The 60 and over Thread

[Grand Stranded]

I don't think I could play short irons, and especially wedges with graphite shafts. I could have graphite in a 4, 5, and 6 iron, but my 7,8,9, and my specialty wedges would have to be steel. I currently game graphite in my driver, 3-wood, but my 18* hybrid has a lightweight steel shaft, as does my hybrid iron set. My wedges have heavy(115g) wedge shafts. Putter shaft is steel also. As I age, I may switch my irons to graphite, maybe.. Just think, we used to play drivers, and woods with steel shafts, and no hybrids...

I’m always intrigued by how differently people set up their bags, and your comments here jumped out at me.
Do you mind telling us how old you are, and the shaft weights in your hybrid and irons?
My 58* has the same weight shaft as your wedges, but I only use it out of bunkers and around the green. It’s my only steel shafted club. Then again, I’m 69 yo and can barely get above 85 mph with my driver.

 

[stryper]

I’m always intrigued by how differently people set up their bags, and your comments here jumped out at me.
Do you mind telling us how old you are, and the shaft weights in your hybrid and irons?
My 58* has the same weight shaft as your wedges, but I only use it out of bunkers and around the green. It’s my only steel shafted club.

I play DG’s in my gap and sand/lob wedges, Recoils in my irons, including my set PW. Just sort of evolved that way, and everything feels right. For me there’s no noticeable transition between gap and PW, even though I know the difference is significant…can’t really explain it.

 

[jhtr20]

I got an email from a very nice 9 hole public course today. It was for their annual Open Tournament. The "Super Seniors" age 62 and over will play from the red and gold tees. I'm 62 and don't feel Super Senior. I may have to go up and play 9 from the red tees to see what it is like.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I play DG’s in my gap and sand/lob wedges, Recoils in my irons, including my set PW. Just sort of evolved that way, and everything feels right. For me there’s no noticeable transition between gap and PW, even though I know the difference is significant…can’t really explain it.

Going off your witb, you still have some serious horsepower in your swing, that’s not the case for most of us here sadly.
What jumped out at me with the other post was a (assuming here) over 60 player playing steel hybrid and irons. He could be a big, strong guy with a still impressive swing speed, but for the vast majority of players in our age group, steel shafts from hybrids down aren’t the norm.
There’s no right or wrong here, we all play what we’re most comfortable with, but I’d love to know if he was fit for that setup or it’s what he “feels” works best.

 

[JonMA1]

I don't think I could play short irons, and especially wedges with graphite shafts. I could have graphite in a 4, 5, and 6 iron, but my 7,8,9, and my specialty wedges would have to be steel. I currently game graphite in my driver, 3-wood, but my 18* hybrid has a lightweight steel shaft, as does my hybrid iron set. My wedges have heavy(115g) wedge shafts. Putter shaft is steel also. As I age, I may switch my irons to graphite, maybe.. Just think, we used to play drivers, and woods with steel shafts, and no hybrids...

I put graphite shafts on 60° and 56° wedges back when I started playing graphite on my irons. It was terrible. I put in a good 2 or 3 weeks of trying to make it work but switched them out and immediately saw a difference.

Equipment matters far more for others games than it seems to matter for mine. I suppose that goes beyond equipment though. It’s to the point where conventional golf wisdom can seem so wrong for me at times, that I feel like a contrarian (if that's the right word)... that I'm disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing. I think most golfers look at what works for them and believe it should be that way for everyone - especially those of us who suck - when ability is far and away the biggest separator.

Back to equipment... when I got fitted for my driver late this winter, I did everything the fitter told me to do and made a point of not going against any of his suggestions. The only information I gave him was that I cared less about distance than I did accuracy (because he asked) and that historically, I swing a heavier shaft better than a light shaft. He never even considered that and fitted me with a lighter shaft (63 y/o, low 90's SS). I tried like hell to get used to that combination that most folks love, but I simply could not hit the center of the face and was spraying shots with tops, skies, missing off the toe and heel. It was as bad as I've ever hit a driver - and that's saying a lot. When I reached out to him via email he only replied "that's the right shaft for you". And this from a guy who does fittings for a living.

Well, I replaced 55g r flex with a 65g s flex, I had already taken @Grand Stranded advice and adjusted the driver settings, and surprise, surprise... I'm hitting fairways like never before. The difference is not slight.

I'm not saying steel iron shafts are an answer to a crappy swing or that the slightly heavier shafts won't help make my already arthritic fingers unbearable. I'm saying I have nothing to lose by trying.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I put graphite shafts on 60° and 56° wedges back when I started playing graphite on my irons. It was terrible. I put in a good 2 or 3 weeks of trying to make it work but switched them out and immediately saw a difference.

Equipment matters far more for others games than it seems to matter for mine. I suppose that goes beyond equipment though. It’s to the point where conventional golf wisdom can seem so wrong for me at times, that I feel like a contrarian (if that's the right word)... that I'm disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing. I think most golfers look at what works for them and believe it should be that way for everyone - especially those of us who suck - when ability is far and away the biggest separator.

Back to equipment... when I got fitted for my driver late this winter, I did everything the fitter told me to do and made a point of not going against any of his suggestions. The only information I gave him was that I cared less about distance than I did accuracy (because he asked) and that historically, I swing a heavier shaft better than a light shaft. He never even considered that and fitted me with a lighter shaft (63 y/o, low 90's SS). I tried like hell to get used to that combination that most folks love, but I simply could not hit the center of the face and was spraying shots with tops, skies, missing off the toe and heel. It was as bad as I've ever hit a driver - and that's saying a lot. When I reached out to him via email he only replied "that's the right shaft for you". And this from a guy who does fittings for a living.

Well, I replaced 55g r flex with a 65g s flex, I had already taken @Grand Stranded advice and adjusted the driver settings, and surprise, surprise... I'm hitting fairways like never before. The difference is not slight.

I'm not saying steel iron shafts are an answer to a crappy swing or that the slightly heavier shafts won't help make my already arthritic fingers unbearable. I'm saying I have nothing to lose by trying.

Out of everyone here, you’re the guy I empathize with the most. You wear your heart on your sleeve, you’re open and honest to a fault. There’s no one I root for harder in this thread to improve.
When you talk about your frustration with your game, fittings, instruction and most of all the effects of changing equipment, I feel like you’re speaking for so many of us.
Keep plugging buddy, I‘ve told you a bunch of times there’s a “playah“ inside of you, and I know I’m right. He’s going to bust out soon.

 

[Bernoulli]

I got an email from a very nice 9 hole public course today. It was for their annual Open Tournament. The "Super Seniors" age 62 and over will play from the red and gold tees. I'm 62 and don't feel Super Senior. I may have to go up and play 9 from the red tees to see what it is like.

It's an interesting change. I do it a couple times a year at my club where they have a weekend event from the forward tees. I've found that I'm hitting less club into the greens on most holes. However, I still have a good short game and make putts , the same as if I were playing from usual tees.

 

[JonMA1]

Out of everyone here, you’re the guy I empathize with the most. You wear your heart on your sleeve, you’re open and honest to a fault. There’s no one I root for harder in this thread to improve.
When you talk about your frustration with your game, fittings, instruction and most of all the effects of changing equipment, I feel like you’re speaking for so many of us.
Keep plugging buddy, I‘ve told you a bunch of times there’s a “playah“ inside of you, and I know I’m right. He’s going to bust out soon.

If I look back on my life and see being terrible at golf as the worst thing I've ever endured, I'm going to feel pretty ******* blessed.

I appreciate the kind words @Grand Stranded. This game is tough for pretty much everyone. And none of us would be on this site if we weren't at least a little passionate about it.

 

[1860VS]

Graphite in everything except for 54, 58, 64 & Putter. I prefer the lower spin rates and flight I get out of steel compared to stock graphite wedge shafts. I am usually trying to mitigate spin not increase it.

 

[Grand Stranded]

It's an interesting change. I do it a couple times a year at my club where they have a weekend event from the forward tees. I've found that I'm hitting less club into the greens on most holes. However, I still have a good short game and make putts , the same as if I were playing from usual tees.

One thing I’ve noticed since moving up a tee last year is that my scores haven’t really changed all that much. When I’m on, I’m in the low 80’s, and when I’m not it’s a fight to break 90. My handicap has been creeping up slowly though because of how the shorter tees are rated.

 

[Bernoulli]

One thing I’ve noticed since moving up a tee last year is that my scores haven’t really changed all that much. When I’m on, I’m in the low 80’s, and when I’m not it’s a fight to break 90. My handicap has been creeping up slowly though because of how the shorter tees are rated.

I noticed that too as far as my scores. When I'm scoring well, regardless of the tees I'm playing, it's likely because my short game and putting are good.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I noticed that too as far as my scores. When I'm scoring well, regardless of the tees I'm playing, it's likely because my short game and putting are good.

How do you like the Smoke D driver? I’ve read it’s actually longer than the smoke Max, but not as forgiving? If that’s the case, I think it might be a good alternative option to my G425 Max.

 

[Bernoulli]

How do you like the Smoke D driver? I’ve read it’s actually longer than the smoke Max, but not as forgiving? If that’s the case, I think it might be a good alternative option to my G425 Max.

I'm really enjoying it. Despite it being early in the season and still wet around here, I'm getting very good distance. Also with the Max D, it's very hard for me to miss right. I've had 2 drives this season in more than 30 tee shots that have ended up in the right rough. My usual miss used to be high, right and short.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I'm really enjoying it. Despite it being early in the season and still wet around here, I'm getting very good distance. Also with the Max D, it's very hard for me to miss right. I've had 2 drives this season in more than 30 tee shots that have ended up in the right rough. My usual miss used to be high, right and short.

That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.

 

[Bernoulli]

That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.

The D definitely does as advertised.

 

[MonroeBob1955]

Gone are the days of long irons in the bag. As we’ve gotten older, we sometimes gain a little wisdom and start replacing those clubs with hybrids or fairway woods. When I first started adding hybrids, I couldn’t hit the darn things. Did they fly higher? Yes, but I never knew where the heck they were going. Over time I eventually learned how to hit them. Started with the 3H, then the 4H. Have since added the 5 and 6. I’m becoming quite deft with my hybrids, 6H thru 3+ Hywood. I used to cringe when I had to pull a hybrid out of the bag. Now, it seems, I’m either on the green or within a few paces.

They’re actually quite different from each other. The 6 and 5H shafts are iron length shafts, shorter and more accurate. The heads more upright like a 5 or 6 iron. The 4H (oldest club in my bag) is a more players style adjustable CLK. Great trouble club for tree shots, rough, and when needing to turn the shot either direction. This dang club makes me look better than I actually am. And the most fun club in my bag is my 3+ Hywood. I can hit the heck out of that club. Solid for 170ish and great at 160ish with a fade for that carry and soft landing over a bunker.

Last week , second shot par 4, @163, side by side with one of my golf buddies, he hit a smooth 7 To 30 feet. I hit a sweet 4H to 15 feet (Yes, some luck thrown in). Damn, I had a big smile. These clubs really help me keep enjoying the game and also staying somewhat competitive.

 

[Grand Stranded]

The D definitely does as advertised.

I need to eventually try some other OEM driver offerings. For the longest time all I’ve done is pick up every other Ping G release without testing anything else.
How long have I done it? From stiff flex, to Reg, to soft Reg and now to a 40g Distanza. It’s been a long run,

 

[leftshot]

One thing I’ve noticed since moving up a tee last year is that my scores haven’t really changed all that much. When I’m on, I’m in the low 80’s, and when I’m not it’s a fight to break 90. My handicap has been creeping up slowly though because of how the shorter tees are rated.

I’ve noticed with some players they move up and aren’t hitting the ball any farther down the fairway. It seems like they just aren’t putting as much into their swing.

For some they probably prefer doing this and not having as much wear and tear on their body, or pain after playing. But for others it may be just mental, and they’d benefit by going after it more and taking advantage of those senior tees.

 

[1860VS]

I need to eventually try some other OEM driver offerings. For the longest time all I’ve done is pick up every other Ping G release without testing anything else.
How long have I done it? From stiff flex, to Reg, to soft Reg and now to a 40g Distanza. It’s been a long run,

I never even played ping till my kid gave me a G400 ( not Max) he picked up used. Great driver for working the ball. Still play it on. Certain courses. Now I am stuck on ping. Except for their irons. Never saw one I found even remotely interesting.

 

[JonMA1]

Gone are the days of long irons in the bag. As we’ve gotten older, we sometimes gain a little wisdom and start replacing those clubs with hybrids or fairway woods. When I first started adding hybrids, I couldn’t hit the darn things. Did they fly higher? Yes, but I never knew where the heck they were going. Over time I eventually learned how to hit them. Started with the 3H, then the 4H. Have since added the 5 and 6. I’m becoming quite deft with my hybrids, 6H thru 3+ Hywood. I used to cringe when I had to pull a hybrid out of the bag. Now, it seems, I’m either on the green or within a few paces.

They’re actually quite different from each other. The 6 and 5H shafts are iron length shafts, shorter and more accurate. The heads more upright like a 5 or 6 iron. The 4H (oldest club in my bag) is a more players style adjustable CLK. Great trouble club for tree shots, rough, and when needing to turn the shot either direction. This dang club makes me look better than I actually am. And the most fun club in my bag is my 3+ Hywood. I can hit the heck out of that club. Solid for 170ish and great at 160ish with a fade for that carry and soft landing over a bunker.

Last week , second shot par 4, @163, side by side with one of my golf buddies, he hit a smooth 7 To 30 feet. I hit a sweet 4H to 15 feet (Yes, some luck thrown in). Damn, I had a big smile. These clubs really help me keep enjoying the game and also staying somewhat competitive.

It became easy for me to replace my 5i and 4i with hybrids. One of the best feelings in golf is hitting a long iron well. But that started to happen so infrequently that I was left without the gapping from 6i through 4i.

Since I've switched to hybrids (3h, 4h, 5h), there's now too much of a gap between my 6i and my 5h. Unlike you, I haven't quite figured out the hybrids but it's getting closer. I read a lot about higher lofted woods and I want to give those a try at some point.

I’ve noticed with some players they move up and aren’t hitting the ball any farther down the fairway. It seems like they just aren’t putting as much into their swing.

For some they probably prefer doing this and not having as much wear and tear on their body, or pain after playing. But for others it may be just mental, and they’d benefit by going after it more and taking advantage of those senior tees.

When this topic comes up, it's common to read that many of the courses become too short or bring trouble in play that didn't exist from the longer tees.

I lost some distance from last year and have moved up. I have not found it to be an advantage - yet. Part of the problem is the in-between yardage, getting ahold of a drive and watching it go through the dog leg requiring a punch out. A couple rounds back, I hit a nice drive that reached the pond in front of the green on hole 1 that I rarely reached from the longer tees. Kind of a double-edged sword... I'm bummed about being punished for hitting a nice shot... but I hit a nice shot. Lol.

But as others have said, when I'm playing relatively well and playing back, the extra 400 yards doesn't add as much difficulty as the increased rating brings. And when I'm playing relatively poorly and playing up, I'm hitting my short irons as poorly as I hit my longer clubs so it doesn't really offer an advantage. But I still believe that moving up on average is the right thing to do.

My #1 goal for planning ahead is to be able to hit long clubs well. Not necessarily long, just be able to learn to hit driver, woods and hybrids accurately. The idea being that as my distance decreases, I'll need that skill to play well into my 70's and hopefully 80's even though I'll be playing from the forward tees.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I’ve noticed with some players they move up and aren’t hitting the ball any farther down the fairway. It seems like they just aren’t putting as much into their swing.

For some they probably prefer doing this and not having as much wear and tear on their body, or pain after playing. But for others it may be just mental, and they’d benefit by going after it more and taking advantage of those senior tees.

Definitely not the case with me,
I’d been feeling and swinging very well recently and after hitting a few drives further than I have in a couple years I kept swinging harder and harder until I blew a tire (hip) on Saturday.
Lesson learned the hard way… you’re old. Swing within yourself. On a 5800 yard course there’s no need to try and hit a 250 yard drive just because you did it twice the past couple days on bone dry fairways.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I never even played ping till my kid gave me a G400 ( not Max) he picked up used. Great driver for working the ball. Still play it on. Certain courses. Now I am stuck on ping. Except for their irons. Never saw one I found even remotely interesting.

Same here, but the G430 irons are so different from their norm loft wise (and have been reviewed so positively) they piqued my interest. Just not $185 per cast club kinda interest though.
I went with Mizuno to cover the same lofts with 6 irons as opposed to the 7 I’d have needed with the Ping G’s. Saved about $400 also. More actually with the grips I got with the Mizuno’s at no upcharge.

 

[MonroeBob1955]

My #1 goal for planning ahead is to be able to hit long clubs well. Not necessarily long, just be able to learn to hit driver, woods and hybrids accurately. The idea being that as my distance decreases, I'll need that skill to play well into my 70's and hopefully 80's even though I'll be playing from the forward tees.

That is the exact reason I moved back to the whites. To improve my woods and hybrids. And it has worked, for me anyways. Long ago I changed my swing/mindset to swing easy/smooth for minimum body impact so I could still play when older. Mindset: Did the ball progress towards the target? Yes. Doesn’t matter if it was a worm burner or a perfectly struck shot. Progression is progression. Seems to help reduce frustration on a less than good shot.

 

[JonMA1]

Mindset: Did the ball progress towards the target? Yes. Doesn’t matter if it was a worm burner or a perfectly struck shot. Progression is progression. Seems to help reduce frustration on a less than good shot.

That's the right mindset, Bob. And I 100% understand the logic of it even if I have trouble practicing it.

Long story warning..

Last year, I joined a random high-capper who was about my age, not in great physical shape and without what you'd call a classic swing. He didn't hit long and most of his shots were low... but they were for the most part, on his target line and advanced adequately for the tees he played.

In the meantime, I'm playing my normal game made of... 1) 33% really nice, well-struck full swing iron and hybrid high-flighted shots towards what I deem to be my target area and center-of-face drives that stay in the fairway, 2) 33% so-so contact, somewhat offline but not terribly damaging... maybe half a stroke or so, and finally, 3) 33% duffs that cost me strokes either by way of penalty or being so out of position that they require a punch out.

This guy wasn't able to hit as long as me and probably couldn't hit any of his clubs as high. He hit a couple poor shots but they really didn't hurt him - I think he lost maybe 1 ball.

But based on what I saw, he would have beat me 9 times out of 10 rounds.

The epiphany I had after those 10 holes of golf was that all the ******** I've worked on for years, all the data collected... club head speed, ball speed, ball flight, spin numbers, face angle vs club path, all the shot tracking... average club distances, performance distances, fairways hit, percentage of GIRs, percentages missing the green short vs long, scrambling, putts per round... all the swing mechanics and work on polishing my turd of a swing in an attempt to make it look less awkward... it was all meaningless towards improvement.

This guy didn't give a rat's ass about any of that stuff and he didn't need to. He just kept the ball in front of him and avoided blow up holes. While he may not have been able to hit those 33% great looking shots I'm able to hit, he didn't need to because he rarely hit any of the 33% of terrible shots I can't seem to avoid.

 

[uitar99]

One thing I’ve noticed since moving up a tee last year is that my scores haven’t really changed all that much. When I’m on, I’m in the low 80’s, and when I’m not it’s a fight to break 90. My handicap has been creeping up slowly though because of how the shorter tees are rated.

Me too. I just find from that standard men's tee, my scores were increasing and I didn't like it.