The 60 and over Thread

[leftshot]

Yongest Kid (22) doesn't have class till 1500 today. We teed off at 0752, done at 1048. I am already dreading when he finishes school and possibly moves away to pursue a career. Played from the 6402 yd tees.
He kicked my tail, 79 to 86. He had the advantage of length, being on or next to 3 par 4's off the tee. If his putter was working I could have suffered a brutal beating.

I try to relish the time we have and remember this is a game for a lifetime, thus something we can continue to share in the future. I have a son-in-law who plays but has been 3,000 miles away. We may be living in the same community within a year. So there may be more golf together in our near future.

 

[bkuehn1952]

I'm playing in a Seniors Tournament at my club in 2 weeks - Gold Tee box - 5,200 yards ...

Yes, moving radically forward has it pluses and minuses. A nearby city holds a men's golf championship. We "super seniors" (age 65 and up) play the most forward tees at 5,200-5,300 yards. One of the few times I can sort of feel like a pro. Driver wedge, reachable par 5's, playing a hybrid or 3-wood "for position" or to take trouble out of play. Have fun and tell us how you did in a couple weeks.

 

[Iceman!]

Yes, moving radically forward has it pluses and minuses. A nearby city holds a men's golf championship. We "super seniors" (age 65 and up) play the most forward tees at 5,200-5,300 yards. One of the few times I can sort of feel like a pro. Driver wedge, reachable par 5's, playing a hybrid or 3-wood "for position" or to take trouble out of play. Have fun and tell us how you did in a couple weeks.

Our Senior Championship is 62 years and older, so I just made it.
Tell you what made me do it.
2 weeks ago we played our League Tournament - Monday vs. Tuesday
Monday's "C" player was 87 years old as a 18 HDCP and played from the Gold Tees.
He proceeded to shoot 8 over 78, 10 shots under his handicap from the Gold tees.
Shot a Net 60 for the tournament
He shot an even 35 on the back 9 with bogie on the 18th hole.
It was unbelievable to witness.
Taught me a lot about how long I can still play this game and it's not about the yardage but how you manage the course.

 

[Hoganman1]

As Winter is just around the corner and will bring my 73rd birthday, I'm thinking a lot about moving to a shorter set of tees. My group currently plays from 6250 yards. I'm the oldest and can still break 80 on occasion, but my average drive rarely gets past 200 yards. Chipping, pitching and putting are the strengths of my game. I often out score my younger playing partners who average 240 or longer off the tee. However, I'm getting tired of not being able to reach several of our par fours in two. I love the game, play over 100 rounds a year and hope to keep playing until I drop. Even though I'll have to actually give the longer guys hdcp shots, I think it's time to "play it forward".

 

[Carolina Golfer]

As Winter is just around the corner and will bring my 73rd birthday, I'm thinking a lot about moving to a shorter set of tees. My group currently plays from 6250 yards. I'm the oldest and can still break 80 on occasion, but my average drive rarely gets past 200 yards. Chipping, pitching and putting are the strengths of my game. I often out score my younger playing partners who average 240 or longer off the tee. However, I'm getting tired of not being able to reach several of our par fours in two. I love the game, play over 100 rounds a year and hope to keep playing until I drop. Even though I'll have to actually give the longer guys hdcp shots, I think it's time to "play it forward".

You want regret it, I wish I did it sooner. There are a few holes that may seem too short. But, it's worth it. Some courses are adopting hybrid tees, I like that as well.

 

[leftshot]

You want regret it, I wish I did it sooner. There are a few holes that may seem too short. But, it's worth it. Some courses are adopting hybrid tees, I like that as well.

Hybrid tees or combo tees? This is the first time I've heard the term hybrid tees, so I am curious.

 

[bkuehn1952]

Hybrid tees or combo tees? This is the first time I've heard the term hybrid tees, so I am curious.

Probably hybrid like not an iron and not a wood. Not Blue tees and not White tees. Combo, blend or hybrid, same thing, a mix of holes and tees.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

Hybrid tees or combo tees? This is the first time I've heard the term hybrid tees, so I am curious.

Well, I was thinking combo tees. But, the Club at Longleaf in Pinehurst does have hybrid or half tees.

 

[El Rayo X]

Our Senior Championship is 62 years and older, so I just made it.
Tell you what made me do it.
2 weeks ago we played our League Tournament - Monday vs. Tuesday
Monday's "C" player was 87 years old as a 18 HDCP and played from the Gold Tees.
He proceeded to shoot 8 over 78, 10 shots under his handicap from the Gold tees.
Shot a Net 60 for the tournament
He shot an even 35 on the back 9 with bogie on the 18th hole.
It was unbelievable to witness.
Taught me a lot about how long I can still play this game and it's not about the yardage but how you manage the course.

Yes sir.
I think many of us feel the need to play a certain distance to justify ourselves and gratify our egos.
Course management and playing within yourself is more important as we get older.
i play with a group of guys that are mostly in their 70's, I think I'm the youngest at 61, and for some reason they still want to play at 63-6500 yards with forced carries that they often can't cover ( give me your $$ ) Highest handicap is 16, but most of the guys are 8-12's.
We moved up a box last round and not only did everyones scores improve, we played a lot faster as well.

 

[Sean]

Yes sir.
I think many of us feel the need to play a certain distance to justify ourselves and gratify our egos.
Course management and playing within yourself is more important as we get older.
i play with a group of guys that are mostly in their 70's, I think I'm the youngest at 61, and for some reason they still want to play at 63-6500 yards with forced carries that they often can't cover ( give me your $$ ) Highest handicap is 16, but most of the guys are 8-12's.
We moved up a box last round and not only did everyones scores improve, we played a lot faster as well.

I'm a realist when it comes to golf, and put my ego away a long time ago. I am out there to have fun, and hitting fairway woods into par 4's isn't fun. I see a lot of guys our age playing tees where that is what they are left with on most par 4's and par 3's. I don't know who they are trying to impress, and/or they are so unsure of themselves they are afraid of what people might say if they move up. No one has ever said anything to me, and in the off chance they did like I give a sh!t what others think, lol.

 

[golfer777]

Just turned 72 and recovering from heart attack. Guys I play with all play from the white tees, which probably is 6100 yds. Several 400 yd par 4s. My drives average 175-200 and I cant reach most of the par 4s in regulation. I just dont feel comfortable moving up to the gold tees by myself , although Id certainly benefit from playing from 5500 yds. Weird, I admit.

 

[scott.french3]

Just turned 72 and recovering from heart attack. Guys I play with all play from the white tees, which probably is 6100 yds. Several 400 yd par 4s. My drives average 175-200 and I cant reach most of the par 4s in regulation. I just dont feel comfortable moving up to the gold tees by myself , although Id certainly benefit from playing from 5500 yds. Weird, I admit.

Golf is to be enjoyed. Choose the tees that allow you to have a decent chance at GIR on the holes. I typically tell the group that I plan to play whites. They can either join me or choose different tees. Often, the ones who originally were going to play blue tees (one back) and join me on whites don't out drive me and have a more enjoyable game from the white tees.

 

[BH 43]

Just turned 72 and recovering from heart attack. Guys I play with all play from the white tees, which probably is 6100 yds. Several 400 yd par 4s. My drives average 175-200 and I cant reach most of the par 4s in regulation. I just dont feel comfortable moving up to the gold tees by myself , although Id certainly benefit from playing from 5500 yds. Weird, I admit.

You need to play the tees that allow you to enjoy the game, and having to use fairway woods or long irons to green can't be fun.

 

[Bob M]

Just turned 72 and recovering from heart attack. Guys I play with all play from the white tees, which probably is 6100 yds. Several 400 yd par 4s. My drives average 175-200 and I cant reach most of the par 4s in regulation. I just dont feel comfortable moving up to the gold tees by myself , although Id certainly benefit from playing from 5500 yds. Weird, I admit.

If you can't reach most of the Par 4s in regulation, its time to move up....which is exactly what I did earlier this year. My drives average about 175 with the occasional 190 or so. Any Par 4 over about 350 or Par 5 over 480 I have no chance reaching in regulation. My experience moving up is that it makes the game much more fun to be able to reach greens in regulation with a 7i versus a 7W. Trust me, your playing partners will be OK.

 

[charley48]

I'm still able to play the white tees. My average drive distance is around 220. With an occasional 240-250. But if this decline in distance keeps going at the same rate in the past couple years, the gold tees will be played sooner than later. A year and half ago my average distance was 240 with the occasional 260-270 yard drive. To me that is a steep decline over a short period. I'm now using fairway woods to replace the mid and long irons. 5, 7 and 9 woods. They replace the 4 thru 7 irons. I'll be looking for an 11 wood to replace the 8 iron. Last round the 8 iron wasn't good and it was short when I hit it clean. The fairway woods are easier to hit and more forgiving.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

I'm still able to play the white tees. My average drive distance is around 220. With an occasional 240-250. But if this decline in distance keeps going at the same rate in the past couple years, the gold tees will be played sooner than later. A year and half ago my average distance was 240 with the occasional 260-270 yard drive. To me that is a steep decline over a short period. I'm now using fairway woods to replace the mid and long irons. 5, 7 and 9 woods. They replace the 4 thru 7 irons. I'll be looking for an 11 wood to replace the 8 iron. Last round the 8 iron wasn't good and it was short when I hit it clean. The fairway woods are easier to hit and more forgiving.

Based on your setup, check out XL Halo hybrid irons, 8-W. They are forgiving and a fair price compared to actual hybrids or woods.

 

[1860VS]

Oh geez....... I just got asked by one of the longest hitters on any league I am in to be his partner Saturday AM for a 2 man scramble, 16 teams. It's at a 27 hole course we play a league on. I don't know which 2 9's we are playing, but even the longest combination is barely 6100 yards. Going to be playing from unfamiliar territory the way this guy sends it., I can't think of a par 4 we should be hitting more than a 9I to if the wind stays down. He can reach a couple as well. I am familiar with most of the guys that are in, some really good players, I can see -10 being not good enough, as I can reach half of the par 5's in 2 myself and I am no big stick. . And these guys are straight up, if I didn't think so I'd say NO and save a bit of cash and aggravation.
I love some good stiff competition, keeps the mind on the game.
It's going to be 50 at tee time, High 50's/ low 60's by the time we finish. Time to start adjusting carry yardage.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

If you can't reach most of the Par 4s in regulation, its time to move up....which is exactly what I did earlier this year. My drives average about 175 with the occasional 190 or so. Any Par 4 over about 350 or Par 5 over 480 I have no chance reaching in regulation. My experience moving up is that it makes the game much more fun to be able to reach greens in regulation with a 7i versus a 7W. Trust me, your playing partners will be OK.

I tried for 2 years to get my buddy to move up a tee, but he thought he hit the ball just as far as he ever did! The male ego never fails! Then, a teaching opportunity presented itself. Somehow, I did everything right on my tee shot on a 400 yard par 4, and had smashed it out there a long way. He hit his usual nice tee shot down the middle. As we walked off the tee, I asked him how far he thought that he hit that Driver. He said, "Oh, about 250, 260." I took note of that at the tee from the on board GPS. When we arrived at his ball, he had 180 in!

I told him, "Dude, if you have 180 in on a 4 hundy hole, that means that you hit your drive about 220!" He didn't want to hear it. He thought that he had 140-150 in. I told him to hit those clubs, and see where he wound up. He hit his 140 club, and hit it well, and wound up about 35 short! That's when he finally moved up to join me!

 

[Grand Stranded]

Here’s a story you guys might get a laugh out of, or just shake your heads at the stupidity(?) of.
I bought a set of Launcher XL Halo irons the day they came out last August. Then a few months later, when the PXG Gen 3 XPs went on sale, I sold the Halos and bought those. This spring I sold the PXGs for a small profit and bought… you guessed it, the Halos again, because I regretted selling them when I did.
This brings us to yesterday morning, when I get a call from my buddy telling me he just bought a set of Gen3’s. They are now $99 a club, free shipping and a full 60 day money back guarantee. This was too good a deal to pass up, so yeah, I ordered another set of XP’s.
Don’t ask me why I do this kind of thing… I’m loving the Halos. There is no need for me to buy another set, other than I really like the XP’s also. So here I am, proud owner of my second set of Halos and my soon to be second set of PXG XP’s.
Either way, the Halo’s aren’t going anywhere. The PXG’s will get a 60 day trial run. If they are as good or better than the Cleveland’s, they will get to stick around, otherwise back they go, with my itch hopefully fully scratched.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

Two sets are better than one.

 

[Phil75070]

Just turned 72 and recovering from heart attack. Guys I play with all play from the white tees, which probably is 6100 yds. Several 400 yd par 4s. My drives average 175-200 and I cant reach most of the par 4s in regulation. I just dont feel comfortable moving up to the gold tees by myself , although Id certainly benefit from playing from 5500 yds. Weird, I admit.

Before moving up to the senior tees full time myself, we had a guy that played from them while we played from the whites. We never had a problem with that and made a point of playing from the senior tees with him on Fridays. You might find that one or more of the guys will join you. Even if they don't, I'm willing to bet they wouldn't have an issue with you moving up.

 

[mav52]

Before moving up to the senior tees full time myself, we had a guy that played from them while we played from the whites. We never had a problem with that and made a point of playing from the senior tees with him on Fridays. You might find that one or more of the guys will join you. Even if they don't, I'm willing to bet they wouldn't have an issue with you moving up.

The group I play with, we have a few older ( then me guys) guys that play the "senior tees plus a couple of the whites on par 3's, since it fits their game. The rest of us don't care where they play from, it just makes for an enjoyable and fun round of golf. PS: I moved up when I turned 65 4 years ago. IF ( my opinion) someone you play with makes any issue for you moving up , then I say find someone else to play with, as they do not have the game or your best interest at heart.

 

[charley48]

Based on your setup, check out XL Halo hybrid irons, 8-W. They are forgiving and a fair price compared to actual hybrids or woods.

They look like the Cleveland Niblick I've been using the past few years. I have a 56 degree wedge I use around the green. Its my favorite wedge. But its built similar to a hybrid or iron. Which I have trouble hitting both. The fairway woods are working for me now. I'm using Cobras for all my woods. Senior flex except the driver. They just feel more comfortable and I have more confidence with them now.

 

[BH 43]

Hope to get 9 in Monday, has been raining since Thursday. 2 and half days should allow the course to dry out, I don't like cart path only golf..

 

[Sean]

We received so much rain today, carts weren't allowed...not even cart path...so I walked. Plan on doing that tomorrow. Weird round. +9 on the first four holes, -1 on the next five. On the back nine I was +2 for the first four holes, and +9 for the last five. Nine holes at +1 and nine holes at +18. I'd say this game is going to drive me nuts, but that would be untrue as it already does drive me nuts.