To the Over 55 Crowd

I am seeking some feedback from those who are over 55. I will turn 57 in a couple of weeks. I have played and practiced more this year than any other year in my life. Since our days shortened and the weather finally turned, I have been diligently working on my full swing at a local Golftec. I am not simply beating balls, but focusing on certain aspects of my swing that I am attempting to improve with a personal coach.

I am no marathoner, but I am in decent shape. However, I am finding that when I have a long practice session, my body feels beat for several days afterwards and even my swing speed takes a drastic hit, as much as 5 miles per hour on a 7 iron. Although only partially serious, I am wondering if there is something wrong with my body. What do some of you feel is the recovery period you need at this time in your lives in order to not feel stiff and tight after an intense practice time or even after 18 holes?

I am mature in age, too. How many balls do you hit, and for how long are you out there?

I am out there on a range for no more than 2.5 hr on a weekend day aftr 18 holes of walking, and no more than 1.5 hr on a weekday - from 4-5:30. Tell you what, after walking 18 holes and 2.5 more hours of work, I am beat. But I can play the next day.

I am in the midst of a swing change since March 2017, and am giving myself 3 more months, so I am spending a lot of time on the range and playing weekends.

Before leaving home, I will spend 30 minutes stretching. During a range session, I will first chip and pitch to warm up, then half shots getting ready for full swing, and taking about 20-30 seconds or more between balls, might take some practice swings with the motion I want. Will rotate back to the short game area, and then finish the bag. Then I'll go putt for 30 minutes.

I will also have a full water bottle, and sometimes take Swing Oil with me. Also, check out Macallibrium on amazon - a root in powder form used for centuries for a quick pickup. I put some in my bag and when I need more energy in the early evening and have things to do. Drink with lots of water.

I'm fairly tired after that - may take a quick nap and then pop some energy pills, and I'm fine.

After 55, I began using more vitamin and other odd supplements. It helps. But no, I'm not down for days, only a couple of hours of rejuvenation is necessary - a long shower and a short nap - more water and a good snack.

You might check your diet, the lighter you are, the easier you are on your knees and heart. Also, it will help stamina if you row or have an exercise bike and spend 20-30 minutes on it with some high level intensity about 4-5 days per week, or if you are like me, on non-golf days. I don't jog any longer because of the knees. So less impact, the longer your knees and hips will last.

Also, graphite shafts - if you don't have a full bag of them except for your 50-60 lofted wedges, that will wear on you physically and wear on your shoulders. Get graphite.

Soon to be 59 and if not for the shoulder problems I can play multiple times per week or 3-4 days in a row with no ill affects. Things definitely slow down by the 3 day but not so much as to it impact scores. Being a cart golfer helps.
I generally do not hit many range balls except to warm up.

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I'll be 60 next year. Have definitely moved to a more body friendly swing (Brian Sparks) that has me standing a little more upright. Letting my left heel come off the ground to make get a full turn easier. And a real focus on swinging easier and smoother. I feel like I can play all day with this swing. Long practice sessions (an hour or more) don't seem to bother me much at all. After walking an 18 hole round, a couple of advil has me all set to go the next day.

After having injuries to both arms and one hand described as "catastrophic" by the hand consultant to the Surgeon General about 10 years ago, I wake, sleep, and hit balls with pain. When it gets colder like this, I have to get through 30 to 50 balls before the pain subsides enough in my left hand and and wrist to let the club go at the bottom of the swing. Three nights a week I still lift weights (the same weight I was lifting 10 years ago). Every rep hurts. I will turn 59 on the 22nd of this month. My motivation is to not let the injuries restrict life though I know that one day I just won't be able to make a swing. Until then, I work hard to keep my strength knowing that once it is gone it will not be something I can recapture. I love hitting balls and playing the game and on the course or on the range the pain is there but the joy of hitting a ball causes the release of enough dopamine to make the benefit-risk ratio favorable to me. If the weather is nice, I will play 18 and then hit a medium bucket. If the wind is 15mph or more, I am tired when I get home. My average wake time is 3:30am so by 9pm I am exhausted. I try to never share this with anyone I play with...everyone has their own cross to carry.
Are there answers for what we are describing here? In my professional opinion you can't find the answer in vitamins or herbs. We could look but the fix is not in alcohol nor opioids. For me at least, I make it simple for what little gray matter I have. My options are to continue to push(hitting balls, lifting weights, clearing brush, etc.) knowing there will be fatigue and pain as a result. Or head to the couch and watch my strength and options in life disappear (but still become stiff and have some pain).
I am rambling here but my struggles for the most part end when I feed my GSD at 4am. That is when I make the decision to get out of bed and push. After that all I have to do is decide how much can I get done in that day. It is not always easy, but I tell myself it is time to put my big boy pants on and get after life for another day.

The bottom line is this. I was told 10 years ago that my limbs only had so much wear they could withstand (one elbow had 18 fragments, the compound fractures healed but the hand ligaments were scrambled almost beyond any repair). Having said all this, the pain caused by living including that aggravated by golf is less than the pain I will feel once I can no longer stay strong and fit so that I can do the things that cause the release of that dopamine. I try to break things down to where issues are in their most simple form. Here, I come down to this point.... I can play and hurt or quit. There is no fixing it. There will never be another round without pain. So I lift weights and hurt and then I play golf and hurt and I can't wait to get on the course Saturday. Actually it will be 60 degrees today so I will be at the hospital from 6am to 3pm and then I will go hit a bucket or two. WOOOHOOOO, my hand hurts this morning but thinking about hitting balls puts a smile on my face!
Good luck to all. Be strong and push hard. The hurdles will get higher and the obstacles will become so massive our choices will one day be gone. The only choice we know we will have going forward is the choice to make right now the best right now can be. I lost my Father who was my best friend earlier this year. The last 6 months was ugly but until the very end he was asking others how they were and smiling from bed because that is the best he had for that moment. On that last day I was holding his hand as he was no longer co-herent. I would look at him with tears in my eyes and smile thinking how lucky I was to have him as my Father....that was the best I had for that moment so I took it!

Similar to others responses, I will be turning 60 in 2018 and typically play 125+ rounds per year of which I only take a power cart about 10 of those rounds, typically when in situation where playing 36 in a day. I enjoy walking although I do use a remote controlled power cart which certainly eases the walk. I probably hit a bucket of balls half the time before I tee off.

I really only go to the golf course for a non-golf outing i.e. practice less than 5X per year and that is only if I have something specific to work out. I still work full time so my practice time unfortunately is not high on the priority list. I have never gone to a gym but have for the past 3 years done yoga during the winter to help my flexibility and I can't say how much it has increased my flexibility and my long game distance wise has in fact improved +30 yards since I started.

My apologies for the long response but as the others have mentioned I love an afternoon powernap (on weekends), take daily vitamins and still work in the garden at home but the stamina certainly declines as we age. My recommendations are get a full physical, walk as much as you can (cardio), take up yoga (you can do at home if you prefer), stretch daily, use a foam roller daily (back) and find a good chiropractor. Best of luck....Jim.

I am 60 and lucky enough to live and work in DFW area. I work full time and go to the gym 3 times a week but only play once a week on a normal week. This week i have a couple of outings and will play on Saturday am. I stretch before playing and it most of a small bucket, I also walk the 18 i play each saturday. Yes i am sore the next morning. I come home from playing and take a warm shower and if there are no thing to do around the house, i catch golf on tv or a movie with my bestest half. I believe in swing oil and i take vitamins each day. I had severe bypass surgery in 2008 so I believe in staying active and looking after my body. Excersice, eating well later in life helps.

I am 70. On the rare occasion I do an extended range session, say about an hour, I will have to take a few breaks. However, by the time I drive home, about 15 minutes, I no longer have any issues.

I play 5 days per week, year 'round, weather permitting and do use a cart. To date, I've played 179 rounds this year, not counting scrambles, and will undoubtedly get in a few more before January. I'm never beat or tired after a round of golf to the point where I feel the need to "recover". Once a year I join an outing where we play 6 days in a row and 4 of them are 36 hole days, 18 playing one's own ball and 18 scramble. I'm a little tired at the end of the day but up and ready to go with no residual effects the next morning. Now at the end of that week I need a day or so to get back to feeling "normal".

I don't work out but do stretch a lot before the round.

I'm 64 and the need to stay in shape both muscular and aerobic gets more important every year. Helps keep the injuries away and gets me more energy when I play.

I’m 58, and yes, the body doesn’t rebound like it used to. There have been a lot of great idea provided so far. Stretching before and after hitting balls/playing helps. Absorbine, or something like it, helps stiffness. Sometimes just moving around the next day limbers things up. I recently picked up some used graphite-shafted irons. There’s definitely less vibration in the shots. Just grow older but not up!

I'm 57 and I don't really hit balls at the range more that 50 balls, I find that it's counterproductive.
That is why, during the winter, if I go to the Dome to hit balls, I only hit for an half an hour. Otherwise I get too tired and I pick up bad habits.

My game is what my game is.

I'm 64, still work 40 hours and walk 50 rounds a year. I do an old man workout three times a week and do a little yoga. I'm overweight.

I've discovered that hitting 90-100 balls is my max. year round , once a week, and I limit driver to 10 swings. Driver really wears me down. Most swings are target and set up driven. Legs are tired after 100 balls.

In season, I also spend 45 minutes a week practicing my putting. It plays a little havoc with the lower back.

On vacation, I've played 5,6,7 rounds in a row. But there is lots of napping post round.

We are all different, different backgrounds, shapes, sizes. Its not a one size fits all activity. At my age, I have to go with what my body is telling me.

65 here and during the season I play two rounds and hit the range 2-3X per week. For me it is all about stretching and moderate exercise. I typically stretch 20-30 minutes per day, sounds like a lot but it has all but eliminated the stiff muscles and lower back issues after a round of golf. I also stretch for about 5 minutes after a round or range session. As you age your muscles lose there subtlety, stretching really does help with that. For my exercise I ride a stationary bike 3x per week, about 3-5 miles each session. Then I do some moderate weight training, usually nothing more than 20-30 lbs. Oh yeah, Aleve is your friend!

60 here. 4 days a week in the gym for 45 min each with stretching after wards. Hit the range 3x a week , stretch and hit 75 or so balls, 25% are wedges. I’ll walk exec courses, ride regular courses only because they are pretty hilly and built around housing developments. Stretch, stretch, stretch.

I'm 57 as well. I'm retired, work out(not too hard) pretty much all year. Swimming in the summer, rower, pushups in the winter. I have a net and a range nearby so I can hit balls whenever I want. I do have a bum ankle and knee that limits my walking but doesn't really hinder my swing.

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I'm fatigued after 18 holes. My back is stiff the next day as well. I could play the next day but I'm noticeably tighter. Playing or practicing every other day I'm fine.

I keep telling myself I'm going to get into a daily stretching routine but that hasn't happened yet.

I think some peoples backs, knees, shoulders ....whatever just wear out sooner than others.

The Hideaway has an “Older” clientele. These baskets are in a few different spots across the property. No store brands!

55 / 385 dog years here.

There's great advice in the preceding posts. We can't stop Mother Nature, but can work to slow her down.

A few years back I started a daily stretching routine, balanced with some light weight work; it's helped. Once home, I'll repeat the stretching routine, albeit slowly. Usually good to go the next day.

Getting smarter with my diet has helped too, this is so individual I'd recommend speaking with your doctor to determine what's best for you.

Graphite shafts can make a big difference. It doesn't have to be the sexy & exotic Recoils or Steelfibers. As we age our swing speed decreases and transition will soften. I've been monkeying around with the lower end shafts (Graphite Design G-Tech, UST dHi IRN, Aldia Aldalite), finding that they're surprisingly good & consistent (yes, measured outdoors, off grass, urethane balls, with Trackman). Even if I wanted to, I can no longer swing aggressively enough to outrun the shaft. Your mileage may vary.

Hitting off mats is not your friend. Can't speak for others, but I find that they just beat me up.

A number of members in our age group at the club have migrated to midsize grips & claimed that it's helped with tendon / soft tissue issues. More I think about it, seems plausible.

The biggest <positive> change for me was starting to walk with a minimalist (8 club) set up. It has built up stamina & I've really enjoyed the challenges this presents.

There's no magic pill, but a number of small, incremental changes that can help prepare you for the next 25 years on the links.

Best of luck & happy holidays.

I skimmed through this thread pretty quick so if someone mentioned this earlier, I apologize. Glucosamine (joint supplement) saved me as I had chronic back pain. Golf then 2-3 days before I could go again. Started taking the supplement about 3 years ago and now, no problem going 18 two days in a row. I still get sore but the recovery time is 1/2 a day now. Eating right and stretching is def. a part of it as well but I can not emphasize enough what Glucosamine has done for me and how I feel. I'm 57, a retail store manager and on my feet walking 95% of the time. Good luck finding what works best for you.

BigE said:

I'll be 60 next year. Have definitely moved to a more body friendly swing (Brian Sparks) that has me standing a little more upright. Letting my left heel come off the ground to make get a full turn easier. And a real focus on swinging easier and smoother. I feel like I can play all day with this swing. Long practice sessions (an hour or more) don't seem to bother me much at all. After walking an 18 hole round, a couple of advil has me all set to go the next day.

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I was curious about the Brian Sparks swing so I googled it and pretty sure a light bulb went off over my head. lol. When I went back to a a conventional swing from the JV swing I was lifting my leg with the turn and was making great contact but after taking a lesson I stopped. While my driver is better, my iron play has suffered greatly. After watching the videos, I think I will return to that turn and see if the consistency in my irons returns.

For the record, I'm 54 and in pretty good shape playing 2-4 times a week from March to Oct. I usually take 2 Ibu before a round and for the most part I feel pretty good after a hot shower. I have used Swingoil and do think it helps. I would probably use it more if it was easier to get (Amazon Prime).

BigE said:

I'll be 60 next year. Have definitely moved to a more body friendly swing (Brian Sparks) that has me standing a little more upright. Letting my left heel come off the ground to make get a full turn easier. And a real focus on swinging easier and smoother. I feel like I can play all day with this swing. Long practice sessions (an hour or more) don't seem to bother me much at all. After walking an 18 hole round, a couple of advil has me all set to go the next day.

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I’m only 52 and I have also changed my swing in a similar fashion the last 18 months to take most of the torque off my back and knees. I can and often do hit 200-300 balls on the range he same day that I play without getting tired or having any soreness the next day. That was not possible before changing to a much bigger hip turn on my backswing.

I just turned 70. During the Summer, I play every other day during the week, mon-wed-fri. I need the day of rest in between because of arthritis in my knees and back, and my practices have become limited (15 minute warm up prior to playing). However, I play with a bunch of guys in their mid 70's who play every day with no complaints at all (a few of them shooting their age once in a while).

Thanks to all for the great thoughts, suggestions and feedback. Having been away from the game for 7 or 8 years, prior to a year and a half ago, I was not familiar with these golf forums. I have been so impressed with this forum and the effort made to give good, accurate and positive feedback, analysis and reasoning. It is both beneficial and a joy to participate here.

56 here my wife and I workout 50 mins a day 4-5 days a week doing a full body regiment consisting of aerobic, strength training and stretching also change of diet and keeping the weight down. When we get to the age group we are in stretching is important. Stretching feeds oxygen to the muscle as well as giving you more range of motion and mobility. Golf is a stretch based activity and the more range of motion you can achieve translates into the game.

That being said arthritis and other joint and muscle issues can take a toll and even with the best stretching and exercise program one can still have limitations. It’s important to do what feels best and, even though we don’t want to admit it, accept our limitations. Years ago during my career I suffered a very bad back injury and, as with other areas, arthritis has set in. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and last week I was re-diagnosed with RA as well as the osteo which takes a toll on my range of motion at times.

I had been away from serious golfing for 20yrs and last year decided I wanted to get back into the game. So I spend a lot of time on the practice tee maybe too much time. I found that after practicing and playing it felt like a beating and I’d be stiff. So I limited the time one the range, have adjusted my swing, I’m lifting the left heel, and upped my physical activity. I also have stock in tiger balm, heat wraps and painkillers LOL. Getting older ain’t for sissys but if we listen to our bodies and limitations we can enjoy the game we love as long as possible.