Seniors and losing sight of ball off the tee

[mshills]

3 hours ago, carrera said:

Do those stronger contacts impact your short-distance vision (like addressing the ball)?

 

How do you get an Rx like that...via optometrist?

Yep. When you get your script checked, get that one, then explain to the optometrist what you are trying to accomplish. He/She should happily write you a second one.

 

I have a pair of the SportRX “Birdie” sunglasses, they seem to be the equal of the Oakley golf-specific lens for half the cost. I love them and can be worn almost to dusk as they are great in bright or lower light conditions. They are one step stronger on the distance vision (I wear progressives) than my clear glasses and it only takes a couple minutes to adjust (on the practice green) now. 

[Greenie]

5 hours ago, carrera said:

Do those stronger contacts impact your short-distance vision (like addressing the ball)?

 

How do you get an Rx like that...via optometrist?

 

If you have a good optometrist they should be able to get you to where you want to be in regards to what you want for golf. Depending on your vision of course.

With my first experience I told my optometrist I want to be able to read Titleist on my ball while I am addressing my ball and then I want to be able to see it flying through the air and landing on the green. He set me up with single vision contacts. I could read Titleist on my ball and see out in the distance but I needed readers to look at my phone or look at the scorecord.

I went to a new optometrist a few years ago and she asked me what I was trying to accomplish with regards to wearing contacts for golf . I told her I was going by what my old optometrist suggested asking for single vision contacts. I mentioned they were working out fine except for needing readers. She suggested  multi-focal contacts. I can see distance, the ball on the ground, and read my phone now. There was some tweaking involved. I said the distance part didn't seem as clear as far as they were with single vision contacts. She said she could tweak that a little stronger but I would lose a little up close vision. I have mine at the strongest distance vision with still being able to read my phone. So I am guessing if you are wearing multi-focal contacts the answer to your question would be yes it would impact your short distance vision by bumping up your distance part. My single vision contacts are a bit stronger but that doesn't impact seeing the ball on the ground.

[Jtgavigan]

Definitely get your eyes seen. I was seen last fall and received a new prescription for contacts. I still couldn't see in low light conditions and it progressively got worse. I finally went to another optometrist and within minutes he said "you have cataracts." Neither optometrist that I had seen over the last 2 years had mentioned them. I had surgeries in May and June. No more issues. So, don't overlook that.

[bluedot]

Tough situation, for sure.  I’m 72, and effectively blind in my right eye; I’m pretty good at seeing where it started, but if I lose it in flight I can’t pick it back up.  My ophthalmologist tells me that my brain treats a golf ball in flight just like another floater, and just ignores it.

 

I really have only two ideas for you.  Be completely frank with the guys you play with, and ask them to watch.  If they’re also seniors, they’ll understand completely.  Also, experiment with various colors and even tints of balls and figure out which one works best.  The yellow colors of Titleist, Callaway, and Taylormade are all different, and it may be that there is some difference for you In following one vs the others.  Vice makes a lime green ball that pretty distinctive, and it’s a good ball.  I once read that a red ball tests as the most visible in flight, but I can’t see re AT ALL, so that may vary person to person.

 

And just be aware that there are going to be certain days with light conditions that really add difficulty.  I do ok when it’s really clear or completely overcast; when there are low puffy white clouds, I’m in trouble; the ball goes “into” the cloud and I never see it again until it bounces (maybe).   With white range balls on days like that, i hit divers and can only guess where they went.

Edited November 6, 2024 by bluedot

[ShortGolfer]

There is very short Par 3 in a hollow, shaded on all sides by trees.  Most of the time the light is such that I can't pick up the ball in the air.

So my choices are to trust my wedge to put it on the green or hit a low shot that doesn't go in the air.  For a while I hit low shots until my wedge play improved.

 

That may be another option.  Choose a club where you can best guess where the ball will go.

 

The TaylorMade yellow Tour Response has a greenish tinge that is easy to see in brown leaves if you have line of sight to the ball.

Edited November 6, 2024 by ShortGolfer

[Socrates]

Losing the flight of the ball sometimes doesn't have much to do with how bad your eyes are (or aren't).  It's about how fast your eyes can focus and stay focused on an object that is moving away from you.  I remember watching a TPI episode a long time ago about this and when your eyes don't refocus fast enough, you will be tracking a ball and then it will disappear on you - mid flight.  Seems to be very common and there were exercises to help with that. 

 

IF, I were to play with my progressives, I will be tracking the ball and then it is gone.  It's not that my vision sucks, but that I was seeing the ball in one part of the lens where it was in focus and because I didn't move my head fast enough to keep up with the flight of the ball and keep it in focus, it would seem to disappear.  Of course it didn't, I just wasn't focused properly.  That likely happens to a lot of seniors who are golfing with progressives.