The 60 and over Thread

[Luchnia]

66 next month. I can play white or senior tees - doesn't really matter to me, but I have been playing the senior tees with the league games, so I am thinking that is best for me as I don't have to concern myself with the longer drives off the tee box.

Played a league game today and hardly had to use my driver. Driver has been so erratic lately. I hit a 5 iron on quite a few holes off tee boxes today, but I can hit my 5 iron around 190-200 off a tee and straight as an arrow, but wow it sure makes the game fun. My iron game was really strong today and putting not too bad, but did not convert enough GIRs as I wanted.

 

[WLG1952]

I'll be 66 in a couple of days and I am still enjoying the game. Typically I play off of the white tees (6,201 yards) but if some of my playing partners prefer to play off of the senior tees (5,475) or the reds (5,392). Surprisingly my scores are about the same regardless of which tees we play from which is a bit of a head scratcher. When I do score lower from the forward tees it's usually not more than a couple of strokes.

Same here, as my scores don't change to much when playing from different yardages.

My guess is that the only thing that really changes from the different yardages is club selection after the initial tee shot.

 

[MonroeBob1955]

@MonroeBob1955 You've got me nervous, LOL. Your distances sound very similar to mine.
I have an order of 0211's 5-AW with the MMT 70 shafts coming this Tuesday. I did a phone fitting, and wanted to try A flex for the first time. I gave him my yardages, and he said the fact that I live and play most of my golf in an area that is right around sea level made him think I'd be okay sticking with Regular. Now I checked and see you live in Louisiana...

Well we can’t be cousins. You’re a southpaw and I’m a southpaw ...... playing right handed. And get ready, I believe you’ll love the 0211. They sound so good when flushed.

I play senior tees (5,500) on wednesdays in our club senior scramble. 100-125 seniors every week. A great turnout for a city with population of @50,000. And white tees (6,200) most other times.

I compete in GWAT for last three years. I love the competition. Most are 1/3 to 2/3 my age. Feels fantastic when beating some of these youngsters. LOL

On average I play 3-5 rounds per week, weather permitting. Back to walking more as temps finally dropping under 85 here. Walked 18 today. My calves are complaining greatly this afternoon. Where’s the Aleeve? . And I’ll be back out tomorrow.


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[Grand Stranded]

Same here, as my scores don't change to much when playing from different yardages.

My guess is that the only thing that really changes from the different yardages is club selection after the initial tee shot.

I agree with both you and @2Bad4u I don't score much different either.
I've really been struggling with my irons lately for some reason. When you aren't hitting greens, I don't think it matters which tees you're playing... you just won't score well.
On a positive side, I'm getting a lot of practice with my pitch and chip shots.

 

[golfboyblues]

Play the tees where you can most enjoy the game. I'm 74 and play the senior tees (5700-5900 yds) at my home course. I could still play the white tees but what fun is it to hit long irons & hybrids into most par 4s?

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

I just came back to the game at age 59, 3 years ago. So I had no illusions about keeping up with the youngsters. My goal is always to try to play better “for me”. Courses around 6,000 yards + or - is best for my game.

Today I played with 3 young guys - one played the black tees and the other two played from blue while I hit off the white tees. They all could hit it a mile compared to me. But they were in the trees or across the cart path all day. I kept up with them just by hitting it down the middle. Boring maybe, but it works.


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A few years back I booked a tee time at a local upscale, daily fee course through GolfNow. I show up at the course and learn that 2 other guys had booked that same time after I did. I warm up and head to the tee to meet them. One guy is a normal sized guy. The other is about 6'3" and anywhere from 350 to 400 lbs! Oh God! What did I get myself into?! Plus, they are playing the second longest set of tees. I decided to go there with them. Big mistake!

Off the first the regular sized guy hits a real nice drive, long and right down the middle. His gargantuan pal takes a rip, and sliced it into the lake that runs down the right side of the fairway. I was surprised at his flexibility, however. His buddy tossed him another ball, and tells him, "Hit another one! You can do better than that!" And he did. As I recall, the first from that tee is pretty close to 400 yards, about 389 I think, at least according to the card. On his mulligan, if the big guy had faded it just a touch more, he would have been on the green! And he kept doing that the whole round, so it was not a fluke! This guy just crushed the ball!

I quickly realized that I had no business teeing off from the same box they were using. After 3 holes I told them I'd be more comfortable teeing off from the whites. They had no problem with it. Play the tees you like!

I'm putting a 5 hybrid in the bag tomorrow for the first time, which is what made me think of starting this thread. I haven't even hit a practice ball with it yet. LOL. I like my 3 and 4, so I simply got the matching 5.
Why?
I played Tuesday and was in a shallow fairway bunker about 160-165 yards from the green. The bigger problem was there was water about 80 yards in front of me, and I needed to carry the ball at least 140 to clear it.
Somehow I managed to make better than decent contact, and ended up just off the green about 30 feet from the pin. I was very happy about the shot, but what I really took from it was how unlikely that outcome would be in most cases for me. When I got over the ball, I couldn't stop thinking of the things that could go wrong. I even thought quite hard about laying up with a SW. I thought to myself how much easier it would be to pull off with a high lofted hybrid instead.
That shot stuck in my head for two days, and yesterday I went and got myself that 5 hybrid. I'm not going to lie, I felt a little sad about doing it, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to regret it. It sort of reminds me of when I decided to switch from steel to graphite in my irons...

I bought my first hybrid many years ago, back when they were new. A Cleveland Hi-Bore 2H. I bought it because I couldn't get my usual 2I higher in the air than the gutters on a ranch house! I knew I was losing something. Adams was making waves with their hybrids. And the word had gotten out that they were easier to get in the air. And they were. Congrats on your purchase. I no longer game an iron longer than a 6 myself.

However, I will take you to task for some of your thinking. The last thing you want to be thinking when over the ball is all the things that could go wrong! That's a formula for disaster! And it does NOT mean that you should not analyze the shot in advance. Take a good look. If the green slopes right to left, and the pin is on the right, and if you miss it over their you will be short-sided, chipping or pitching to a green that is running away from you, of course you want to plan your miss to be on the left! Nothing wrong with that!

However, once you decide where it is you want to hit ball, you must, as Harvey Penick said, 'TAKE DEAD AIM! Pick a positive target and go for it! It won't always work out, but it does often enough to make a difference.

Pushing 75 here. Have trouble relating to a lot of things in this forum because of the age difference. Didn't start playing until age 61 then spent several trying to correct a banana slice. Can play decent at about 5200 yards and struggle at 5500 yards. When you are a short hitter it takes longer to get to the hole. Even at my age most of the people I play with are older than I am in one group.

Absolutely you can, but for only a 3 hundy yard difference in distance, I would guess it's more about the design.

 

[CorvetteGuy]

I will be 74 soon -- still hitting it pretty good with a Ping K15 12 deg driver. Love playing the young guns in match play that drive it 80 yards past me -- but most of the time I am first in the hole and I tell them that's good pick it up. They are very confused when I am up 4 and 4 to go.

the two clubs that score the best is an 11 wood and a Heavenwood from Callaway Epic Flash model.. they are the clubs that help me the most keeping my handicap 5.5

 

[Grand Stranded]

I will be 74 soon -- still hitting it pretty good with a Ping K15 12 deg driver. Love playing the young guns in match play that drive it 80 yards past me -- but most of the time I am first in the hole and I tell them that's good pick it up. They are very confused when I am up 4 and 4 to go.

the two clubs that score the best is an 11 wood and a Heavenwood from Callaway Epic Flash model.. they are the clubs that help me the most keeping my handicap 5.5

I love this post.
A "well seasoned" 5 cap talking about his Heavenwood and 11 wood. It's EXACTLY what I was thinking about when I started this thread, and talked about how most of us older guys have learned to check our ego at the door, and play what works.
It's why I'd love to see guys post their WITB's here. I'm sure we'll see lots of smart, sensible setups, and no talk about 130 gram hard stepped X flexed shafts. We can leave that stuff to the young internet golfer crowd.

 

[Tenputt]

Here is a question for you guys participating in the thread. At what point after the age of 60 did you see a drop off in distance? Was it gradual, or was it at a certain age?

This by no means is meant to sound arrogant, but my club speed has been holding steady for the last 3 years. I do notice that certain days I have it and other days I don’t and if I play three days in a row, the third day my club speed really drops off, but I am still 102 or so mph with driver and 85 or so with 7 iron.

 

[CorvetteGuy]

I love this post.
A "well seasoned" 5 cap talking about his Heavenwood and 11 wood. It's EXACTLY what I was thinking about when I started this thread, and talked about how most of us older guys have learned to check our ego at the door, and play what works.
It's why I'd love to see guys post their WITB's here. I'm sure we'll see lots of smart, sensible setups, and no talk about 130 gram hard stepped X flexed shafts. We can leave that stuff to the young internet golfer crowd.

I should add in there then -- my graphite shafts in my Mizuno MMC irons are 80 Gr. Recoils. and I swing a 48" long driver

 

[CorvetteGuy]

Here is a question for you guys participating in the thread. At what point after the age of 60 did you see a drop off in distance? Was it gradual, or was it at a certain age?

This by no means is meant to sound arrogant, but my club speed has been holding steady for the last 3 years. I do notice that certain days I have it and other days I don’t and if I play three days in a row, the third day my club speed really drops off, but I am still 102 or so mph with driver and 85 or so with 7 iron.

I actually play better on the 3rd day in a row.. some of distance dropped off about 67 or so but I got it back by going to a 48" driver and a mid launching shaft.

 

[Tenputt]

I actually play better on the 3rd day in a row.. some of distance dropped off about 67 or so but I got it back by going to a 48" driver and a mid launching shaft.

Bryson DeChambeau is going to be calling you for input on the 48” driver.

 

[CorvetteGuy]

Bryson DeChambeau is going to be calling you for input on the 48” driver.

ok with that -- but I would need just a small percentage of his last PGA win check for my expurt (sic) advice.

 

[fairwaynut]

Right now I'm 68 years old and not hitting anything like I used to back at the beginning of the summer. I've overhauled my entire bag from the driver down to the putter. Then about half way through the summer I posted a thread asking about the importance of the shaft on the driver. Picked up a tip from a very knowledgeable gentleman (@OldandStiff ) here on THP about a certain driver shafts and all of a sudden I found my driver again. I'm not hitting perfect drives every time I swing the club by any means, but I've gained back about maybe 25-30 yds on my drives.

Take yesterday for instance, I was playing a course not far from me called Orchard Valley. On the front nine on the par 5, 7th hole. Marker on the tee said 465 yds. I should mention at this point that the wind was blowng staight down the fairway and it's been so dry lately here in the western suburbs of Chicago that the fairway was rock hard. I hit a really good drive right down the middle. My rangefinder gave a yardage of 173 yds to the pin. Can't remember the last time I had a chance to reach a green on a par 5 in two. Hit my #4 hybrid and was off the green to the left about 10 feet I think. The green was elevated and the ball rolled left. Anyway, getting back to my drive the yardage worked out to 292 yds.
Don't remeber the last time I did that. So I've been playing some really great golf for the last month or so. Worked out one or two things with my swing plane which when I get it right really makes a big difference, problem is that doesn't always happen. :laughing:

Sorry about my rambling, guess what I'm trying to say old doesn't always mean you can't hit a golf ball anymore.

 

[Reframmellator]

Here is a question for you guys participating in the thread. At what point after the age of 60 did you see a drop off in distance? Was it gradual, or was it at a certain age?

This by no means is meant to sound arrogant, but my club speed has been holding steady for the last 3 years. I do notice that certain days I have it and other days I don’t and if I play three days in a row, the third day my club speed really drops off, but I am still 102 or so mph with driver and 85 or so with 7 iron.

I'm 64 and I think I'm starting to see it now, but a big part is swing mechanics and a lesser part is the ball. The last two rounds have convinced me soft balls like the WIlson Duo Optix are not conducive to good scoring by me. I plan to do a little strength training, some Pilates, and maybe some swing speed training this winter.

I'm 64 here and having my best scoring year ever - which isn't saying much by comparison to the rest of the world. Looks like I knocked three points off my cap in 8 rounds. I'm averaging about 223 with my driver with a 102-105 SS, but if I catch it well, it's closer to 240. I have focused on ball striking and short game this year, with payback. NOw my putting is sticking out, and I will have to do something about that to get to where I want to go.

Our indoor golf season starts this week, and I will be very interested to see what kinds of swing numbers the sim gives me. I'll keeep you poasted.

I think this is going to be a really popular thread.

 

[Slammin'SAM]

I am 67, and have never carried a 5 hybrid or a 7 wood. Up until age 59, I was still 260-270 off the tee and a comfortable 150 with the 9 iron, and still played over 50 times a year. Then the right hip went bad, and after it got replaced at 61, the other one went bad, replaced at 64. Through those years and up to now I generally played around 8 times a year, lowest score a few 74's. Corona year has proven to be golf thin, and I only played twice so far (78 and 86 - but 39 on the back then). That 270 is now around 230, and 150 is a 7 iron these days. I am still a white tee guy, and if I get a proper warm-up I feel like I can hold my own.

 

[Grand Stranded]

It's hard for me to answer that question about losing distance.
I'm 66 years old, and I think how my body feels on a particular day is the biggest factor. On the days I feel loose, I'm still hitting it off the tee really well, on other days, either a hip or the back is a little stiff, and not so much.
I've made a lot of changes equipment wise that have helped me keep most of it.. Really light graphite shafts have really worked well for me. Ten years ago I would've been all over the map with them, but they really help me now. There definitely has been a gradual loss though, and I think it started about 2-3 years ago.
There is one hole down here that you can really cut a lot of distance off if you can carry it over a wide bunker guarding a dog leg. Not too long ago it was a shot that set up perfectly for a lefty like me, and I had no problem pulling it off. Now even when I feel like I've nailed my drive, I can rarely do it. It's not a huge drop off yet from the tee, maybe 5-10 yards at most, but it's noticeable on holes I've played over a number of years.
I haven't noticed with my irons because I've been playing Rogue X irons the last 2 1/2 years, and they are very strong lofted, in some cases a full club. For example, My PW is 41* and AW is 46*. They are so strong that I had to change my wedge set up to 52-58. Basically adding a second gap wedge.
I'm curious to see how the PXG 0211's work out when they arrive next week. I don't expect to have the same distances, but I'm hoping for more consistent distance, and better wedge gapping going back to 50-54-58 in my wedges.
Those Rogue X are a great "senior" club, and no matter how much I like the PXG's, I'll never sell them. That's something I rarely say about a golf club...

 

[WLG1952]

I agree with both you and @2Bad4u I don't score much different either.
I've really been struggling with my irons lately for some reason. When you aren't hitting greens, I don't think it matters which tees you're playing... you just won't score well.
On a positive side, I'm getting a lot of practice with my pitch and chip shots.

For me when playing a longer course, my tee shot go the same distance as they do on a shorter course. With a longer second shot (usually) on a longer course, I'll be using a longer club. Same stroke count. Hence the same scores.

 

[Grand Stranded]

For me when playing a longer course, my tee shot go the same distance as they do on a shorter course. With a longer second shot (usually) on a longer course, I'll be using a longer club. Same stroke count. Hence the same scores.

I'm not sure what you're saying here, but if it's that your score isn't affected by coming into a green hitting a 6 iron instead of an 8, I couldn't disagree more. Sure, you can hit the green with a 6 iron, but over time your going to do it more often, and hit it closer with the 8 iron. That is going to affect your score.

 

[WLG1952]

I'm not sure what you're saying here, but if it's that your score isn't affected by coming into a green hitting a 6 iron instead of an 8, I couldn't disagree more. Sure, you can hit the green with a 6 iron, but over time your going to do it more often, and hit it closer with the 8 iron. That is going to affect your score.

I don't hit many greens with either one....lol That's why I rely heavily on my pitches chips, and putts regardless of which club I use.

 

[Knot Right]

Here is a question for you guys participating in the thread. At what point after the age of 60 did you see a drop off in distance? Was it gradual, or was it at a certain age?

This by no means is meant to sound arrogant, but my club speed has been holding steady for the last 3 years. I do notice that certain days I have it and other days I don’t and if I play three days in a row, the third day my club speed really drops off, but I am still 102 or so mph with driver and 85 or so with 7 iron.

I'll be 63 in 5 weeks. I have days where the muscles just don't want to loosen up regardless of how much stretching and light swinging I do before a round. When I'm loose, the swing speed is still where it was 13 years ago before I quit the game. On days when I'm fairly loose, I can do most everything I want with the swing. When I'm tight, it's a wiping cut/fade off the tees, and trap draw swings with the irons............ and I just roll with it.

I have no idea what my swing speeds are. I'm not into all the analytics and swing monitors like a lot of players are these days. I know what shafts work for me just by how they feel, load, and observing my ball flight. 7 iron is generally 155-160 (ish) Driver is about 240 - 245 carry on average, It could be a little less or "spot on" because I am judging that by a couple of the 150 makers and approximating where the ball hits first before roll out.

Playing 3 days in a row affects me more mentally than physically as I tend to get bored playing 3 days in a row.

 

[Ooo]

The reason I don't enjoy longer courses isn't the difference a 8 or 6 iron, it's that I just can't reach a lot of par fours. There's one course I just don't play because I can only reach two of the par fours if I hit the ball good, that's using a 3h or 5w on the second shot. A decent drive any more is 175/180 unless it's dry and a lot of roll. Usually play early with very little roll, sometimes the drive may only be about 155/160. Most days I'm happy to see the green grass and being able to play then everything else is a bonus.

 

[annsguy]

I’m 63. I’ve lost some yards from the tee since Covid. Before I was still pretty long but not working out had me paying a price. Lifting and stretching is important. It’s still in there but you have to dig it out sometimes. I play best when I play white tees but can still survive one set back.

 

[WLG1952]

Here is a question for you guys participating in the thread. At what point after the age of 60 did you see a drop off in distance? Was it gradual, or was it at a certain age?

This by no means is meant to sound arrogant, but my club speed has been holding steady for the last 3 years. I do notice that certain days I have it and other days I don’t and if I play three days in a row, the third day my club speed really drops off, but I am still 102 or so mph with driver and 85 or so with 7 iron.

My distance drop off occurred when I didnt play much during an 8 year period. I lost some my golf swing muscles, which caused my swing tempo to slow down. .

Before the 8 year layoff my drives were were in the 250-260 range. When I started playing again, to stay in, or close to the fairways, I have to use a slower swing tempo. I am now in the 210-220 range. This is the way it it is with all my clubs. For instance, at the other end of my bag, my LW, which was my 70 yard club is now my 45 yard club.

I'm pretty sure if I had not lost those 8 years of play/practice, I wouldn't be any where close to the short knocker I am today. I still would have gradually lost some distance, but not as much as I did.

 

[Goose54]

I will be 66 in a couple of months. I have a driver swing speed somewhere in the upper 80's and my normal drive is around 215 or so. Lately I have tried using ulta-lightweight driver shafts (45g) in my Ping G30 to try and gain some more distance. I have had disappointing results with that so far, as the senior flex Ping tfc shaft seems to perform best for me . Any advise as far as shafts that you older guys have had success with would be appreciated. I am going to demo a XXIO 11 driver in the next week or so. I'll let you know how that goes.