When you finally admit you are getting old !

[MichMan123]

Turned 55 and finally admitted the X100's are not my friend's anymore. Recently bought a 9 wood. One has to admit one is getting older. Older but hopefully wiser.

 

Very similar here, but instead of replacing X100's it was Project X 6.0's that we're shown the door after many years.

 

Unfortunately, rather than getting wiser I think it's the opposite for me. I swear I get dumber by the day. Although my wife still insists it's not possible for me to get any dumber!

 

hmmmmm from PX 6.0 to what? and whats ur age? I'm debating the need for my PX 6.0 anymore @ 40.

[deadsolid...shank]

Turned 55 and finally admitted the X100's are not my friend's anymore. Recently bought a 9 wood. One has to admit one is getting older. Older but hopefully wiser.

 

Very similar here, but instead of replacing X100's it was Project X 6.0's that we're shown the door after many years.

 

Unfortunately, rather than getting wiser I think it's the opposite for me. I swear I get dumber by the day. Although my wife still insists it's not possible for me to get any dumber!

 

hmmmmm from PX 6.0 to what? and whats ur age? I'm debating the need for my PX 6.0 anymore @ 40.

 

I went to Project X LZ 5.5. I switched at 54.

[@_the_crook]

I've embraced the maturity.

retro fitted most sets with R shafts I can swing properly.

glad I still walk morning rounds.

love golf and will probably play til the end.

[Stonewalled]

Turned 55 and finally admitted the X100's are not my friend's anymore. Recently bought a 9 wood. One has to admit one is getting older. Older but hopefully wiser.

 

Very similar here, but instead of replacing X100's it was Project X 6.0's that we're shown the door after many years.

 

Unfortunately, rather than getting wiser I think it's the opposite for me. I swear I get dumber by the day. Although my wife still insists it's not possible for me to get any dumber!

Love my 6.0's as well. Think they're on their way out the door with the x100's. Soft step twice might be the ticket though.

That's too funny, dumber by the day. Our wives seem to think a lot alike unfortunately.

[rxk9fan]

I turned 60 a month ago so I know a little bit about old :-) I play with some of the assistant pros from the local club pretty regularly and they are in their 20's.

There is no doubt that you are getting old when people are using 2 clubs less on the par 3's and hitting drives 30 yards past you sometimes. Having said that, I still win about as often as I lose and still have the longest drive a couple of times a round which keeps me interested. At this point I will say I feel older...but not quite old yet.

I kind of have a line drawn in the sand of when I will raise the white flag to old age and stiff flex shafts. For some reason the magic number I am using to declare old age is driver SS. If it stays above 100, then I am just getting old. If it falls below 100, then hey...I am old. At one time this year my turn deteriorated and I was getting very close to the magic number and was kind of down about it. It is very hard to play a 7000 yard course hitting drives any less than 250 IMO. But, got a lesson and have 3 more scheduled and my SS jumped on average 5mph to 107 and hitting 109 once in a while. This has me hitting very close to the young guys I play with and all of our tees are enjoyable for me.

Old for me is not too far away, but I will hang on to my 6.0 driver shaft at least a little longer. I will keep lifting weights 2 or 3 days a week just like I have the last 25 years for as long as possible. I will try to work on my short game this year and see if I can get my HC back to where it was before I quit this game or at least close to a 3.

And regardless of how I classify myself within the golf world......I too am married and she will classify how dumb I am as needed and without solicitation :-)

[jj9000]

This isn't just for you, OP... it's for everyone in this thread. If you want to keep your speed:

 

1. Get in the gym and get on a program that involves Compound lifts

 

2. Invest in SuperSpeed golf

 

I have no affiliation with SSG...but...it flat out works. Also... getting into the gym will help you both physically and mentally.

[buckrogers71]

Turning 48 this summer. Still wanting to stay with the younger guys for distance (my daughter's boyfriend hits it a mile and a few other guys crush it) but I've gone to a lighter driver shaft (still stiff flex), added hybrids, lighter shafts in my irons (to combat fatigue later in the round) , moved to more of a gi iron and started to workout more. Although I am making a commitment to walk the course (even if its 9 holes) more.

 

We often have this discussion but I have realized that I have to swallow my pride and play what affords me to produce a respectable score and make the game more fun.

[Baitkiller]

When you smoke a bombed draw down the fairway only to watch your 15 year old son fly one by it and tell you to get in the cart.. :stink:

[moonshine]

So, how old are you? When your swing speed slows from slightly over PGA average (114) to one comparable to, say, Matt Kuchar (108.6) it's hard to muster a great deal of pity. I'm hitting the gym in an effort to stay in contact with 100 . . .

 

true but I rip it every time. Just turned 40. I'm sure if the PGA tour guys ripped it they would get 5% More. My smooth swing is 100.

Gym helps for sure...seemed like the day I turned 40 everything hurt.

[adklee]

Mid-30's checking in. Haven't felt the years in golf quite yet--but noticed my need for post-round ibuprofen has started to increase...

 

A few things that I changed up to improve my current (and future) enjoyment of golf: switched from carrying my bag to a push cart (saves energy and easier on the back), S300's to Steelfiber 110's (easier on the chronic tennis elbow), and trying to hit the gym or some other type of exercise a couple times a week. With those changes, I feel like I easily have decades of golf left in me.

 

(As for pickup basketball at the gym with all them college kids running and gunning...yeah, that's another story entirely. My specialty is running 3-point line to 3-point line and yelling "nice shot" to my teammates. LOL.)

[munichop]

This reminds me when I turned 40 one of my younger coworkers asked what the difference was between 30 and 40. I said when I was 30 I had to be awake to injure myself now I just have to sleep bad...Now that I am in a 50 and over club it is interesting to see those that refuse to change their clubs and or strategy and those who realize that there is equipment made for people who don't have the higher swing speed anymore. Those who have adjusted seem to score better.

[Trawlerman]

Fun thread! I'll be turning 72 this year and my index is 10.9, which went up a point this year due to the miserable wet summer-fall-winter weather we had here in MD. I'm almost 100% 'A' flex now except my G400 driver that's 'R' and I usually hit it about 210 and hit 12-13 fairways on average at our white tees (6,250 yds). Started carrying again several months ago with 11 clubs, because it's less tiring that pushing my cart thru the wet fairways, and last four rounds (winter tees) were 77, 79, 79, 82. My goal for 2019 is to get my index back under 10.0 and to do that I have to fix my short game!!

 

Jim

[adklee]

When you smoke a bombed draw down the fairway only to watch your 15 year old son fly one by it and tell you to get in the cart.. :stink:

 

 

Oh man....that's absolutely brutal. Or, as your son would probably say--SAVAGE.

[gripandrip]

My son is 22. Same story. But you can make up for it when he misses the green with his sand wedge, and you stick a 9 iron.

[3eagles18]

Turned 70 in September; better conditioning than most of the members at my club. Went thru an extensive fitting today. Average drive was 220 with R shaft. Average drive with A shaft was 230+. Swallowing my pride and doing a deep dive on Ebay and CPO for an experiment bag.

[6hcphacker]

I'm 37 and am probably the longest non-pro in my club. Mtljeff will do the Kobe Bryant blood spinning thing in Germany if he has to... long drives forever!!!!

God I hate you, j/k.

I am now 47 play to a 7.8 ( was a 6 when I signed on to this website, hence the name). I played in college, not a good one for golf but it was free golf at a CC so why not. Was a 4 hcp back then. I hit it further now then then for lots of clubs due to balls and equipment. Real balata balls went no where btw. Long story short I played with a kid from a college team this past summer. Good player, like a +1 or something. Skinny and not tall 5’10 maybe and 160 maybe and he KILLED the long ball, like stupid long. I hit a good one at 285 and he is 40 by me. At least. My SS is 105 on driver, what is his? 115? Hated him but was jealous. He is clearly a player. Missed US open sectionals by 2 strokes, made it passed local.

 

FWIW he shot even at Winged Foot East 3 over front 3 under back and didn’t break a sweat. I shot 82 and sweated. Lot. Sucks to get get old...

[krb]

You’re done. Sleep injuries and forgetting why you went wherever you are... I’ve been there.

 

Two things to work on:

 

1. Get deadly from 100 yards in. Ask the 70 yr. olds at the club how they do it. Not really, they will lie.

2. Treachery. Tell your opponent how impressed you are with how solidly he strikes the ball withthat loop at the top of his swing. Your opponent a fast player? Take an extra 30-40 seconds in your pre shot routine.

 

You’ll figure out how to compensate.

[Baitkiller]

Yesterday I actually remembered why I went into a particular room.

 

 

 

 

It was the bathroom sure but a win is a win!

[nick.woods76]

ha same age

 

Just hovering around 100 105 SS. Can still get it out there but worked on short game last 2 years and scores have gone way down.

[SwingBlade]

They say attitude is everything. When one starts mentioning “age” and “slowing down” etc., I feel they are programming themselves for a downhill slide. I and other friends my age still fly jets and I still play with performance cars. Admittedly very lucky with health issues. But, health and age are two very different subjects. Does an individual have to know his or her limitations? Definitely very important. But, imposing attitudinal limitations on oneself seems extremely hazardous for a variety of reasons.

 

15 years ago I met a 72 year old surgeon who taught yoga on the side and could place his hands flat on the floor with his knees locked. That really spoke to me. A friend who just turned 100 played and walked until 88. Still shot par at 78. That spoke to me too. I just hit 71 and while driver is down to 245 to occasional 260, my irons are still same distance as when I was 55. (Smooth 7 iron 155). I quit swinging hard after a slight rotator cuff caused a year off 10 years ago, so now Fred and Ernie are my only swing tempo targets. Only thing I work on is less tension of any kind with each passing year and better lag and compression. Goal is zero tension and shoot my age by at least 74. But, health wise, I know fate and Father Time likely won’t be patient for much longer.

[bulls9999]

Haha... I was about to say the same thing, old, what?... you're now 30 and not 25 anymore? Try being 64!

 

So, how old are you? When your swing speed slows from slightly over PGA average (114) to one comparable to, say, Matt Kuchar (108.6) it's hard to muster a great deal of pity. I'm hitting the gym in an effort to stay in contact with 100 . . .

[WilCox]

67 here and not getting any younger. My driver goes about 235-250 these days and I'm happy with that. I still play stiff in my woods and hybrid, but moved to regular in my irons last year. 6500 is the max I'll play now because I still want to enjoy my rounds. My index hovers around 11 mainly because my wedge game sucks lately so that is my focus for this year. I'm anxious for the weather to break so I can start working on my short game.

 

I hit the gym 2-3 times a week mainly working on cardio and flexibility. IMO staying flexible is the key to playing longer.

[bluedot]

I'm 66, and an athlete and fit all my life. Still (trying) to play competitively, still walking almost every round, and so forth. Here's my list:

 

1. Embrace it, don't lament it. If you're getting old and golf is your biggest problem, you're damn lucky.

2. Battle the loss of swing speed; stay strong, stay flexible, swing weighted clubs, etc. But be intentional and habitual and relentless. You can't stop it, but you can slow it the heck down.

3. Get better technically; the loss of strength and flexibility and swing speed means that you won't be able to "save" bad swings as readily as you did when you were younger, so find ways to make fewer bad swings. This can be done at ANY age by working with a good pro who understands what you are trying to do.

4. Get better at course management, and learn how to attack long par 4's and most par 5's differently than you did in days gone by.

5. Keep tweaking your equipment as the years go by; get fitted for a driver every three or four years, change iron shafts, get hybrids, etc.

6. Move up to a different set of tees; you'll have more fun.

7. Learn to enjoy most what matters most, and this is NOT your score. It's the buddies you play with, the pitcher of beer while a few dollars circle the table after the round, a pile of range balls sitting on green grass waiting for you to go to work, the sound that clubs make going in and out of the bag, the joy of a perfectly struck shot, a new golf shirt, and all the rest. You'll shoot whatever you shoot, and other than you, pretty much nobody in the world cares anyway.

[uitar9]

I'm 65. I have a 94 year old neighbour. She walks 15 minutes, three times a day. Has broken her hip twice and now uses a walker. She tells us, she keeps walking, so she can keep walking.

 

Keep moving, and you'll keep moving. Pain, aches, breaks, slower swing speed, less flexibility? Yup?

 

Then it's over. No Warranty, no do over...you gotta do it now.

[monkeyboy]

Getting older does not bother me so much...I can always convince myself that I am a legend in my own mind.

 

What's worse is playing with your kids and they reach the age where they blow it by you by 40 yards on every drive. Very humbling (and a good feeling at the same time)

[3eagles18]

Live in a 55+ community. Most of us are around 70. The guys who bought the XXIO are 15-25 yards past my Ping G400 Max. XXIO is made for slower swings. Demo day next week.

[cargo8]

How has no one mentioned that PHIL MICKELSON is #5 in driving distance on tour this year at age 48?!

 

Rule #76: No excuses, play like a champion.

[rwc356]

I'm 66 and in the fall, I made the switch to SR flex graphite shafts when I picked up a used set of Ping i20 irons (to replace my I3 blades) to go with my G30 12 deg driver. Hopefully working on better swing efficiency and course management will help me get down to the 9-10 range. Moved to senior tees last year. I've also cut down the number of clubs I carry (with my slow swing speed there is not a large distance gap between many of the clubs) which also helps me to keep walking.

 

Overall, I think the key is to keep moving, keep swinging and make sure your pencil has a big eraser!

[11forgedblades]

How has no one mentioned that PHIL MICKELSON is #5 in driving distance on tour this year at age 48?!

 

Rule #76: No excuses, play like a champion.

 

This.

 

If you always put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else...it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus. You must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

 

[magnus7319]

Time remains undefeated

 

Getting old is not for the faint of heart