Agree with Tex. Really depends on his swing though. May need an all hybrid iron set.

[Bob Cat]

Getting more info... stand by, and thank you.

[Bob Cat]

Found part of the problem... he's been hitting a 10 deg Cally Big Bertha 460 driver, Warrior 3 & 5 metals and a hybrid . Said he likes his Adams irons so we'll leave them alone.

 

Think I'll start by searching for a 12 deg driver, senior shaft.

[Davewn]

Found part of the problem... he's been hitting a 10 deg Cally Big Bertha 460 driver, Warrior 3 & 5 metals and a hybrid . Said he likes his Adams irons so we'll leave them alone.

 

Think I'll start by searching for a 12 deg driver, senior shaft.

 

He'd be well served by ditching the 3 wood and adding a 7 wood as well...

[Guia]

Ping GMax with graphite senior shaft.

[Texsport]

He may not need a senior shaft - just one which launches high with some spin.

 

Flex will depend on swing speed and loading.

 

Texsport

[Kirasdad]

12 degrees isn't enough for his(seemingly) low clubhead speed. 14 degree high launch head, a driver head, not a three wood head, he'll get more out of it. Wishon makes one, and I am sure there's others. Lowest iron a six, maybe even a seven.

 

Here's a bag just off the top of my head.

 

14 degree 43.5 inch driver, senior flex.

5 wood

7 wood

Then maybe pick up an old Callaway "Divine 9" and an "Ely Wauld" (sp?) 11 wood. Those were

good clubs and you can get them for peanuts on eBay. I think they might be better than hybrids for him. They'd generate a little more speed. Then his Adams 7-PW if he likes them. Gap and SW and putter.

12 clubs, a bag full of fun. You could do worse and spend a lot more dough.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

[russad]

Sounds like a good selection Kirasdad.

[kaboboom]

If the search is still on, I've squirreled away a set of Yonex ADX (1-3-5-7) for my later years. They are incredibly light...all graphite...early 90s. Not sure how easy to find on the bay.

[Bob Cat]

Thanks a ton, guys. The search for a better golf experience is on and I feel good about my choices thanks to you.

I'll update later.

[disco111]

Lots of helpful suggestions, so here's another, slightly different. A ladies all graphite set would be much cheaper and they are all over the place on C list and the E. Granted, the woods are kind of flippy at impact, but they do offer an increase in club head speed because of that. At 77, I'd imagine that his CHS is rather weak. If he does have some decent CHS with the woods, then chuck the ladies woods and opt for senior men's 13/14 driver and 17 3wd. As for the irons, in truth I didn't find that much difference, if any, between the ladies graphite irons (5-W) and men's senior graphites. The only reason i went with men's seniors was because the ladies were an inch shorter and at 6'1" I was losing a club length. If he's average height (5'8"-5'10") the ladies should be a better fit I would think. I'm 74 and have been there and done that...........Hope this helps.

[Texsport]

Swing speed being "rather weak" is pretty judgmental IMO. It depends on physical condition, strength, and efficiency of the swing.

 

I know pros aged 75 and 76 - one hits an X and the other an S. Both hit it over 270 yds off the tees on average. So, better measure CHS rather than guess!

 

Can you get your dad to a Dick's Sporting Goods?

 

They have hitting bays and swing speed measuring equipment + lots of test clubs.

 

Texsport

[maverick]

Swing speed being "rather weak" is pretty judgmental IMO. It depends on physical condition, strength, and efficiency of the swing.

 

I know pros aged 75 and 76 - one hits an X and the other an S. Both hit it over 270 yds off the tees on average. So, better measure CHS rather than guess!

 

Can you get your dad to a Dick's Sporting Goods?

 

They have hitting bays and swing speed measuring equipment + lots of test clubs.

 

Texsport

 

I totally agree. Everyone is guessing what he needs w/o any real information. I see a lot of bad assumptions about how one would play at his age. I am 70 and hitting a R flex in my driver because I get more distance than with a senior shaft. I am a short driver and only get about 200 ys. But I can hit my 3 wood almost that far. People have been trying to put me into a senior shafts for 15 years. Golf club advertising is horrible and mostly BS. They just want to sell the GI or super GI irons to anyone not a scratch golfer or anyone over 60 y/o.

 

I play Mizuno 900 forged and they just replaced MP-25s. While waiting for the 900s to arrive I bought a set of old, beat up blades at a thrift store. With those irons I got a closest to the hole on one par 3 during a VA league I belong to. Those old beat up blades felt better that many GI irons I have tried.

[Wriggles]

Swing speed being "rather weak" is pretty judgmental IMO. It depends on physical condition, strength, and efficiency of the swing.

 

I know pros aged 75 and 76 - one hits an X and the other an S. Both hit it over 270 yds off the tees on average. So, better measure CHS rather than guess!

 

Can you get your dad to a Dick's Sporting Goods?

 

They have hitting bays and swing speed measuring equipment + lots of test clubs.

 

Texsport

 

I totally agree. Everyone is guessing what he needs w/o any real information. I see a lot of bad assumptions about how one would play at his age. I am 70 and hitting a R flex in my driver because I get more distance than with a senior shaft. I am a short driver and only get about 200 ys. But I can hit my 3 wood almost that far. People have been trying to put me into a senior shafts for 15 years. Golf club advertising is horrible and mostly BS. They just want to sell the GI or super GI irons to anyone not a scratch golfer or anyone over 60 y/o.

 

I play Mizuno 900 forged and they just replaced MP-25s. While waiting for the 900s to arrive I bought a set of old, beat up blades at a thrift store. With those irons I got a closest to the hole on one par 3 during a VA league I belong to. Those old beat up blades felt better that many GI irons I have tried.

 

I'm 64, and hit ANY driver, old to newer, around 200 carry. A 3W gets about the same distance. This season ,I've been lucky to get 200 yards total with the wet conditions. Sunday, I used an 11 degree Biggest Big Bertha with a ladies GEMs shaft. Hit the ball very well, but distance no where near 200, 165-175 yards. For me, the whippier shafts and increased loft is not the answer. I bought a nice R11 from Callaway Preowned a month or so ago. 9 degree with stiff shaft, I've lowered the loft to 8 degrees, and hit over 200 carry. In drought conditions, I'll feel like a gorilla.

 

Someday, everyone will wake up and realize GI stuff is a lot of baloney. Thrift store clubs will skyrocket in price, and golf OEM's will come out with new model clubs every few years.

 

To the OP, ditching the driver, and playing 3 and 5 woods may be the answer. Harvey Penick wrote a story about a kid who hit a Brassie (2 wood) as far or farther than his HS team buddies did with drivers. He complained to Harvey about it, and Harvey stuck a piece of masking tape on the sole, and drew a "1" on it with a Sharpie. He told the kid, "Now, you have a driver." or something to that effect.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Get him in a Yoga class. Help his game, help his life. (Just the sight of Yoga pants could add some length.)

[scomac2002]

Get him in a Yoga class. Help his game, help his life. (Just the sight of Yoga pants could add some length.)

 

This actually works (in more ways than one).

 

Many of the women at my curling club wear yoga pants to curl in. ;)

[raggal62]

My philosophy for fitting older senior golfers may be unlike the norm, but on average seems to work for the most part.

 

Driver: Light, long, stiff w. higher loft.

Fairways: 4 wood, 7 wood, R or A flex

Hybrid: 28-30 degree, R or A flex

Irons: 6-PW, AW, SW, LW. Head of choice. A or L flex

[scomac2002]

 

I'm 64, and hit ANY driver, old to newer, around 200 carry. A 3W gets about the same distance. This season ,I've been lucky to get 200 yards total with the wet conditions. Sunday, I used an 11 degree Biggest Big Bertha with a ladies GEMs shaft. Hit the ball very well, but distance no where near 200, 165-175 yards. For me, the whippier shafts and increased loft is not the answer. I bought a nice R11 from Callaway Preowned a month or so ago. 9 degree with stiff shaft, I've lowered the loft to 8 degrees, and hit over 200 carry. In drought conditions, I'll feel like a gorilla.

 

Someday, everyone will wake up and realize GI stuff is a lot of baloney. Thrift store clubs will skyrocket in price, and golf OEM's will come out with new model clubs every few years.

 

To the OP, ditching the driver, and playing 3 and 5 woods may be the answer. Harvey Penick wrote a story about a kid who hit a Brassie (2 wood) as far or farther than his HS team buddies did with drivers. He complained to Harvey about it, and Harvey stuck a piece of masking tape on the sole, and drew a "1" on it with a Sharpie. He told the kid, "Now, you have a driver." or something to that effect.

 

We can all dream. That said, I can't imagine that the marketing powers of the OEMs will give up their throne that easily. But, you are right; there is something sadly wrong when I can hit a steel shafted persimmon 3W farther than the big bulbous headed, graphite shafted present day counter part and at a higher launch angle to boot! That's not a one off either as I have done it with both a PowerBilt and a Spalding. When it happens you have one of those WTF moments!

[scomac2002]

My philosophy for fitting older senior golfers may be unlike the norm, but on average seems to work for the most part.

 

Driver: Light, long, stiff w. higher loft.

Fairways: 4 wood, 7 wood, R or A flex

Hybrid: 28-30 degree, R or A flex

Irons: 6-PW, AW, SW, LW. Head of choice. A or L flex

 

A buddy of mine who turned 80 last year found a solution to diminished distance and lower launch while wintering in Florida a couple of years back. He found an off-course pro shop were the owner was building drivers specifically for older golfers with these issues. He was picking up used Ladies Ping G2 heads in 14° loft and shafting them up with Aldila NV 55 in A flex with a playing length of 43.5"-44" depending upon golfer. The head would be hot melted to bring up the swing weight. Worked like a charm. The owner had made up several of those and was selling them for ~$100 at the time.

 

Walter's bag goes driver, 5W, 4 hybrid, 6-PW, SW, P. The 5W and 4H are R flex while the irons are still S steel shafted. He still has game with a low round last year of 33 on a par 31 although he is more typically 39-40.

[maverick]

I forgot in my reply that I use a 9.5* driver and hit it high. I do exercise on a regular basis, I do sit-ups, deep knee bends, pull ups, etc. and have a rowing machine parked in front of the TV and a cross trainer I use. At this time I can only do about 6 pull-ups. Every winter I lose some strength so my New Years resolution was to NOT lose strength. Instead I am gaining and occasionally drive 220 or a little more so it is making me a little longer. At my age I don't have a choice if I want to continue to be relevant on a golf course. Getting old is not for the weak. ;-)

 

I hope the OP gets it right for his dad who I am sure will be very happy. It is a great gesture especially from a son.

[DavePelz4]

Found part of the problem... he's been hitting a 10 deg Cally Big Bertha 460 driver, Warrior 3 & 5 metals and a hybrid . Said he likes his Adams irons so we'll leave them alone.

 

Think I'll start by searching for a 12 deg driver, senior shaft.

 

Hey BC...maybe as a Father's Day gift, get him a driver fitting. They'll get him the best shaft which might be an A, S or even W. Don't worry about that flex of the shaft...just make sure it helps him.

[maverick]

DON"T buy him new low spinning equipment! The low spin clubs I have tried do not work for slower swingers. It's just trash to me. So I'll be buying older clubs that have some spin. The longest 3 wood I have found lately is a 3 Hawkeye and I hit the Hawkeye 7 wood long, both with R shafts. I am just selling an M2 that's worthless in my hands. No spin, zero distance. Just an FYI.

[jmvargas]

i was playing this weekend with a 81-year old gentleman who was really struggling with his driver.

 

we suggested he hit his 3 wood instead and immediately started hitting it higher and farther..

 

as we get older LOFT is our friend..lighter and softer shafts help too..

 

hope this helps.

[disco111]

A buddy of mine who turned 80 last year found a solution to diminished distance and lower launch while wintering in Florida a couple of years back. He found an off-course pro shop were the owner was building drivers specifically for older golfers with these issues. He was picking up used Ladies Ping G2 heads in 14° loft and shafting them up with Aldila NV 55 in A flex with a playing length of 43.5"-44" depending upon golfer. The head would be hot melted to bring up the swing weight. Worked like a charm. The owner had made up several of those and was selling them for ~$100 at the time.

 

 

Any possibility of getting info on obtaining one of these drivers?..........

[scomac2002]

A buddy of mine who turned 80 last year found a solution to diminished distance and lower launch while wintering in Florida a couple of years back. He found an off-course pro shop were the owner was building drivers specifically for older golfers with these issues. He was picking up used Ladies Ping G2 heads in 14° loft and shafting them up with Aldila NV 55 in A flex with a playing length of 43.5"-44" depending upon golfer. The head would be hot melted to bring up the swing weight. Worked like a charm. The owner had made up several of those and was selling them for ~$100 at the time.

 

 

Any possibility of getting info on obtaining one of these drivers?..........

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any information as to who the pro shop was or the location, but I could ask. But, you've got the specs so you can acquire the parts and have the club built. 14° G2 drivers show up on eBay periodically. The shafts should be readily available. Have your local club guy put it all together with the grip of your choice and swing weighted to your preferred spec.