The 60 and over Thread

[Typhoon]

Not sure if this was intended the way I interpreted it, but it still made me laugh.

But what happens if you one putt for pars?…. This is one of those things I love watching people go crazy over. It’s ridiculous but makes you wonder.

One thing though, just off the top of my head, does the course rating and handicap differential add up to that amount of strokes for the 1000 yards.

 

[InTheRough]

If I move back from 5600 to 6300, you might as well say I shot even par if I shot 86. I can't reach any of the greens in regulation except for the par 3s. So I'm looking at GIR+1 all day and need to get up and down on par 4s and 5s to get a par. This means landing 30-40 yd wedge shots about 6 feet from the hole so I have a good chance for a 1 putt. Golf stops being fun. But if I want to enjoy hitting the same clubs as Rory for the round I have to move up to 5200 yds.

 

[1860VS]

ARRRRRGH. I sat on my usual low light/ night driving glasses last night. Stupid. And replacement frames only are $169.00. How can the markup on eyeglass frames be justified? Two screws and some plastic for $169.00? Geez I can buy a much more complex mechanism like a fishing reel with gears and 10 bearings for that kind of money.
Insurance would have paid for a new pair last year but these were just fine and had $$$progressive bifocal Transitions XTRActive lenses in them. I ordered the new frames and will be getting new glasses anyhow, I think this time around I will get the same lens in single vision because when I go to look at all my truck control screens, or read, I just look under or over the glasses anyhow, I seem to have pretty much quit using the bifocals when I quit spending half my day on a PC and the other half in the field on the engineering side of construction at my real job I retired from 6 years ago. Why I kept buying bifocals I don't know. Habit?
I think single vision are better for golf anyhow. My Dad always switched from trifocals to single vision for golf and shooting.

 

[Knot Right]

Been playing like crap the past 2-3 months. Nothing very good happening and I've been suffering some serious golf burnout as a result.

Well anyways, I got paired with my son on the same team yesterday and the first thing he asks me is why was I swinging so hard. As soon as he mentioned it, I started taking 1 more club than I really needed and my ball striking really took off after 5-6 holes.

Now, I'm sitting here chomping at the bit waiting on daylight so I can get back out there today. (might even buy the kid some ProV1's)

 

[1860VS]

Been playing like crap the past 2-3 months. Nothing very good happening and I've been suffering some serious golf burnout as a result.

Well anyways, I got paired with my son on the same team yesterday and the first thing he asks me is why was I swinging so hard. As soon as he mentioned it, I started taking 1 more club than I really needed and my ball striking really took off after 5-6 holes.

Now, I'm sitting here chomping at the bit waiting on daylight so I can get back out there today. (might even buy the kid some ProV1's)

I was just thinking about the Pro V1 thing myself. The last 3 really good rounds I had were Pro V rounds. Easy to dismiss as coincidence, the bad back, good swing and conditions all aligning with a day I just happened to play a Pro V. But three is getting to be a bit much to dismiss as coincidental.

 

[MonroeBob1955]

At my home course, my course handicap changes by 6 strokes moving from 5600 to 6200. My scores differ pretty much the same, unless I’m having a stellar chipping/putting round. Par 3 and 5 scoring hardly changes on those distances. Par 4s is where I see the changes as many become virtually unreachable, resulting in short game magic, which I have very little.

 

[1860VS]

I honestly don't think I have ever played a course under 5900 other than a pitch and putt or a par 30 executive layout. I do know from personal recent experience last fall that in 2 consecutive days of very similar conditions going from whites 6014 70.5/ 122 to black 6857 74.2/139 I went from a 74 to an 83. At 6857 I was hitting 9 wood and longer approaches on at least 5 par 4's. only one par 4 was a drive and wedge. And a par 3 I had birdied the day before at 192 ate my lunch at 238, I took a triple........ I just didnt have a tee ball to hold that damn green at 238 with the way it was playing. Over the green and into hell.....

 

[bkuehn1952]

But what happens if you one putt for pars?…. This is one of those things I love watching people go crazy over. It’s ridiculous but makes you wonder.

One thing though, just off the top of my head, does the course rating and handicap differential add up to that amount of strokes for the 1000 yards.

Oakland Hills - South
Black Tees: 7,514 yards. 77.1/148
White Tees: 6,487 yards. 72.3/134

 

[1860VS]

Oakland Hills - South
Black Tees: 7,514 yards. 77.1/148
White Tees: 6,487 yards. 72.3/134

Played the South from back there in the 80's when I could hit the damn ball and was a +2.5. It was impossible, I shot something like 89 LOL. What a beautiful b*tch that course can be. I dont recall it being 7500 but it was over 7,000 at the time.

 

[Sean]

Just a random thought but should a course played at 6200 yards be 10 shots easier than it being played at 7200 yards? Basically the 1000 yard difference is 2 par 5’s.

Yeah, I was bored

I just play the senior tees...all that other stuff requires too much thinking.

 

[Phil75070]

I think this time around I will get the same lens in single vision

Before my cataract surgery, I, too, wore progressive lenses but had a pair of single vision lenses for golf. Zenni Optical (zennioptical.com) is a good source for cheap glasses online. Just don't get frameless ones, as they seem to have a problem with the holes lining up so they sit even on the face. I've gotten full-frame pairs as cheap as $9.95 and never paid more than $33! The price includes frames and lenses. They do come from China so it takes a couple of weeks to get them, but the money saved is worth the wait.

 

[Sean]

But if I want to enjoy hitting the same clubs as Rory for the round I have to move up to 5200 yds.

Yes, exactly. Some people say they want to play like the pros, well the pros don't hit hybrids and fairway woods into par 4's. It's really more about fragile egos than anything else.

If a golfer is going to play "ego" instead of golf, he might as well stay home as the course will kick his *ss every time.

 

[Typhoon]

Yes, exactly. Some people say they want to play like the pros, well the pros don't hit hybrids and fairway woods into par 4's. It's really more about fragile egos than anything else.

If a golfer is going to play "ego" instead of golf, he might as well stay home as the course will kick his *ss every time.

The only ones who seem to know hat tees to play are “ 60 and older”!

 

[Typhoon]

Oakland Hills - South
Black Tees: 7,514 yards. 77.1/148
White Tees: 6,487 yards. 72.3/134

That one is huge but places like my local course they have a 121 vs 119 rating, same par, 500 yard diff and maybe one stroke

 

[1860VS]

The 25* Daiwa Whisker FW I bought in the 90's specifically for the brutal rough at Oakland Hills South when I was a guest for a member guest. Newer golfers these days cant get over how small the head is LOL. It sure got through the rough well.

 

[MGoBlue]

ARRRRRGH. I sat on my usual low light/ night driving glasses last night. Stupid. And replacement frames only are $169.00. How can the markup on eyeglass frames be justified? Two screws and some plastic for $169.00? Geez I can buy a much more complex mechanism like a fishing reel with gears and 10 bearings for that kind of money.
Insurance would have paid for a new pair last year but these were just fine and had $$$progressive bifocal Transitions XTRActive lenses in them. I ordered the new frames and will be getting new glasses anyhow, I think this time around I will get the same lens in single vision because when I go to look at all my truck control screens, or read, I just look under or over the glasses anyhow, I seem to have pretty much quit using the bifocals when I quit spending half my day on a PC and the other half in the field on the engineering side of construction at my real job I retired from 6 years ago. Why I kept buying bifocals I don't know. Habit?
I think single vision are better for golf anyhow. My Dad always switched from trifocals to single vision for golf and shooting.

I wear progressive lenses and cannot use them when golfing AT ALL. I do fine without my glasses on the course. I do have single vision prescription sunglasses that I wear sometimes, but more often it’s my non-prescription Maui Jim’s.

 

[JonMA1]

My 2024 plan.

I did a season-long experiment in 2023 where I purposely stopped worrying about missing long on my approach shots - basically pulling more club as so many suggest. While my approach numbers improved and my misses evened out, I felt there were more penalties. A recent audit of all the rounds from 2023 found that to be significantly true. Many of these were simply thinning a 9i or wedge, but pulling more club came with the likelihood of being a little more offline and, to a lesser degree, the occasional flushed shot that would get me in trouble past or around the green.

The takeaway from that experiment is that while a little bit of this is good, too much is bad. I need to stop worrying about stats and whether I miss short more often than some internet expert who knows almost nothing about my poor ball striking thinks I should. I love collecting stats, but it's easy for me to slip into playing stats instead of playing golf. I need to rely more on feel when pulling clubs and being ok with the results. My ball striking may not be very good, but my instincts and knowledge of my capabilities are pretty solid.

Which leads to the 2024 season and some changes...

I've had the same "stock" distances with my irons since taking up this game in my early 50's. GW @100 yds through 6i @150 yds. Now at 63, I'm noticing even my well-struck irons are yielding less distance. Shotscope told me my "performance average" for my 6i was 156 yds in 2023. Whatever methodology they use to come up with club distances, is flawed. A well-struck shot from that club on level ground and without wind is only 150. The idea of pulling that club for a 156 yard shot is simply dumb.

In 2024, that performance data needs to be completely ignored. My expected stock distance for that club will now be 140 yards. If I start missing dangerously long, I'll dial it up to 140 but I'd be surprised if that happens. If I can mentally stop trying to get a certain distance from a club (resulting in subconsciously swinging harder to insure that number is hit), I'm hoping it might free up the swing a little.

In 2022, the approach numbers were 38% short, 4% long - too cautious. With a different mindset in 2023, that changed to 22% short, 15% long. The extra penalties would suggest that erred on the side of too much risk. In 2024, I'm going to back off a little and if the results are closer to a 3:1 ratio of short vs long, that'll probably be an improvement. I have to be ok with missing short when that's the smart miss.

So yeah, letting go of what I used to do is a blow to the ego - and I've always been a short knocker to it's extra difficult to accept. My 2015 irons have weak lofts (7i - 33°). But more importantly, they are showing a lot of wear. The irons I'm looking at as replacements are only slightly stronger. If I thought distance, tech and a fitting would be the end-all, cure-all solution to my crappy swing, I'd just go with brand new, 2024 tech irons with a 27.5° 7i. But because I've become re-acquainted with how useless the fitting process and new tech can be, I'll pick the crap shoot that makes the most economical sense to me. It'll either be used OEM or new DTCs irons. and I'll gladly accept whatever, if any, extra distance they'll bring.

In the meantime, I'll continue to do a little strength training to slow down the process as much as possible.

 

[Phil75070]

I have usually found it better to come up short than long. Unless a green is guarded by one or more sand traps, you usually have fairway running up to the green. Long, no telling what can be back there, maybe a bunker, or heavy rough, and with most greens typically sloped back to front, it leaves a more difficult chip back to the pin.

Since my course re-opened last October, this has never been more evident as all 18 greens were replaced and, being new, they are extremely firm. Hit the green with your approach, and you are more than likely going to end up long, sometimes significantly so. My scoring average per round has gone up a good 2+ strokes per round as a result. It is a combination of hitting fewer greens, affording fewer birdie opportunities, due to being long, or coming up short to avoid going long.

 

[BH 43]

@JonMA1 , what you are going through is very familiar. I have lost about 2 club distance and my crappy swing with too steep approach is killing my game. But I'm to hard headed to quit, plus I love the game. I can get about 190 off the tee and after that I'm done until I get to within 150 yards. I hit my 3 hybrid about 150 with 10 to 20 yards roll out, that's my fairway shot. If I'm lucky and hit it. I keep experimenting with FW's and hybrids trying to figure out which one works for me and right now nothing is working. But I will keep trying.

 

[Hacker67]

I wear progressive lenses and cannot use them when golfing AT ALL. I do fine without my glasses on the course. I do have single vision prescription sunglasses that I wear sometimes, but more often it’s my non-prescription Maui Jim’s.

Why no progressive? I wear progressive with I assume no issues but maybe I'm missing something.

I do suggest springing for titanium frames for the light weight and durability.

 

[MGoBlue]

Why no progressive? I wear progressive with I assume no issues but maybe I'm missing something.

I do suggest springing for titanium frames for the light weight and durability.

If I keep my chin up at address like I should, then I’d be looking through the close-up portion of the progressives. This really messes with my depth perception and causes lots of thins and chunks.

 

[El Rayo X]

My 2024 plan.

I did a season-long experiment in 2023 where I purposely stopped worrying about missing long on my approach shots - basically pulling more club as so many suggest. While my approach numbers improved and my misses evened out, I felt there were more penalties. A recent audit of all the rounds from 2023 found that to be significantly true. Many of these were simply thinning a 9i or wedge, but pulling more club came with the likelihood of being a little more offline and, to a lesser degree, the occasional flushed shot that would get me in trouble past or around the green.

The takeaway from that experiment is that while a little bit of this is good, too much is bad. I need to stop worrying about stats and whether I miss short more often than some internet expert who knows almost nothing about my poor ball striking thinks I should. I love collecting stats, but it's easy for me to slip into playing stats instead of playing golf. I need to rely more on feel when pulling clubs and being ok with the results. My ball striking may not be very good, but my instincts and knowledge of my capabilities are pretty solid.

Which leads to the 2024 season and some changes...

I've had the same "stock" distances with my irons since taking up this game in my early 50's. GW @100 yds through 6i @150 yds. Now at 63, I'm noticing even my well-struck irons are yielding less distance. Shotscope told me my "performance average" for my 6i was 156 yds in 2023. Whatever methodology they use to come up with club distances, is flawed. A well-struck shot from that club on level ground and without wind is only 150. The idea of pulling that club for a 156 yard shot is simply dumb.

In 2024, that performance data needs to be completely ignored. My expected stock distance for that club will now be 140 yards. If I start missing dangerously long, I'll dial it up to 140 but I'd be surprised if that happens. If I can mentally stop trying to get a certain distance from a club (resulting in subconsciously swinging harder to insure that number is hit), I'm hoping it might free up the swing a little.

In 2022, the approach numbers were 38% short, 4% long - too cautious. With a different mindset in 2023, that changed to 22% short, 15% long. The extra penalties would suggest that erred on the side of too much risk. In 2024, I'm going to back off a little and if the results are closer to a 3:1 ratio of short vs long, that'll probably be an improvement. I have to be ok with missing short when that's the smart miss.

So yeah, letting go of what I used to do is a blow to the ego - and I've always been a short knocker to it's extra difficult to accept. My 2015 irons have weak lofts (7i - 33°). But more importantly, they are showing a lot of wear. The irons I'm looking at as replacements are only slightly stronger. If I thought distance, tech and a fitting would be the end-all, cure-all solution to my crappy swing, I'd just go with brand new, 2024 tech irons with a 27.5° 7i. But because I've become re-acquainted with how useless the fitting process and new tech can be, I'll pick the crap shoot that makes the most economical sense to me. It'll either be used OEM or new DTCs irons. and I'll gladly accept whatever, if any, extra distance they'll bring.

In the meantime, I'll continue to do a little strength training to slow down the process as much as possible.

Thanks for posting this, I needed to read it. My index has gone from 8 to 11.8 over the past 2.5 years, mainly due to lost distance with my irons, and my failure to accept what is happening (ego). Still playing with my group from 61-6300 yard white tees.
I'm now 62, half way to 63. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's about 2.5 years ago, and it's affecting my rotation speed. I'm right handed and the condition in affecting the left side of my body. Other than the inabilty to completely finish the release, I'm told I have good swing otherwise.
4 years ago, my 32* Z765 7i flew 150 and stopped within 10ft or so. Modus 105 Stiff shafts.
3 years ago Apex 21 30.5* 7iron w/ SF FC90 Reg. 140-145 carry, 10-20ft roll out
Last May ZX5 MK II 31* 7iron w/ SF i80 reg. 135 carry. Fit last May at CC.
Now, my 27* PXG Gen6 XP 7iron w/ MMT 60 Senior flex is more like 125-130 carry I was just fit for these, but after a couple of rounds I think the shaft is too light or too soft for the weight.
I've self fit with better results, although the PXG fitting was the better experience. ( I think a little heavier shaft would be better and will reach out to PXG to see if they can change these for a reasonable fee)
Similar distance loss across the board.
Interestingly enough, I still hit my Driver 200-205 carry and very straight.
Anyway, that's my story, I enjoyed reading yours.
I love this game and want to continue to enjoy it as long as my body and mind allow me to.

 

[Grand Stranded]

My 2024 plan.

I did a season-long experiment in 2023 where I purposely stopped worrying about missing long on my approach shots - basically pulling more club as so many suggest. While my approach numbers improved and my misses evened out, I felt there were more penalties. A recent audit of all the rounds from 2023 found that to be significantly true. Many of these were simply thinning a 9i or wedge, but pulling more club came with the likelihood of being a little more offline and, to a lesser degree, the occasional flushed shot that would get me in trouble past or around the green.

The takeaway from that experiment is that while a little bit of this is good, too much is bad. I need to stop worrying about stats and whether I miss short more often than some internet expert who knows almost nothing about my poor ball striking thinks I should. I love collecting stats, but it's easy for me to slip into playing stats instead of playing golf. I need to rely more on feel when pulling clubs and being ok with the results. My ball striking may not be very good, but my instincts and knowledge of my capabilities are pretty solid.

Which leads to the 2024 season and some changes...

I've had the same "stock" distances with my irons since taking up this game in my early 50's. GW @100 yds through 6i @150 yds. Now at 63, I'm noticing even my well-struck irons are yielding less distance. Shotscope told me my "performance average" for my 6i was 156 yds in 2023. Whatever methodology they use to come up with club distances, is flawed. A well-struck shot from that club on level ground and without wind is only 150. The idea of pulling that club for a 156 yard shot is simply dumb.

In 2024, that performance data needs to be completely ignored. My expected stock distance for that club will now be 140 yards. If I start missing dangerously long, I'll dial it up to 140 but I'd be surprised if that happens. If I can mentally stop trying to get a certain distance from a club (resulting in subconsciously swinging harder to insure that number is hit), I'm hoping it might free up the swing a little.

In 2022, the approach numbers were 38% short, 4% long - too cautious. With a different mindset in 2023, that changed to 22% short, 15% long. The extra penalties would suggest that erred on the side of too much risk. In 2024, I'm going to back off a little and if the results are closer to a 3:1 ratio of short vs long, that'll probably be an improvement. I have to be ok with missing short when that's the smart miss.

So yeah, letting go of what I used to do is a blow to the ego - and I've always been a short knocker to it's extra difficult to accept. My 2015 irons have weak lofts (7i - 33°). But more importantly, they are showing a lot of wear. The irons I'm looking at as replacements are only slightly stronger. If I thought distance, tech and a fitting would be the end-all, cure-all solution to my crappy swing, I'd just go with brand new, 2024 tech irons with a 27.5° 7i. But because I've become re-acquainted with how useless the fitting process and new tech can be, I'll pick the crap shoot that makes the most economical sense to me. It'll either be used OEM or new DTCs irons. and I'll gladly accept whatever, if any, extra distance they'll bring.

In the meantime, I'll continue to do a little strength training to slow down the process as much as possible.

You share a lot of good stuff, but this might be the best of all.
As I was reading, I started thinking to myself… “this is me, my game, my issues, what I should be doing…”.
I marvel at the guys here who are looking to simply fine tune launch and descent angles. I’m looking to groove a decent, consistent move on the ball right now. The ebbs and flows to my game are driving me crazy.

 

[Phil75070]

Thanks for posting this, I needed to read it. My index has gone from 8 to 11.8 over the past 2.5 years, mainly due to lost distance with my irons, and my failure to accept what is happening (ego). Still playing with my group from 61-6300 yard white tees.
I'm now 62, half way to 63. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's about 2.5 years ago, and it's affecting my rotation speed. I'm right handed and the condition in affecting the left side of my body. Other than the inabilty to completely finish the release, I'm told I have good swing otherwise.
4 years ago, my 32* Z765 7i flew 150 and stopped within 10ft or so. Modus 105 Stiff shafts.
3 years ago Apex 21 30.5* 7iron w/ SF FC90 Reg. 140-145 carry, 10-20ft roll out
Last May ZX5 MK II 31* 7iron w/ SF i80 reg. 135 carry. Fit last May at CC.
Now, my 27* PXG Gen6 XP 7iron w/ MMT 60 Senior flex is more like 125-130 carry I was just fit for these, but after a couple of rounds I think the shaft is too light or too soft for the weight.
I've self fit with better results, although the PXG fitting was the better experience. ( I think a little heavier shaft would be better and will reach out to PXG to see if they can change these for a reasonable fee)
Similar distance loss across the board.
Interestingly enough, I still hit my Driver 200-205 carry and very straight.
Anyway, that's my story, I enjoyed reading yours.
I love this game and want to continue to enjoy it as long as my body and mind allow me to.

I have those MMT 60 Senior Flex shafts in a set of PXG 0211DC irons, but feel the UST Recoil ES shafts in my Apex CF19 irons, being a little heavier, is a better fit. I had those Apex irons adjusted 2° strong last fall. I recently put them back in the bag, and I am hitting them as long, if not longer, than the PXGs despite the PXGs still having a little stronger lofts and being 1/2" longer. Thinking seriously about getting fit with primary interest in the 0311P irons, 2° strong, with the Recoil shafts.

 

[Birdman03]

I wear progressive lenses and cannot use them when golfing AT ALL. I do fine without my glasses on the course. I do have single vision prescription sunglasses that I wear sometimes, but more often it’s my non-prescription Maui Jim’s.

Among the many seniors who I play with, it's pretty much common knowledge that you cannot play golf with progressive lenses. Those who try are pleasantly surprised when they switch to distance vision only lenses.