A question for "senior" golfers

[Miss_Tee]

At what age did you notice a significant decline in your game and did it impact your enjoyment?

 

I'm pushing 60 and have been playing golf for 16 years. Last fall my index got down to the lowest it has ever been. Where I live, our golf season is about seven months long, so it will be a few months before I get back on a golf course. I'm hoping to continue seeing improvement, but I know that one of these years I will start seeing a decline instead. I hope that doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the game. One of the things I have enjoyed most about  golf is seeing the improvement every year.

 

If you've reached that point in your life, how hard was it to accept that you probably won't be playing a "career-best" round ever again? I know, I know . . . you set new goals; you're glad to be out there; it's not about the score . . . But deep down - did it sting a little that you don't play like you used to?

[smoky25]

I'm 67 now. It's been a slow steady decline for me since I turned 50 and seems to be accelerating slightly in my late 60's. I'm probably 40-50yds shorter off the tee now than I was at 50yo with most of that coming in the last 3 years.  The thing that has been most important for me in maintaining my enjoyment of the game is that I haven't let my ego prevent me from moving up a tee box as I've aged.  Golf for me is most enjoyable when I'm using most of the clubs in my bag, and moving up a tee box has allowed me to do that.  As for career best rounds I shot a 65 once in my early 40s from the tips, a 65 2 years ago from the member tees, and a 66 2 months ago from the senior tees, and they all felt equally satisfying. Sorry for the passive brag, but the point is is that 66 2 months ago felt just as good as the 65 from the tips did 25 years ago.  My advice is don't let your ego get in the way of enjoying the game.  Play the game the way it's supposed to be played - with all the clubs in your bag, and use whatever tee box it takes to do that.

Edited January 8, 2021 by smoky25
clarification

[Sean2]

I am 65 now, and didn't start playing until I was 50. I moved up to the senior tees, so I can still shoot a decent score. While I continue to work on my game, I accept what golf gives me and simply accept it. 

[Miss_Tee]

6 minutes ago, smoky25 said:

I'm 67 now. It's been a slow steady decline for me since I turned 50 and seems to be accelerating slightly in my late 60's. I'm probably 40-50yds shorter off the tee now than I was at 50yo with most of that coming in the last 3 years.  The thing that has been most important for me in maintaining my enjoyment of the game is that I haven't let my ego prevent me from moving up a tee box as I've aged.  Golf for me is most enjoyable when I'm using most of the clubs in my bag, and moving up a tee box has allowed me to do that.  As for career best rounds I shot a 65 once in my early 40s from the tips, a 65 2 years ago from the member tees, and a 66 2 months ago from the senior tees, and they all felt equally satisfying. Sorry for the passive brag, but the point is is that 66 2 months ago felt just as good as the 65 did 25 years ago.  My advice is don't let your ego get in the way of enjoying the game.  Play the game the way it's supposed to be played - with all the clubs in your bag, and use whatever tee box it takes to do that.

Wow! You are still playing great golf! Way to go. 

 

As far as moving up a tee box when the time comes, unfortunately women don't have that luxury. I'm already playing from the forward tees. That's a sore spot with much-older women I know - there are no senior women tees to move up to.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Miss_Tee

[gripandrip]

Turning is 60 this year, and at my lowest handicap in many years. I have worked to improve my swing mechanics, and have much less stress on my body than I have in the past.  I hoping to push off the decline for a while. I'm pretty fit and athletic still (hockey a couple times a week) and have now added stretching to my routine. I hope to put it off as long as possible.

 

I don't expect to see a whole lot of improvement from this point on, but want to try to prevent the decline. I'm good with acknowledging that I won't have too much improvement... I just have to keep ahead of my regular playing mates. 🙂

 

It will be a sad day when (if) they start to outdrive me.

[smoky25]

1 minute ago, Miss_Tee said:

Wow! You are still playing great golf! Way to go. 

 

As far as moving up a tee box when the time comes, unfortunately women don't have that luxury. I'm already playing from the forward tees. That's a sore spot with much-older women I know - there are no senior women tees to move up to.

Sorry I didn't get your gender from your user name😬.  At our club there is a forward set of tees that senior women and super senior men use.  These were put in a few years ago at not great expense to the club and have received a lot of use since. Hopefully where you play they would consider that.

[Miss_Tee]

8 minutes ago, smoky25 said:

Sorry I didn't get your gender from your user name😬.  At our club there is a forward set of tees that senior women and super senior men use.  These were put in a few years ago at not great expense to the club and have received a lot of use since. Hopefully where you play they would consider that.

I won't hold my breath for that to happen, but it certainly would be nice. We have a couple of ladies in their 80s that are still playing and the holes are getting pretty long for them. A funny (not-so-funny) thing about our course is that on one of the par fives, the senior (men's) tee box is about 30 yards in front of the women's tee box. That's especially frustrating. On the rest of the holes it is a yard or two behind ours.

[caniac6]

I’m 66, eagled a par 5, reached another in 2, and was just about ten yards short on two others. If you keep active, keep playing, and stay in pretty decent shape, you can delay the decline. Walk, don’t ride. I’m not a fitness nut, but I play, and practice as much as I can. Don’t go down without a fight!

[Miss_Tee]

7 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

I’m 66, eagled a par 5, reached another in 2, and was just about ten yards short on two others. If you keep active, keep playing, and stay in pretty decent shape, you can delay the decline. Walk, don’t ride. I’m not a fitness nut, but I play, and practice as much as I can. Don’t go down without a fight!

Right on! I do always walk (with a push cart) and I play and/or practice at least five days a week during our season. I'm hopeful that I will keep improving (or at least maintain) for quite a few years yet. Until last summer, my index had never been in single digits, and I never thought it would be, but I had a really good 2020. My lowest index was 8.5 in October and I broke 80 for the first time. Not super-great, but pretty good for my age. I'm hoping for a good 2021 season and am working on my strength and flexibility this winter.

[caniac6]

8 minutes ago, Miss_Tee said:

Right on! I do always walk (with a push cart) and I play and/or practice at least five days a week during our season. I'm hopeful that I will keep improving (or at least maintain) for quite a few years yet. Until last summer, my index had never been in single digits, and I never thought it would be, but I had a really good 2020. My lowest index was 8.5 in October and I broke 80 for the first time. Not super-great, but pretty good for my age. I'm hoping for a good 2021 season and am working on my strength and flexibility this winter.

Even if you can't play, swing a club or Orange Whip during the off season. If using the OW, or weighted club, don't over do it. This will really help keep your golf muscles in shape, and help maintain some flexibility. 

[Lobby]

I'm in my mid 60's and have lost about 30 - 40 yards off my driver from my 40's.  

If I set my mind to exercise, I can gain about 15 - 20 of those yards back.   But with Covid, going to the gym is out for me. 

I just play from shorter tees and remember that certain water carries are impossible for me. 

[FakeClubPro]

I think it all comes down to full range of motion on your swing.   I am 60.5 and can hit it about as far as I did when I was 50.   I have been playing with my brother-in-law who is a young 71.  He hits it about 230 to 235 off the tee.  He can hit his 5 iron pretty far like 170+.  He is not athletic and had two corporate careers so golf was only a few times a year.  He only started playing a lot over the last 3 or 4 years.

[Miss_Tee]

2 minutes ago, FakeClubPro said:

I think it all comes down to full range of motion on your swing.   I am 60.5 and can hit it about as far as I did when I was 50.   I have been playing with my brother-in-law who is a young 71.  He hits it about 230 to 235 off the tee.  He can hit his 5 iron pretty far like 170+.  He is not athletic and had two corporate careers so golf was only a few times a year.  He only started playing a lot over the last 3 or 4 years.

I  suspect you are correct about range of motion. I had been doing strength and cardio workouts, but added flexibility workouts this week. You're as young as you feel, right?

[Miss_Tee]

@Lobby @FakeClubPro @caniac6 and anyone else . . . 

 

What do you do in the off season to stay in fit? Or don't you have an off season?

[FakeClubPro]

2 minutes ago, Miss_Tee said:

@Lobby @FakeClubPro @caniac6 and anyone else . . . 

 

What do you do in the off season to stay in fit? Or don't you have an off season?

Check out Bernhard Langer's exercises on Youtube.     As far as range of motion - a lot of people, including golfers, swear by yoga for stretching/range of motion.

 

He likes his desserts.  As a little boy in Bavaria (German Alps), he came from a modest background.   His brother was a caddie and he bugged him to get a job caddying.  He wanted money as a boy to buy sweets/candy.   I guess he still has a sweet tooth. 

 

 

 

[Miss_Tee]

35 minutes ago, FakeClubPro said:

Check out Bernhard Langer's exercises on Youtube.     As far as range of motion - a lot of people, including golfers, swear by yoga for stretching/range of motion.

 

He likes his desserts.  As a little boy in Bavaria (German Alps), he came from a modest background.   His brother was a caddie and he bugged him to get a job caddying.  He wanted money as a boy to buy sweets/candy.   I guess he still has a sweet tooth. 

 

 

 

That's a great interview. Thanks for sharing.

[Buzzkill]

I’m 60 and scoring remains the same, definitely shorter though!

[bluedot]

I'm 68 and have been an athlete all my life.  I'm very fit, and work like crazy to hang on to club head speed with golf specific workouts designed specifically for me; lots of emphasis on mobility especially.  I use carefully fit equipment, work with teaching pros, etc; in short, I do everything available to me to continue to be competitive.

 

All of that said, the answer to your first question is that since I was roughly 60, the game has gotten tougher because I've lost swing speed.  That means shorter off the tee, longer clubs in, bigger misses, longer first putts, etc.; there's just no way around that.  Moving up to a different set of tees helps a great deal, but perhaps the bigger issue when you lose speed is that it is MUCH tougher, if not impossible, to "save" a bad swing with your hand speed.  My default flaws penalize me more now than they used to, and I have to practice the fixes much harder than I used to.

 

The answer to your second question is "Yes"; it is hard to accept the decline.  I enjoy the battle for the most part; I like working out, I like tweaking equipment, I like lessons with Trackman, all of it.  But still, when I have a bad patch, it bothers me in a different way than it did when I was younger.  I have more days now where things go a bit sideways and I can't fix it, and fewer days where everything works the entire round.  Part of the fix of all of THAT is to compete against other old guys who are going thru the same thing, and I do that; believe me, it helps.

[hybrid25]

I'm 65 now and my biggest hinderance is painful arthritis I have in my right ankle that prevents me from proper right foot support during my swing. With some swing changes from a slice to a draw, I have gained back yardage and then some. Damn ankle! To me, golf wouldn't be much fun if it weren't for friends I golf with. Humans are social creatures and need fellowship with other like minded people, imo. It's all about having fun, competing, and playing up to my handicap. After all, 99 % of golfers won't make a living from the game, so you might as well accept that and enjoy the game. 

[golfarb1]

I am exceedingly fit at 73. I can do 90 pushups in a minute, 30 chin ups , 15 standing evil wheels , HIIT for 30 minutes have practiced yoga for decades .But I have still lost 30 yards off of the tee in the last decade  despite the improvement in equipment .I have periodically suffered from numerous wrist , shoulder and ankle injuries and have not been able to compete at the state level for over a decade  .I would rather not play at all then play from the old mans tees. 

My advice to everyone is to do as I say NOT as I do . If you are not playing for money, you are playing for pleasure. Accept  the fact that you will deteriorate as you get older . When this will happen is individual, but it will happen.As long as you enjoy playing don’t worry about the specifics .

 

[Ghostwedge]

I walk 95% of my rds and I notice full length wooden tee's laying in the middle of some long par 4 and 5's fairways once in awhile. I suspect beginners, juniors and super seniors use them. 

Whatever it takes to keep your score relative to your enjoyment of the game DO IT. Tee it up from 250 out on a long par 4 if you only hit 150 of the tee, etc.

Hopefully I'll get to use those " tee boxes" some day. Take care.

[Sean2]

3 hours ago, caniac6 said:

I’m 66, eagled a par 5, reached another in 2, and was just about ten yards short on two others. If you keep active, keep playing, and stay in pretty decent shape, you can delay the decline. Walk, don’t ride. I’m not a fitness nut, but I play, and practice as much as I can. Don’t go down without a fight!

Yes. I walk...using a push cart, so golf for me isn't just about the golf, but the exercise as well. 

[Sean2]

27 minutes ago, Ghostwedge said:

I walk 95% of my rds and I notice full length wooden tee's laying in the middle of some long par 4 and 5's fairways once in awhile. I suspect beginners, juniors and super seniors use them. 

Whatever it takes to keep your score relative to your enjoyment of the game DO IT. Tee it up from 250 out on a long par 4 if you only hit 150 of the tee, etc.

Hopefully I'll get to use those " tee boxes" some day. Take care.

That is a great idea. I played with a gentleman who was 95 and walked 9 holes every day. He would tee the ball up in the fairway, instead of playing from the tee boxes. Good for him!

[skraly]

I’m 69.  Over the last two years I’ve noticed about a 10 yd. loss of driver carry and about a 1/2 to one club loss of iron distance.   Driver carry is down to about 230 and my 150-155 club, which used to be an 8, is now a seven.  Other than that I can still get around fairly decently.  I shot my age or better 4 times last year.  I first shot my age when I was 66.  But last year was the first time I had more than 2 rounds shooting my age in one season.  I’ve made up some for loss of distance by sharpening my short game.  I’ve always been a better than average putter but my chipping was terrible and short pitches were just so-so.  But Iast year I found a couple of things that have really helped those areas of my game.  If I can continue some improvements there, I should be able to maintain for at least a couple of more years.  There is always the option of moving up to the senior tees.  Of course, father time wins every race.  He’s undefeated.

[GLF4EVR]

Started attempting to hit a golf ball around 10 years old.  The earliest we could go out for golf was 8th grade.  Made the high school team & played until 11th grade.  That is when I started working after school.  Never picked it back up until I was in the latter 40's.  I am now 62 and seem to have not lost any distance yet.  Last season I switched to graphite iron shafts mostly due to osteoarthritis.  Wish I would have made the switch 2 some years ago.  Much better on my hands.  I am a country kid, so always active at home with feeding & upkeep on animals, plus not one to sit around at work anyway.  Just like others have mentioned, keeping active is the biggest thing with aging.  The saying, "ya don't use it, you will loose it" is very true.

 

With how winter has been lately, we might get some rounds in when it's November.  I now live not very far away from where I grew up.  The elevation here is 3,444 feet.  Back in high school with steel shafts & laminate wood heads I could make 300 yard tee shots.  Last season with an M5 and a Tensi orange stiff shaft I used the range finder on one tee shot that was perfect....346 yards.  This is why I wanted to state my elevation.  Still not bad for 62!  Back in high school my best score was 4 under for 18.  Last year had a few 72's and did make a 71 this year towards the end of the season.

 

Plan to retire in about 3 years.  Unless something puts me down, I will likely be more active & playing golf more once I retire.  Father time will eventually get me, but in the meantime I am not going to let him slow me down unless it becomes necessary.  Routinely play with one that is 73.  Had a total hip about 5 years ago & lost distance.  2018 we finally got him to start playing the senior tees.  This year I got him to just tee it in the fairway on really bad days.  Does not matter how far you hit the ball, enjoyment of the game is the entire purpose of it.

[Gsea]

Just keep swinging young lady and there is more to golf than a scorecard.  

[Pepperturbo]

At 70, I still play to 3-5, and trying to get back to 2, yet on the opposite end of life's spectrum.  The most important thing I can share is NEVER quit or give up on yourself, regardless of the circumstances.  Don't wallow in what was, but always see what you can overcome and be. 

 

A few years back I faced a medical condition that took yardage from me.  I could have done what many do, quit or make excuses, but that is NOT in my character.   

 

Due to exercise and technology, I've since gained back some distance and hitting it quite well by comparison.  I don't know how long that will be, but I won't quit golf or the gym because of constant pain or age.  The older I get, it actually makes a good score and hard workout that much better.  Good luck.

[Miss_Tee]

22 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

At 70, I still play to 3-5, and trying to get back to 2, yet on the opposite end of life's spectrum.  The most important thing I can share is NEVER quit or give up on yourself, regardless of the circumstances.  Don't wallow in what was, but always see what you can overcome and be. 

 

A few years back I faced a medical condition that took yardage from me.  I could have done what many do, quit or make excuses, but that is NOT in my character.   

 

Due to exercise and technology, I've since gained back some distance and hitting it quite well by comparison.  I don't know how long that will be, but I won't quit golf or the gym because of constant pain or age.  The older I get, it actually makes a good score and hard workout that much better.  Good luck.

I don’t plan to give up anytime soon. Lifetime sport. I was just wondering how others have dealt with the inevitable decline in their game that eventually comes with age. Reading these posts has been encouraging. It seems there are plenty of others that are “getting up there” but are still near the top of their games. Kudos. 

Edited January 9, 2021 by Miss_Tee

[Reasonability]

11 hours ago, Miss_Tee said:

I don’t plan to give up anytime soon. Lifetime sport. I was just wondering how others have dealt with the inevitable decline in their game that eventually comes with age. Reading these posts has been encouraging. It seems there are plenty of others that are “getting up there” but are still near the top of their games. Kudos. 

 

Thank you for this thread.  Will share from a little different perspective.   

 

Can't back this up with hard data but it's probably safe to say most golfers of any age struggle in their understandings of their own swing -- and what it could be versus what it is.  

 

Younger/stronger players can consciously or subconsciously create all sorts of corrections and manipulations in their motion to power through swing issues in ways not as available to those of us more "seasoned".

 

These are some of the specifics I'm referring to, all of which have cumulative effects we just can't power through as we age:

 

* Very purposeful grip and setup.  It's amazing how relaxed and how much anticipation for a better upcoming motion begins right there.  Yet so many of us minimize or ignore this one.  Or... we're convinced we covered that one years ago and therefore it's all good.  The truly deep dive on this one rarely happens.

 

* Tension.  It's insidious, traveling from one body part to the next regardless of when and where it starts.  It leaks forward into later stages of the swing and forward into the grip and setup.  It ruins the sense of "feel".  Rounds can be exhausting.  The drive home is filled with fatigue.  (This one isn't about getting older.  It's about eliminating bad tension).

 

* Rhythm, Tempo, Balance.  All three technically mean something a little different.  But for this discussion it's probably better to avoid a swing-jargon rant and instead leave it like this...  We simply need a nice smooth flow in the motion where we waltz to the top and waltz to the finish pose in the same amount of time.  As we age we tend to hit "at" the ball more and more.

 

* Restrictions/complications in our motion.  So many of us can't achieve any of the above because we either habitually freeze (or the opposite and erratically move) a few key body parts once in motion.  Examples:  The back knee slides laterally over the the back foot going to the top.  The wrists never set going back.  It's a list of small issues that add-up as we age but are all manageable PROVIDED there's willingness to at least try.  In transition the hands and arms tense up flinging the club in all sorts of directions too early in the downswing.

 

* Short game.  Not to be trite but none of has to be 15 years old to get 100% better from 100 yards in.  

 

Things described here aren't as much about how far any club sends it as much as it being about how effortless and how well any stick in the bag works.  (But it will end up flying farther as a result)

 

Imagine that golfer who sets up and grips it beautifully.  There's a strong sense of anticipation for the relaxed and flowing feel of the upcoming motion.  That motion is tension-free and rhythmical.  It may not be the fullest/longest back and through but it's unrestricted.  The ball flies a little farther and better simply because it was more consistently struck closer to the sweet-spot.

 

This post won't resonate well for many golfers.  It sounds oversimplified.  To squeeze it all into one post... it is.  But just throwing it out there it can be fun, more relaxing, to "go there".   The right teaching pro is more than half the battle.   That one is another topic that drums up a thousand opinions about teachers and swing philosophies. Suffice it to say that if the items in bold can be tackled alone or with the right help, aging doesn't have to equate to that much of a decline.  

 

Only wish I knew then what I know now.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

 

 

[nlk10010]

18 hours ago, Ghostwedge said:

I walk 95% of my rds and I notice full length wooden tee's laying in the middle of some long par 4 and 5's fairways once in awhile. I suspect beginners, juniors and super seniors use them. 

Whatever it takes to keep your score relative to your enjoyment of the game DO IT. Tee it up from 250 out on a long par 4 if you only hit 150 of the tee, etc.

Hopefully I'll get to use those " tee boxes" some day. Take care.

 

That's something I heard Mike Malaska suggest for beginners and all those struggling with golf.  Tee it up in the fairway, it eliminates one variable (angle of attack) and helps you get out and play. Your playing partners probably would appreciate it also as you'll hit it farther (relatively) and straighter, at least most of the time, than you would if you were being "stubborn".

Edited January 9, 2021 by nlk10010