Mid-life Crisis Bag! Ha Ha!

[BCULAW]

So, I turned 50 last month!  I am a former professional baseball player that can still move the club a little, but am wondering if I am making the game too hard on myself. 
 

I play x-stiff shafts through the bag. Longtime blade player but currently in player CBs (Titleist 620cb). Blade putter. Low spin driver. 
 

I can’t practice. With the time I have (Saturday morning), I’d rather play. From an equipment perspective, I feel like I’m hanging on to a time when I had more time and more game. 
 

I’m curious what my other “50 something’s” are playing and whether there was a point in time that you moved away from the clubs if your youth. Let me hear you!  

[platgof]

Going down on shaft stiffness will help the body a lot. Have your 7 iron reshafted with a shaft you would consider and see what happens during a round. A lot of great choices and plenty of pros here who can help you on this forum.

[CDLgolf]

Ping I series are a great choice for most handicaps. Their woods and hybrids are pretty good also.

[animalgolfs]

54 - I can still play some XS - weight seems to be a better determining factor.  125g+ iron shafts get quite heavy & burdensome mid round = tired old dude coming in. I have dropped 4i, 5i & 6i for fw/hybrids. I play Dart V 105 now as well - still 124g graphite in my wedges

 

Driver- 65x makes me tiresome as the round progress- much perfer 65s - which I played 30 years+ 

 

I can play old guy FW shafts rather easily nowadays- just don't. 

 

Irons are so individual IMO - blades might work some days, others I want CB - Just depends on my game that week

Edited March 17 by animalgolfs

[platgof]

NS Pro 950 GH stiff flex, maybe

[DNice26]

I’d recommend regular flex shafts tipped 3 inches.  
 

; )

[BCULAW]

Just now, DNice26 said:

I’d recommend regular flex shafts tipped 3 inches.  
 

; )

I love you guys!  Ha ha!!!

[boggyman]

55 and play lately has been little to none due to a finger surgery. Stiff 65 in Driver and fairway

Big blade fan here. FG 17s with stiff TT wear my ole tail out after 18. I’ve put my Staff with Px 5.5 graphite, 80 gram, to hopefully minimize or eliminate the ailment adding. I go all out and play an all hybrid set when I’m bored🤣My misses are just more on line with the blades. Good luck in your search. 

Edited March 17 by boggyman

[PARETO]

Timely post. 
I just hit 5-0 as well. Like you, I’d like to think I can still move it decently. 105swing / 155 ball when all warmed up. When the stars align, I can still touch 300 on the roll. I do live at elevation though so I’m spoiled. 
I just picked up some “scratch an itch” set of irons that I always wanted (Ping S56) but the shafts in them I was sure would be far too light and far to soft. At least that’s what my ego told me. Nippon 8950 in Reg. I had all intention to shove in stiff 130 steel in them…… until I hit them in the SIM this week. 
Turns out my 50 year old body loves 95 gram reg shafts in irons. Even the smaller S56 heads seem less punishing and they timed up great. No typical wrist pain like I usually see after an iron session off mats. 
Try looking at a shaft choice that may not have been on your radar -that may let you play a players head in irons at least. 50 doesn’t have to mean shovels just yet 😉

[mudmarlin]

I’m 50 and I’ve been playing dynamic gold s300s for about thirty years now.  That will never change.  On vacation I had a rental set with regular flex and it was like swinging a wet noodle.  Balls went in every direction but straight.  What an awful experience.  

[BHI 99]

Fifty. The “other” f word. 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, BCULAW said:

So, I turned 50 last month!  I am a former professional baseball player that can still move the club a little, but am wondering if I am making the game too hard on myself. 
 

I play x-stiff shafts through the bag. Longtime blade player but currently in player CBs (Titleist 620cb). Blade putter. Low spin driver. 
 

I can’t practice. With the time I have (Saturday morning), I’d rather play. From an equipment perspective, I feel like I’m hanging on to a time when I had more time and more game. 
 

I’m curious what my other “50 something’s” are playing and whether there was a point in time that you moved away from the clubs if your youth. Let me hear you!  

 

26 minutes ago, PARETO said:

Try looking at a shaft choice that may not have been on your radar -that may let you play a players head in irons at least. 50 doesn’t have to mean shovels just yet

 

 

Been where you are, having turned 60 last fall.  I'm a former never-was baseball player, was able to hold out with xstiff until 53 or so.  Even at 60 and only occasionally touching 100 with driver, I still play X in driver and 3w.  And, been playing blades for most of the last 23 years.

 

Preamble done!  LOL

 

As PARETO says, there's no reason to abandon blades at 50, if they're still working for you.  I'm finding zero issue with my Golden Rams, just have ramped down the shafts to 950GH stiff, Modus 120 stiff, or other shafts equivalent flex-wise to DGR.  Work just fine. 

 

And same shaft advice if you *do* move away from blades.  Check out if DGS or equivalents suit you and go to it.

 

Last note.  Don't practice either.  Play 60+ rounds per year, though, in the Minnesota climate.  Still no problem.

 

Hitting the ball some 40 yds or more shorter off the tee...  yeah, that's a problem.  LOL

 

Edited March 17 by NRJyzr

[BCULAW]

1 hour ago, PARETO said:

Timely post. 
I just hit 5-0 as well. Like you, I’d like to think I can still move it decently. 105swing / 155 ball when all warmed up. When the stars align, I can still touch 300 on the roll. I do live at elevation though so I’m spoiled. 
I just picked up some “scratch an itch” set of irons that I always wanted (Ping S56) but the shafts in them I was sure would be far too light and far to soft. At least that’s what my ego told me. Nippon 8950 in Reg. I had all intention to shove in stiff 130 steel in them…… until I hit them in the SIM this week. 
Turns out my 50 year old body loves 95 gram reg shafts in irons. Even the smaller S56 heads seem less punishing and they timed up great. No typical wrist pain like I usually see after an iron session off mats. 
Try looking at a shaft choice that may not have been on your radar -that may let you play a players head in irons at least. 50 doesn’t have to mean shovels just yet 😉

Funny you say this about iron shafts. I am currently playing KBS Tour 130x. It has been my “fit” forever. I played a rental set this week with elevate 85 regular flex shafts and hit them great.  Only felt I “overpowered” them with one shot with a 4 iron. Callaway Paradym irons. Easy to hit. Easy to swing. It’s quite the inspiration for this post. 

[Nickb333]

3 hours ago, BHI 99 said:

Fifty. The “other” f word. 

Sixty, seventy, eighty says “hold my beer”. 

[bobfoster]

Just a personal perspective (66 year old guy here). 

 

Pay as much attention to your shafts, and shaft weight, as you do to your clubheads.

 

Matters. Just sayin'.

[Thrummyfox]

5 hours ago, PARETO said:

Timely post. 
I just hit 5-0 as well. Like you, I’d like to think I can still move it decently. 105swing / 155 ball when all warmed up. When the stars align, I can still touch 300 on the roll. I do live at elevation though so I’m spoiled. 
I just picked up some “scratch an itch” set of irons that I always wanted (Ping S56) but the shafts in them I was sure would be far too light and far to soft. At least that’s what my ego told me. Nippon 8950 in Reg. I had all intention to shove in stiff 130 steel in them…… until I hit them in the SIM this week. 
Turns out my 50 year old body loves 95 gram reg shafts in irons. Even the smaller S56 heads seem less punishing and they timed up great. No typical wrist pain like I usually see after an iron session off mats. 
Try looking at a shaft choice that may not have been on your radar -that may let you play a players head in irons at least. 50 doesn’t have to mean shovels just yet 😉

50 next month. Had s56 from new following Eye2. Love them and would find it hard to part and then tried Blueprint S after hand surgery last week, love the feel and flight, actually found easier to shape and more forgiving than I530. 
 

is this my midlife crisis waiting to happen? 

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Id say a standard non low spin driver if your spin is not too high. Some t150s bladish but with help.

Shafts maybe stiff 115g 120g? Or whatever your comfortable swinging. I find blades for myself just about as easy to hit but have to club up. Players distance irons are probably best for me but I love blades too. If you still can hit your distances play something like a t150 or srixon zx7 iron. Directional misses wont be cured by any club really. Only short or long misses mostly but i dont find the differences too big either. Turf interaction from the sole can help accuracy too.

[phizzy30]

43 here but feel 50+ as I've had a liver and kidney transplant and have aches and pains that no 40 something year old should have, haha.  When I turn 50, I'm gonna switch over to GI irons with lighter stiff shafts and probably drop down in weight for driver/3 metal/hybrid shafts.  Plan on doing all that just to make things easier on the body as I've lost some speed since my youth due to age and injuries along the way. 

Edited March 17 by phizzy30

[BHI 99]

It’s silly how the OEM’s do everything they can to build equipment that’s perfect for our ability, yet we somehow try to outsmart them. 
 

Father Time is a mean sombitch…

[monkeyboy]

Get a good fitting if you have never done that before.  Play your own game.

[animalgolfs]

10 hours ago, BCULAW said:

Funny you say this about iron shafts. I am currently playing KBS Tour 130x. It has been my “fit” forever. I played a rental set this week with elevate 85 regular flex shafts and hit them great.  Only felt I “overpowered” them with one shot with a 4 iron. Callaway Paradym irons. Easy to hit. Easy to swing. It’s quite the inspiration for this post. 

45g drop in weight- thats  significant. I'd think over a month would be a better determining factor than a single round. Never know though - weird game we play

[NRJyzr]

11 hours ago, BCULAW said:

Funny you say this about iron shafts. I am currently playing KBS Tour 130x. It has been my “fit” forever. I played a rental set this week with elevate 85 regular flex shafts and hit them great.  Only felt I “overpowered” them with one shot with a 4 iron. Callaway Paradym irons. Easy to hit. Easy to swing. It’s quite the inspiration for this post. 

 

Having made a shaft weight drop several years ago...

 

As alluded by animalgolfs, there is a far cry from a single round, or even several short term rounds, with lighter shafted clubs and making that a long term change.

 

I dropped from 125-130g shafts in my irons to 105 graphite, back around 2017/2018.  I found in the short term, it worked OK, but long term, I found it a little easy to overpower the lighter weight in the longer clubs, and hit ugly hooks.  At the end of close to a year with them, I found myself playing heavier shafts again, and having more success.

 

I find that 105g weight is a better fit for me now, so those shafts are getting more course time these days.  Also part of why I have a set of Recoil 95 waiting, instead of already installed.  😉 

 

One thing the lighter shafts showed me was just how much I was muscling my irons, LOL.  Was able to make an adjustment there.

 

[jas904]

15 hours ago, BCULAW said:

So, I turned 50 last month!  I am a former professional baseball player that can still move the club a little, but am wondering if I am making the game too hard on myself. 
 

I play x-stiff shafts through the bag. Longtime blade player but currently in player CBs (Titleist 620cb). Blade putter. Low spin driver. 
 

I can’t practice. With the time I have (Saturday morning), I’d rather play. From an equipment perspective, I feel like I’m hanging on to a time when I had more time and more game. 
 

I’m curious what my other “50 something’s” are playing and whether there was a point in time that you moved away from the clubs if your youth. Let me hear you!  

Your aren’t alone, just turned 50 as well. Three shoulder surgeries and a back that needs surgery. During my last MRI I was lying in the tube counting all the MRIs I’ve had. I’m up to nine.  I have caved in, switching to lighter graphite shafts. There are still times I think back to my favorite set of irons I’ve ever owned, Mizuno MP64 with KBS Tour 130 X. My bag has more headcovers than ever before. It looks like a vase of flowers. 

[lefthack]

I started with blades and eventually went back to them. I did switch to graphite shafts when my shoulder started being weird. I like the feedback I get with them.

 

I don't like the driving range, so I've been booking an hour at the simulator to work on my driver. From 3 wood to wedge I feel good about my swing, but the driver is still a challenge. The sim give me the data I can use to try different stuff.

[Jjones519a]

16 hours ago, BCULAW said:

So, I turned 50 last month!  I am a former professional baseball player that can still move the club a little, but am wondering if I am making the game too hard on myself. 
 

I play x-stiff shafts through the bag. Longtime blade player but currently in player CBs (Titleist 620cb). Blade putter. Low spin driver. 
 

I can’t practice. With the time I have (Saturday morning), I’d rather play. From an equipment perspective, I feel like I’m hanging on to a time when I had more time and more game. 
 

I’m curious what my other “50 something’s” are playing and whether there was a point in time that you moved away from the clubs if your youth. Let me hear you!  

 

LOL.  I'm 45.  Played College Football and still can smack it.  I tried this many times.  Always go back to the players stuff.  I dont practice either - kid plays AAA hockey and baseball. 0 time.  Play what looks good!

 

 

[Mitchell]

At 53, can relate to the idea of making the game easier on the body. When turned 50, went down that rabbit hole for a good bit and tried a bunch of options, none of which were particularly inexpensive and some of which were to detriment of my game.
 

Going from very tip stiff profiles to more mid launch shafts at about 10 grams reduction in shaft weight from heavier weight I had played for years,  seemed to be sweet spot for me, allowing me to still play gear I enjoy look of and control flight.

 

Best advice I can give - only change one variable at a time, rather than multiples, so can effectively evaluate results for your game. 

Edited March 17 by Mitchell

[SCOTT4099]

I would suggest staying in stiff shafts but go to a lighter weight as this will give you the control without having to feel like to you need to work at keeping up the speed.

 

Just my .02

[RSLP]

20 hours ago, BCULAW said:

former professional baseball player

I would be reluctant to put this type of player in a lighter shaft.  Some variation of S-X in a 125 or 130g shaft.  His swing DNA is wired at 32 ounces or so.  Maybe even soften the shaft a little with added head weight.  I would think this would be the easiest swing for the player.

[Ger21]

12 hours ago, animalgolfs said:

45g drop in weight- thats  significant.

 

I dropped 35g, and it ruined my game for two years.

When I turned 58, I went from DG S300 to 95g Fujikura Pro Iron, thinking the weight was starting to wear me out. My body felt a lot better after playing, but my game suffered. I played OK 50% of the time, but the other 50% I was shanking balls like crazy. I just had no control of the clubhead. After two years, I decided to go back to heavier shafts. Found a great deal on 2-8 AMT X100's, and soft stepped them 2x. Gave me the weight I needed at the bottom end, while being light enough at the top to be easy to swing. I only got 4 rounds in in the fall, but my iron play was the best it's been in years. Played 2 rounds in FL a few weeks ago, and picked up right where I left off.

So, a few weeks after turning 60, I'm playing X100's for the first time in my life, with 130g wedge shafts. And loving them.

[Honman]

On 3/16/2024 at 11:55 PM, BCULAW said:

So, I turned 50 last month!  I am a former professional baseball player that can still move the club a little, but am wondering if I am making the game too hard on myself. 
 

I play x-stiff shafts through the bag. Longtime blade player but currently in player CBs (Titleist 620cb). Blade putter. Low spin driver. 
 

I can’t practice. With the time I have (Saturday morning), I’d rather play. From an equipment perspective, I feel like I’m hanging on to a time when I had more time and more game. 
 

I’m curious what my other “50 something’s” are playing and whether there was a point in time that you moved away from the clubs if your youth. Let me hear you!  

 

I'm a bit younger, but have lost a lot of clubhead speed the last couple of years. Working to get it back, but I've done a few things.

 

Experiment. There are definitely irons of a similar size with a lot more forgiveness. T100, Blueprint S, PXG 0317T, Mizuno 243. Personally I've jumped up again to players distance to get some ballspeed back. 

 

Definitely experiment with other iron shafts. I prefer heavier graphite to lighter steel. Performs more like equipment you can relate to, while softening the impact. Lighter steel I find tends to get really spinny and doesn't feel stable. For me Steelfiber i95S feel perfect. 

 

I've always been relatively high launch and spin. The G430 Max 10K is really manageable in this regard, yet just flies straight. I'm not even convinced I can find a driver for me that goes further when middled. But it's so straight it's probably not worth trying to eek out the extra couple of yards.