Why is the average age of a golfer so old when it is physically harder on the body as you age?

[Ghostwedge]

I haven't hit a range in years other than a quick warm up. Only so many good swings left as you get older. Use them on the course, way more fun.

[smashdn]

23 hours ago, Desh said:

That makes sense, I thought that might be a main variable, but I am mainly curious about the other big variable and health. I see a lot of older golfers that play 4-5 times a week and have back issues and are on a constant pain management regimen. That is what spawned this whole questioning. 

 

They aren't on that because of golf, they are in that shape/condition already.  Golf is probably one of the few activities that you can still perform with various ailments or physical limitations.

 

You can certainly hurt yourself playing golf.  Overdoing it in a swing or playing too much can certainly lead to injury.  But you can also play a really tidy game while swinging well within your abilities from the appropriate tee.

[amace04]

1. Golf is EXPENSIVE.  $30-50 per round, clubs range from $200-3000, balls can be expensive, tees, gear, bag, etc.  You need a pretty stable income to be able to golf consistently.

2. Younger people tend to work more shift work, therefore unable to consistently come out.   9-5 office workers, retired guys, etc. can golf as much as they want on a regular schedule

3. Younger people have younger families.  Tough to commit to regular golf with young children.  

4. Golf is HARD.  Yes, younger people in theory are much more physically fit and should be able to hit a ball much further.  Problem is, it takes a LOT of skill to connect a 4" club attached to a 45" stick to a tiny ball and make it go straight and far.  Takes lots of skill, ability and most of all, practice.  If any of the above 3 interferes with the ability to develop the skill, then they won't golf.

5.  Despite being so physically demanding at the higher levels, golf is a low impact sport.  You can play at almost any age, with any ability as long as you're playing within your means.  Scores of course will vary, but that's the great thing about golf - anybody can do it and handicapping is set up in a way that a young regular who can bomb the ball 300 can play with a 70 year old guy who hits 160 yard fairway finders and still compete in a fair manner.   Line up a college wide receiver against a 70 year old cornerback and see what happens.

Edited July 12, 2023 by amace04

[Soloman1]

20 minutes ago, amace04 said:

Golf is EXPENSIVE.  $30-50 per round,

 

That’s a cheeseburger and fries where I am. More like $200 for a goat ranch and up to $500 for a real course during the season. 🙂

 

[larrybud]

Compared to other sports, it has to be one of the easiest things on your body as you age.

 

[ShortGolfer]

I discovered that there are short courses I could play.  I play at an executive course with Par 3s and short Par 4s.  With two good shots I can reach any green. 

When driver is working I can use a wedge for my approach shot.

 

I have a custom set of clubs that I couldn't afford before I approached retirement age and found that my investment portfolio has done a lot better than I expected.

Green fees aren't expensive because our state has flat-lined on population growth.

 

I've only played on consecutive days once.  Now I always have a rest day between rounds.

 

Even when I'm not playing so great I still make nice shots that keeps the game fun.  

 

I get to practice my wedge shots in between gardening activities in the yard.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by ShortGolfer

[Roejye]

I'll say this as a 38 year old man with degenerative disc disease in my lower back, I'll have back problems no matter what, and golf can help, as long as I don't torque it too much. When I was more in my prime I was doing the more physically demanding sports, basketball, football etc. The biggest challenge that others have mentioned is time and money. I don't have a wife or kids but I do have other familial obligations and in my case in particular, it took me awhile to get to a place career wise to be able to afford golf. 

[phizzy30]

On 7/11/2023 at 8:03 AM, vandyfan said:

 

In terms of hobbies yes.

 

But in terms of pure sport, golf is much less demanding than other sports. Plenty of older people play tennis which I think is way more physically demanding. I played adult men's soccer until my ankle had to get reconstructed a few years ago and that was insanely demanding. In golf, most older people ride in a cart and swing a club and walk. It is closer to bowling in terms of body impact than say basketball or football. 

I grew up playing baseball and golf as a child.  Baseball is taxing because of the running, diving and sliding around.  Plus, do you really wanna get hit by a pitch as you get older?  LOL.  I love golf because even at my age(42) with back and knee injuries, I can still stay competitive and can play with my nephews and nieces when they get older.  I'm actually in the process of teaching my nephew who is 7 right now and he loves it but still too young to get out on the course on the regular.  Can't wait until he hits his teens when I can get him in the gym and teach him the the ins and outs of golf specific training and what not. 

[amace04]

3 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

 

That’s a cheeseburger and fries where I am. More like $200 for a goat ranch and up to $500 for a real course during the season. 🙂

 

I went with $30-50 at the cheapest.

If you don't have money, you're not golfing at country clubs.  You're at the crappy 9 hole goat track.  Which is still expensive.

[NoTalentLefty]

Riding in a cart and swinging a club isn’t that hard , mostly the way I swing.

 

the cost of golf is as high as 45.00 to as low as 25.00 in Central corn country. 
The senior rate at my local public golf course (privately owned) for seniors runs 1500.00 for limitless golf and cart for a year. Is it a goat track? Not a destination spot but it once hosted an LPGA tournament for more than 10+ years. It has had better days. 

Edited July 13, 2023 by NoTalentLefty

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Golf is reasonably priced and highly accessible in Western NY. So money is not much of a factor here.

 

Time was definitely the biggest factor for me and friends. But that changes with time. Yes we're older and get sore more easily, but challenging your body is good for your health and it's fun to golf. 

 

Age is relative, but I'm old at early 60s compared to the US median age of 38. But I engage in a variety of very physical outdoor activities aside from golf, including mountain biking and skiing. Golf is the easiest of the three on the body by far.

 

I'm seeing more and more older folks riding the trails as well. I see people in their 70s and 80s+ skiing really well, even with joint replacements and all 😉

 

We're definitely in an era that with some luck, modern medicine, genetics and taking care of your body you can keep going strong much longer than the aged of just a few decades ago. 

 

Aging ain't for the faint of heart but sitting on the couch is an express lane to 6 ft under.

[Kai Slater]

Time and money were also big contributing factors to me taking 15 years away from the game; totally away even to the point of not watching it on TV.  This started when my boys were young; I didn't have as much time to play/practice, my game suffered tremendously.  The few times I got to play, I played very poorly, which became frustrating to me.  Not to mention expensive.  I thought to myself....."self, why are you paying a lot money just to be bad at something?"  I sold all my clubs, golf bag, and all, turned away and didn't go back for 15 years, only coming back last summer in June2022.  I gave up the game at 35, now I'm 50 and I quickly realized that my body now doesn't respond the same way it did. in terms of speed and backswing flexibility.  I had to forget all my previous yardages and do a total re-set of reality with  my body and the inevitable aging.

[bobfoster]

I've had a (possibly somewhat) normal golf arc over life. Started at 8. Got into it in my teens. Really into it in my 20s and early 30s. Then marriage and family happened. Career building. Golf definitely back-burnered for over two decades. Then in my 50s my calendar started opening up again. Financially comfortable, a business that gives me a lot of liberty to schedule my time as I see fit. Started getting back into it - fell in love with golf again. I'm 65 now and again a fanatic. And have the time and money to be a fanatic. Myself, and a number of people commenting here are exactly why the average age probably tilts older compared to other sports. 

 

That, and health. My Dad was also a lifetime golfer. He and I played a lot of golf, and tennis, over the years. But in his early-mid 70s tennis got harder and harder. He went from singles, to doubles, to senior doubles (there was no "pickleball" yet). By his late 70s the combination of joint problems and a couple of titanium spare parts had put an end to tennis. But he was still able to play golf for nearly another decade. 

 

But don't just want to repeat what everyone has already said here, but so I'll try to add something new. I think the fact that there are a lot of 70 and 80 somethings that can't play anything but golf slightly skews the stats. In my experience (purely anecdotal, not statistical), I've noticed an interesting trend just in the past few years (greatly amplified by the pandemic). On an average Saturday at one of my local public courses, I usually see quite a broad mix. Yes, a lot of older folks, but also there seems to be a lot of teenagers/GenZ taking up the game. A lot of Millennials started getting into it during Covid (and many seem to be sticking with it). I often walk on as a single, and get paired with whatever random twosome/threesome happens to be next on the starter's list - and the vast majority of the time I'm one of the oldest - and usually the oldest - in the group. 

 

Point is, the current median age for golf is 54. But if I knew nothing about stats, and just looked at a weekend golf course and took a guess, I wouldn't even guess 50. Not sure what to make of this ... just an observation. 

[cardoustie]

I gave up a lot of sports to focus on golf … back issues made walking away from impact sports a no brainer

 

still fortunate to be lifting weights and working out 

 

time and money and family obligations are the easy answer as already posted 

 

when my children were young I was a 30 rounds a year guy .. I was 30 yrs old

 

at 55, I’m already over 100 rounds year to date

 

 

[MtlJeff]

For a second i thought i had logged onto Vice or CNN reading this thread. 

 

There's definitely some truth to the idea that the best golfers are 55+ retirees or kids of those same people. I play in many competitions....there's not many 35-40 year olds. 

 

But it's not impossible to be 40 and awesome at golf. Heck most of the guys my age that quit golf, it wasn't because they couldn't afford it or didn't have time....it's because they didn't have time to do everything....So chose men's league hockey or flag football over golf. 

 

I have a hard time thinking of a golf friend i lost, whose just sitting at home every night giving his baby a bottle or paying his bills. 

 

The biggest challenge of golf is time and time of day. You need daylight . My friends all play hockey at night after their kids have done homework or are in bed. Golf takes place on the weekend when their kids have soccer games or etc. 

 

There's enough people with disposable incomes to play golf--they just choose other things than golf.

[bekgolf]

I see the title as a contradiction.  57 years old and retired, I usually play 3 times a week. 

 

I used to run, mountain bike, and hike on a regular basis (golf too) but as I've gotten older the joints aren't putting up with the activities of 20 years ago.  I can still walk the dogs, use an elliptical, and golf.

 

Golf isn't that hard on my body, the worst injuries for me have been things like costocondritis, wrist injuries, and golfers elbow.  So far all have been temporary. 

 

I'd say that golf is one thing people with worn out bodies can still do and that's part of the reason so many retirees golf, it gets them outside doing something and there is a great social aspect to it because every golf course has a men's and women's club, seniors too.  I regularly golf with people my age all the way up to mid 80's.  I hope to still be out golfing in my 80's.  

[ANimz]

Personally, I kind of flowed along with what everyone else is saying.  When I was younger it would have been irresponsible to play golf as my money was best used elsewhere.  Also, I played baseball then softball while in the military.  I didn't quit playing until I had pain when throwing and hung up the cleats.  I then turned to golf, but honestly didn't play more that 4 times are year until about 5 years ago when I was at a spot in my life that I had the time and money.  There are a lot of athletes that played other sports competitively, and turned to golf when they were finished with their primary sports.

[stryper]

On 7/11/2023 at 10:45 AM, Dave230 said:

Because of the success of the handicap system, it's easier for an average older player to still have fun and compete in competitions. Studies have shown people who play golf live longer - the fresh air and exercise is great for people that age. Add in carts and other benefits, and anyone can do it. This makes it appealing for people that have retired.

 

Despite the 'golf's not a sport' crowd who associate the game with older or unfitter men and women, the average ball speed on the PGA Tour is 173mph. I'm a fit man in my 30s and I can barely get 150. Much of that is technique no doubt compared to a top pro, but then the 185-190mph average ball speed of the likes of Rory, Champ, Young requires serious athletic prowess that some people will never reach. The average ball speed of a 70s amateur meanwhile is 70mph. It's an alien game they are playing

 

But because of this handicap system, there are lots of ways to get the ball in the hole. A decent 75-year-old could knock around a course in 80-85 shots quite regularly due to good course management and short game and have a far better time than a young 5 handicapper grinding and then shooting 78. The 75-year-old swinging 70mph, despite his age, is probably less likely to get injured than the 30 year old 5 handicapper trying to get to 170mph ball speed.

No.  The vast majority of people who play golf completely ignore the handicap system.  Older golfers tend to group with other older golfers, and they all know who shoots what when, but assigning a USGA XX.X number to each other never comes into their daily game.  They play together for the fellowship and the fun.  Any “competition” among them is merely for laughs later around pitchers of beer before heading home to the rest of their day. Relatively few golfers, and even fewer older golfers, ever tee it up in any kind of sanctioned event. 
 

So the handicap system doesn’t allow you to turn back the clock, and it never gets the ball in the hole for you.  If anything, the system merely reminds an older golfer how good he is not anymore (and will never be again).  To me that’s hardly an incentive to keep going when your back is barking and your knees and hips are screaming…and you can’t see where the ball lands 100 yards down the fairway.

[bekgolf]

45 minutes ago, stryper said:

No.  The vast majority of people who play golf completely ignore the handicap system.  Older golfers tend to group with other older golfers, and they all know who shoots what when, but assigning a USGA XX.X number to each other never comes into their daily game.  They play together for the fellowship and the fun.  Any “competition” among them is merely for laughs later around pitchers of beer before heading home to the rest of their day. Relatively few golfers, and even fewer older golfers, ever tee it up in any kind of sanctioned event. 
 

So the handicap system doesn’t allow you to turn back the clock, and it never gets the ball in the hole for you.  If anything, the system merely reminds an older golfer how good he is not anymore (and will never be again).  To me that’s hardly an incentive to keep going when your back is barking and your knees and hips are screaming…and you can’t see where the ball lands 100 yards down the fairway.

 

That's not my experience.  I golf with many senior golfers and having an index is a prerequisite to playing in any of our stroke play games.  In fact I can't think of a men's club of any kind that would not require an index.

[phizzy30]

On 7/13/2023 at 2:24 PM, NoTalentLefty said:

Riding in a cart and swinging a club isn’t that hard , mostly the way I swing.

 

the cost of golf is as high as 45.00 to as low as 25.00 in Central corn country. 
The senior rate at my local public golf course (privately owned) for seniors runs 1500.00 for limitless golf and cart for a year. Is it a goat track? Not a destination spot but it once hosted an LPGA tournament for more than 10+ years. It has had better days. 

Wow, those green fees are cheap.  The courses here usually have a tier system where you got prime hours, mid day, then twilight.  I avoid prime time like the plague because it's overpriced.  Usually go for mid day when I play public courses.  Mid day rates are as cheap as 37 but can go for 300+ depending on location and conditions.  I joined a private CC last year but it's on the cheaper side.  I don't go there to socialize although I've expanded my network with some of the members there.  I try to play and practice there at least twice a week now depending on how many clients I have to train weekly.  I'm married but no kids, thank God.  Point is, I got tired of the really long rounds and sometimes ridiculous green fees at the courses around here(LA and Orange country) so I decided to join a private course. 

Edited July 15, 2023 by phizzy30

[phizzy30]

17 hours ago, MtlJeff said:

For a second i thought i had logged onto Vice or CNN reading this thread. 

 

There's definitely some truth to the idea that the best golfers are 55+ retirees or kids of those same people. I play in many competitions....there's not many 35-40 year olds. 

 

But it's not impossible to be 40 and awesome at golf. Heck most of the guys my age that quit golf, it wasn't because they couldn't afford it or didn't have time....it's because they didn't have time to do everything....So chose men's league hockey or flag football over golf. 

 

I have a hard time thinking of a golf friend i lost, whose just sitting at home every night giving his baby a bottle or paying his bills. 

 

The biggest challenge of golf is time and time of day. You need daylight . My friends all play hockey at night after their kids have done homework or are in bed. Golf takes place on the weekend when their kids have soccer games or etc. 

 

There's enough people with disposable incomes to play golf--they just choose other things than golf.

We be twinning, lol.  I'm in my early 40's, no kids and love practicing and playing as often as possible.  Not as awesome at golf as you, bro, but grinding to get to your your level. 

[stryper]

4 hours ago, bekgolf said:

 

That's not my experience.  I golf with many senior golfers and having an index is a prerequisite to playing in any of our stroke play games.  In fact I can't think of a men's club of any kind that would not require an index.

Yeah, I don’t know if that’s a geographical/regional thing, or a private club thing, but I know of literally no unaffiliated men’s clubs in my area, (I’m in a suburb of a fairly good sized midwestern city), let alone any men’s groups that require a handicap for inclusion.  That of course doesn’t include local sectional events or sanctioned amateur “tours”.  But again, relatively few recreational golfers are even aware that these entities exist.  Nor would they be champing at the bit to play with/in them.  
 

Regardless, I hardly think it’s the handicap system that keeps older golfers hanging on.  Of course, YMMV.

[bladehunter]

On 7/11/2023 at 11:01 AM, ApostateDrive said:

Time: Most people in their physical prime are too busy being wage slaves to their jobs and raising families to have time to golf very much.

 

Money: Most people in their physical prime are too busy being wage slaves to their jobs and raising families to afford to golf very much.

This ^^^^. 1000 times this.  Golf is wasted on the old.  Sorry. But it is. 

[Forged4ever]

Most older amateurs do not swing hard enough, fast enough or in a manner that puts undo pressure on their joints, soft tissue and body as a whole. I know that my father, who Played ball in college(🏈), was as low as a 5~ from the blues, was a nationally competitive singles squash Player in singles into his mid-50's and doubles into his late-60's, has had two knee replacements, is 82yo and still plays to a 9~ from 6450yds+. 

 

He swings within himself, though of course he doesn't have the swing that he had 20-30yo, and probably not even 10, though he moves it up the fairway, keeps it in the short hair, has a wicked short game and is an above average putter. I see a lot of guys/gals like him who do it for the fun and exercise versus the competitive side that he and they used to play for. That said, he had a 79 last week, haha.

 

@Hickory4ever nailed it, especially his last paragraph!!

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever⛳️

RP 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Forged4ever

[bladehunter]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:01 PM, Soloman1 said:

 

That’s a cheeseburger and fries where I am. More like $200 for a goat ranch and up to $500 for a real course during the season. 🙂

 

Wow.  I pay $115 a month dues for unlimited FAMILY membership…. Cart is extra.  But I walk 90 % or more of the time.    No chance I play ever at those prices.  

[Soloman1]

7 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Wow.  I pay $115 a month dues for unlimited FAMILY membership…. Cart is extra.  But I walk 90 % or more of the time.    No chance I play ever at those prices.  

 

You couldn’t get a tee time anyway. Ha!

Courses are full with people coming here for the winter who must have suitcases packed with stolen PPP money. Most courses doubled in price the past two years.

 

I can play for $25 with cart now, but who wants to when it’s hotter than the surface of the sun? 🙂

 

 

[st1800e]

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

Golf is wasted on the old

Really?  

[bladehunter]

26 minutes ago, st1800e said:

Really?  

Now of course I say that partly in jest , partly in jealousy , and partly in truth.  
 

I do very much think it’s sad that most of us don’t get to play and practice enough to play to our potential until we’re too old physically for it to be very effective.  

 

 

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, Soloman1 said:

 

You couldn’t get a tee time anyway. Ha!

Courses are full with people coming here for the winter who must have suitcases packed with stolen PPP money. Most courses doubled in price the past two years.

 

I can play for $25 with cart now, but who wants to when it’s hotter than the surface of the sun? 🙂

 

 

🤣ain’t that the truth.  All accounts .   This picture was taken inside my shop yesterday while sanding …. It was 95 outside 90 inside.   with humidity that made it like taking a hot shower , that never ended.  The humidity is so bad , I bought a glove In the pro shop this  morning , and upon walking outside to the range , it began to sweat !  These 10 weeks of the year are the worst though. I’ll bare them for our mild winter ….while I’m wearing shorts on Christmas Day !  

[phizzy30]

2 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

 

You couldn’t get a tee time anyway. Ha!

Courses are full with people coming here for the winter who must have suitcases packed with stolen PPP money. Most courses doubled in price the past two years.

 

I can play for $25 with cart now, but who wants to when it’s hotter than the surface of the sun? 🙂

 

 

I'm going to Palm Springs at the end of the month for my birthday trip.  We're playing PGA West Stadium and Heritage Palms.  Temps have been 110 - 120 lately down there.  Lots of water and sun screen.  Greens fees vary wildly for both courses but we're going out at 11 am so around 60 bucks a pop.  Stadium goes up to over 200 during the winter which is absolutely insane.