Getting Older Is Killing My Golf Game, Or What Is Left Of It

[platgof]

So I have been called out. I do usually respond, but I also enjoy the responses and reading them. I am just so da.. frustrated lately and don't want to come across too negative. I cannot seem to find that awesome low round anymore that used to show up every now and then. I am throwing a lot of money out there and so much for that. It seems that I have hit a harder wall than ever before, and this one has a lot of reserve, and I don't. I played today and shot 47, and just cannot figure out why. The lower rounds are doing a very good job of hiding. The positive side is I really like the Toulon Columbus putter I now have in play. Maybe this fall when all the virus crap goes away that things will get better?

[Socrates]

Thanks for responding. I haven't reached that time in my life (yet), but I know at some point it will come. Get a thorough physical. Could be something changed inside you. Low testosterone, drug interaction/side effect or maybe depression which is totally understandable these days. If none of those apply, tee it forward. My buddy only enjoys the game when he plays from under 5500 yards. Anything longer than that and he becomes discouraged and loses focus because he knows it's 18 holes of bogey or worse.

[ChaosTheory]

One possibility is too much ho-ing. If you commit to not change any clubs for a month or two, you’ll be forced to focus exclusively on your game.

[platgof]

I like what I have now, so maybe give that a try. The driver and putter went virus on me, but now the putter is doing good since changing it. I struggle with almost all my clubs now, so something has to give. Now the practice facilities are closed, really. This will not help at all.

[Ghostwedge]

This is the worst. Getting stuck behind a group of older guys playing from the wrong set of tee’s. You know it’s the wrong set of tee’s because it takes 5 hours to complete the round and then you see them out on the clubhouse veranda having a beer and bitching about the course conditions and they were “lucky” to shoot a 91. Uh huh... no one broke 100 ( playing by the rules.)

Life is to short to be posting 100’s. Move up a set of tee’s, when my scores start drifting North of 80, i’ll enjoy the new scenery. Getting old isn’t an option when it comes to golf, you take what you have left and enjoy the walk, we only have so many swings alloted to us. imho

[ThinkingPlus]

We are all so very pleased that it is all about you. Keep up the good work.

[Ghostwedge]

Thanks, i try.

SMH....

[platgof]

I moved to the forward tees(senior) years ago. I could still easily play the whites, and I should mix it up like some do to make it interesting. I am a very fast player in a cart, but I don't walk very fast anymore. I have played with some people who wait until they are sure you are watching them hit the ball, annoying! I play ready golf and like to keep moving. Now I need more golf courses to open back up!!!!!

[bluedot]

You might edit your post by removing the letter "h" from "imho" at the very end of the last sentence. H stands for "humble", and there is NOTHING humble about what you just wrote.

[bortass]

@SThomas I have always walked unless forced to ride. The only good thing to come out of recent events is my club removed the restriction about walking before Noon on weekends. It's just temporary though. So right now, I walk 18 on Saturday morning and a couple 9s throughout the rest of the week. It was fun after my first couple of 9s after a 7 year layoff from playing. My glutes and hamstrings really felt the hills, lol.

[bluedot]

I have a suggestion for you. IF you have a good relationship with the management at your club, consider sitting down the with GM now while they can collect some data and discussing the mandatory cart thing on weekend mornings. It is a revenue issue for a club, so maybe propose a compromise in which walkers pay a "trail fee" that is half (or less?) of a cart fee. I belonged to a club that did this during daylight savings; during the winter, the club allowed walking on weekend mornings at no extra charge. The logic by the club included the understanding that a cart fee isn't ALL profit; there is maintenance, recharging batteries, wear and tear on the golf course, etc, to be considered as well.

My club management was honest about it being a revenue issue, AND aware enough to understand that it wasn't a pace of play issue at all. The walkers loved it for obvious reasons, and the club loved it because it was revenue without any wear and tear on the cart fleet or the turf, etc.

From time to time, there IS club management that thinks walking on weekend mornings will slow pace of play; it doesn't. So now while they are allowing walking, your club could be looking at things llike the total rounds played, etc., to see if there is a way to find a win-win middle ground; more rounds AND more revenue.

[Fuscinator]

How do you know it's getting older that's killing your golf? Or, let me ask, what specific symptoms of aging are you having that you feel are causing such a decline?

[bortass]

@bluedot That's kinda funny, my club is no walking on weekends during daylight savings time. The stated reason is pace of play, not cart profits. They said they would be watching pace of play and rescind the walking if it became an issue. So far it seems to be fine. There are only a couple holes where riding makes a big difference. There's a decent walk, under a road, to get from #1 to 2 and then back again for #8 to #9. The only other one is from #9 to #10, but that's not a huge distance though the hill between 9 and 10 slows me down a bit, lol. So the guys in carts are always waiting for me on #9. They will have finished teeing off as I arrive. #2 isn't as big of a deal since it's a par 3 and we're always waiting for the group in front to clear the green.
I'm new to the club and area, so while we've been active members, I dunno how much goodwill has built up with management yet. It's not a big deal, I prefer walking but riding may not be so bad in the middle of summer, lol.

[bluedot]

To be clear, I am a dedicated walker. My current membership includes unlimited cart fees, even on the weekend, and I bet I haven't used a cart 5 times in 5 years other than in club tournaments. So I'll admit to my personal bias on this.

But the pace of play thing is a BIG pet peeve for me. Unless you are talking about a course with a lot of really long green-to-tee walks, one guy walking can play as quickly as two guys in a cart, and faster on days when it's cart path only. And the weekend morning thing REALLY kills me; when the course is crowded and rounds are at their slowest is when it matters the least anyway; on a busy golf course, you could knee-walk and keep up! Any club that says the weekend morning cart rule is about pace of play, rather than revenue, either doesn't know their business very well, or is unwilling to tell it like it is, which is that they just flat out need the revenue.

I'll stop now; I don't want to threadjack with my personal pet peeves.

[bulls9999]

I hear you. I just turned 66 myself and I play "whatever club gets me there with least chance of screw up". So if I'm on the tee at a par-3, 180 yards, my choices are 4-iron, 3/4-hybrid, or 7-wood. Previously I would pull the 4-iron and then smack myself; now, either of the 2 latter choices are used and results have been better. Go with what statistically is more likely to work! I have played with the older men players and I'm considered the 'long driver' and lowest HC of the group....funny to see some of them use driver on a par-3.... but not so funny to see them beat me (with their high HC too, ugh). But they play their game with whatever club gets them there, and they can play them well!

 

[596]

You have to enjoy the journey. Not just the everyday score.

I raced triathlons from the time I was 36 until I retired from the game at 58. I trained every day. Swimming a mile, or cycling 50 or running 10. As I grew older my times got faster and faster. Even into my 50s I could place top 3 to 10 overall in a race. Won my age group a lot. I was fast as hell on the bike. In sprint races I could keep up and even drop some pros. As I got toward 55 I found I could train all I wanted and the times didn't get faster. The times actually started to get slower even though training never changed. Age has a way of catching up to you. I stopped racing and training for tris at age 58. I sold all 8 of my bikes. I was playing golf at this time and started to golf more then ever. Long story short, at age 64 I started cycling again. I'm still fast....I cycle on a VR trainer every single day. Not as fast as I once was but the enjoyment is back again. I love cycling as much as I love golf. In golf I can score par. In cycling, at age 65, I can lay down a time a 30 or 40 year old would be proud of. As you age its not always about the results......you have to enjoy the journey.

[golfdad907]

Well, either accept your age (as many have), adjust your expectations, workout more, or just play and have fun.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Exactly, getting old isn't fun, but it beats the alternative.

[platgof]

The mental aspect showed itself several years ago. I was racing radio control cars and noticed blank spots. Rc racing demands second by second attention, and I could tell I was having a problem concentrating and having gaps if you will. Now this has moved on to all aspects of coordination as well. So I find myself relearning the game all the time, very frustrating. Like mentioned before, the natural coordination is gone. I have to be aware of all aspects now, and this is in all phases of life too. I am trying now to pause at the top of my backswing so I can get my thoughts on the same page. It seems to be working, and way more consistent. Time will tell.

[Fuscinator]

? How old are you, and what does your doctor say about this?

[platgof]

I have talked to them about this, and it goes no where. I am changing doctors to try to get some help. This will take some time to get moving. I am 63.

[tacklingdummy]

I think it is mainly due to the decreasing lack of flexibility and strength. The older you get, the tighter, shorter, and weaker everything becomes. Stretching, increasing range of motion, and strength training becomes increasingly more important as you age and not just for golf, but all facets of physical life.

If you look at the the Big Three, Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player. Player with his fitness routines maintained his golf abilities better in older age than Nicklaus and Palmer.

[braincramp52]

Have you tried pot to help you focus better?

[rexroh]

I am 77 years old. I was playing single figure golf until I was 72. Since then various health problems has slowed me down

loss of distance (flexibility) is the main cause of my handicap blowing out 17 but I have managed to get it back to 12. I still feel I can play to single figures but two or three doubles puts paid to that.

I am going to make a major swing change (Mindy Blake swing) when I can get back to the course. I am happy playing off the 12 index but feel overall I am hitting the ball better than that.

As long as I can swing a club I will play this game. The handicap system makes for a level playing field. The comradeship of the groups I play with irreplaceable.

My attitude is that as long as I enjoy it I will keep playing. If I happen to die on the course all the better.

[platgof]

Pot and focus do not work together.

[platgof]

Today was another"could it get worse" day? I just hope it can be managed, hopefully. I have tried just about everything. Maybe when this BS virus is over with?

[braincramp52]

No, but it helps you not care how you're playing. ?

[platgof]

Today was horrible, but for some weird reason I barely won the round by two strokes over my group, and did the same two weeks ago! I absolutely hate bad shots and I had plenty. I have decided to go back to the F9 irons since it is not their fault for my poor play. It was hot today, in the eighties. What a change from last week, or just two days ago.

[COACH9]

Will be 59 in July. I really haven't lost much. I'm just a lot more sore afterwards. lol

My short game is much better so I don't waste as many 300 yard drives as I used to.

It will be tough once I start losing distance, I'll need to be able to put my ego on the shelf and just worry about posting a score.

I might be better off if I started doing it now.

[platgof]

Seen the new doctor today and I have a bacterial infection. I have never felt so bad, as this has been ongoing since March. Missed work today so I asked to see him early, so glad I did. No wonder my game went to crap. I really hope I get over this.