How to get better as an old b@st#d

[ScooterMcTavish]

9 hours ago, Mungbean said:

I got a bag full of headcovers.  Longest iron is a 7 iron and I also carry 5 wedges!  Figure that one out.  I found this old Titleist 215 (I think that's right) driver in the used bucket.  It had a 45 gram stiff shaft in it...mitsubishi fubuki (hell I thought fubuki was a wrassler from back in the 80's).  But it changed my driving completely.  Cut every ball and pretty much drive it where I'm looking for the most part.  I told my buddies if I ever try to trade that driver..kick me slap in the ballz.  

 

I started tracking some stats.  I think what I'm learning is...I thought I was a decent wedge player...but I actually ain't too good.  I felt like I was good prior to the quitting, but right now the drummer from Def Leopard could take me to the hoop on wedge game.  I'm hitting them solid, but over greens....which is stoopid for a dude with 5 wedges in the bag.

 

Appreciate you taking the time to respond!  Good stuff mang!

 

Thanks for your response.  A few ideas for you:

 

- I've been continually dropping my number of wedges in my bag.  At one time I played 5 (44-48-52-56-60), then changed irons and went to 4 (46-50-54-58).  I'm now down to three (48-52-56) and am happier for it.  Less choices makes me use the ones I have more, which leads to more consistency.  I've also tried higher and lower bounces over the last few years, and find a mid-bounce 48 and 52, and a high bounce 56 (for sand) is all I should ever need.

  

- With these added spots, I'm putting more in the top end of the bag, and am now playing a HL 3W, a 5W, and (inbound) a utility iron.  With aging, having reliable longer clubs is important, and the 5W is an absolute dynamite club.  So much better launch than a hybrid, and money from 185 (long Par 4 or long Par 3).  In short, find some FW you like, and play 'em.

 

- If you have a decent iron game, don't give up on the 4, 5, and 6 irons.  They are so much more flexible in keeping the ball down if you're playing in windy conditions (which I do).  The 3U is an experiment, and may eventually be replaced with a 7W.  But the deep CoG of FWs is so much better for my swing that hybrids.

 

Would like to share a story with you.  Know a guy that shot 9 holes last night.  Had a par putt on 8/9 holes from within 8' (4 within 6') and sank 0/8.  Also had an easy 6' birdie putt that they pushed.  17 putts total, with the longest second putt being no more than 6".  So had a chance at par, but couldn't putt, and just wasn't quite tight enough with the short game.  Finished +8.  Should have finished anywhere between Par and +4.

 

100% of the strokes were lost around and on the green.  And it is not as if he was hitting the ball bad - but rain during the day had softened the course, so approaches ended up slightly short on pretty much every hole, on a course where the greens are very small.  

[ShortGolfer]

20 minutes ago, ScooterMcTavish said:

Would like to share a story with you.  Know a guy that shot 9 holes last night.  Had a par putt on 8/9 holes from within 8' (4 within 6') and sank 0/8.  Also had an easy 6' birdie putt that they pushed.  17 putts total, with the longest second putt being no more than 6".  So had a chance at par, but couldn't putt, and just wasn't quite tight enough with the short game.  Finished +8.  Should have finished anywhere between Par and +4.

 

100% of the strokes were lost around and on the green.  And it is not as if he was hitting the ball bad - but rain during the day had softened the course, so approaches ended up slightly short on pretty much every hole, on a course where the greens are very small.  

There is a  9 hole semi-private golf course near the New England Botanical garden, where I was showing roses.  For $20 I got to  fill out a foursome while the roses were being judged.  None of the guys could putt, though one guy tried really hard.  Winning trophies in rose shows takes precedence over practice, so the only on course practice I had was another nine hole round the previous week in Rhode Island, also during Rose show judging. 

I was able to dial in my putter and makea nice ten foot put with a good line down the center of the hole with the right pace!  The only one of us to do that!

 

Most likely I wouldn't be playing golf as a stroke survivor if I couldn't putt.  Just to many strokes involved in the score.  I could practice putt every day if I didn't have other stuff that needed to be done.  But growing three hundred roses is a lot of work, so I'm trying to downsize my garden to a hundred quality show roses.  I have a lot of grip strengh from pruning roses and pulling weeds. I'm resting after mowing the lawn.

Edited July 29 by ShortGolfer

[Dpavs]

As I have gotten older this has been my strategy for still wanting to improve my scoring ability...

 

Stay limber but forget about chasing distance as that is a younger man's goal. Time is not on my side in this regards.

Focus more on distance control and accuracy. Those can always be improved on regardless of age. 

I keep working on chipping and putting. It's given IMO that this is one of the easiest ways to shave off a few strokes. 

 

Admittedly, I've plenty of room for improvement but I honestly feel that these are the low hanging fruits that will help me stave off father time. Well, at least a bit! 🙂

 

[vegasandre]

11 hours ago, Mungbean said:

Appreciate the help!  What did you do on speed?  I'm trying to be sure I don't mess up my back again in the process!

 

The most important thing is that you are healthy. 

If you can check that box then the next step is :
Watch this one minute Bryson video... and focus on the 3 moves. (especially # 1 and 3 at first)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBy6sujxf79/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

I have been able to increase my adult kids speed 7-10 mph in half an hour using this method solely.  (and now I am cruising at >120  at 58)

I have zero doubt I would have you over 100 in a half hour. 

[rgk5]

You can get faster but don't go looking for 270 to 280 off the tee because your current yardage is fine for 6300 to 6800 yards, given no wacky hole yardages like 260 yard par threes.

 

Consider getting a medium weight graphite shaft in your irons , say 80 -90 grams which will give you more speed and less fatigue at round's end; plus vibration dampening to prevent tendon damage. This is critical for longer range sessions and play in colder weather.

 

I just turned 78 so look at my Signature for guidance in the later years.

[596]

Just forget increasing the number of birdies. Stats will tell you that even a scratch golfer only  birdies about 1 hole per round.  Bogey avoidance is more doable and needed for lower rounds.  

 

No 3 putts 

No doubles

No penalties

No 6s on your card (par or better on par5s)

 

Lower scores equals playing boring golf.  And it's very very true as we get older.  

 

[Mungbean]

On 7/27/2025 at 11:04 AM, otto6457 said:

No matter your age, if you want to get better, identify your weaknesses and put in the time to improve them.  That's pretty much the scoring part of DECADE.

 

Track your Tiger 5 mistakes as they are much easier and faster to enter, and track, than your full Strokes Gained stats.  And the Tiger 5 stats will give you the exact same areas you need to work. on. 

 

Eliminate penalty strokes.  That's the first, lowest hanging fruit to fix.  Penalty strokes off the tee are especially damaging to your score.

 

Your full swing will usually define your average scoring ceiling.  Your short game and putting will usually define your average scoring floor.  That's not a hard and fast rule but it's pretty accurate over the long haul.  So short game as well as long game practice should get nearly equal attention and time.

 

Other than that, play as much golf as you can and get more comfortable on the course with your routines and mental game.  Keep a mental scorecard also if you can.  In a perfect world you could keep a journal where you deconstruct your rounds/stats and make note of the mental mistakes and the obvious swing flaws that keep derailing your rounds. Then get to work and improve them.

 

 

And as others have said, 55 ain't old.  It's "seasoned".

 

 

On 7/28/2025 at 2:57 PM, ScooterMcTavish said:

 

You sound like an original, @Mungbean.  Though I'd likely get permabanned if I reprinted what my buddies say when we golf together.

I am happy to be hitting 240 at 55, and I am doing so consistently.  I've shot +1 about a half-dozen times on my home 9, and also want to shoot par before the old dirt nap as well.

 

The first number to consider is your scrambling.  Even if you get up and down in two 50% of the time (a good %) this will still leave you +4 or +5.  Let's also assume 2 3-jacks, offset by 2 birdies, still leaving you at +4 or +5.

 

Only logical solutions I see here are:

- Remove all 3-jacks, which likely requires better approaches (so practice 7i-W)

- Get more birdies, which requires very good putting, and/or better approaches (so also practice putting and the irons above)

 

If you combine a tighter approach game with solid putting, you may be able to sneak 2-3 birdies per 9.  This then takes the pressure off the scrambling, which often makes it better.

 

I also find early birdies help, as these are "shots in the bank" for when the inevitable bogey shows up.  Shooting a bunch of bogies before making a birdie is like having an overdrawn bank account.

 

Also, with physical changes, it may be worth looking at your club setup.  Back injuries can be especially problematic, and possibly some irons/wedges with a lower static weight may be helpful.  Or even a lighter shaft in driver/hybrids.  May be worth a visit to your local big box or club fitter.

 

 

Thanks for the replies!   For some reason the site only allows me to post 3 times or something?  They must know about the meth lab or something

 

In relation to me, as my granny would say…you can “season” carp, but it’s still gonna taste like carp!

So I started tracking the stats for the last 3 rounds…(77, 79, & 77)

Eldrick 5 F-Up’s:

·       3 Whips – 4

·       Double Bubbles – 1

·       Blown EZ Saves – 5

·       Bogey Par 5’s – 5 (yikes)

·       Bogey from 130 – 7

I tracked drives outta play too.  I hit 7, but the rough has been BRUTAL.  So I really only hit 2 blocked out drives.  The rest were just in some rough that I didn't really have any legit control on the shot.

On the last round I tried to track proximity. I ain’t sure if this is the right way to think about it it.  I hit 10 greens (do you track it if you miss the green?)  But anyhow I picked 3 buckets:

·       Over 130 – 32.7 feet

·       130 to 80 – 24.4 feet

·       80 in – 26.1 feet (air mailed a couple of them par 5 greens with wedges...outta the sweet spot though.  Contact good just can't hit the off-speed evidently)

 

As far as, the mental stuff…surprise that’s a challenge!  So I have a buddy that is a teacher and a heck of a player..tournament tested.  I got a chance to play with him in a pro-am thing.  He’s not a long hitter but AK-UR-IT…like a surgeon and a sniper had a baby.  I watched this dude shoot a 67 and win that thing.  It was like a video game.  And I bet he didn’t hit a drive over 270. 

We talked about stuff.  And he was like…”Dude you got enough game that you should be shooting under par.  It’s a mind set.  You have to believe.”  This was probably 12 years ago and I still ain’t broken par.  So basically I’m out there waiting for the snake to bite and he’s out there poppin’ the top on a can of whoop dawg.  He expects to shoot low.  And I reckon I don’t trust or have some golf anxiety or some goofiness. 

 

[Mungbean]

19 hours ago, vegasandre said:

The most important thing is that you are healthy. 

If you can check that box then the next step is :
Watch this one minute Bryson video... and focus on the 3 moves. (especially # 1 and 3 at first)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBy6sujxf79/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

I have been able to increase my adult kids speed 7-10 mph in half an hour using this method solely.  (and now I am cruising at >120  at 58)

I have zero doubt I would have you over 100 in a half hour. 

I may need to holler at you man if you can get me over 100 in half an hour!  I just gotta be sure I don't blow up my back again.  Your cruising speed is 120 at 58...I feel sorry for your wife!

[ScooterMcTavish]

2 hours ago, Mungbean said:

Thanks for the replies!   For some reason the site only allows me to post 3 times or something?  They must know about the meth lab or something

 

In relation to me, as my granny would say…you can “season” carp, but it’s still gonna taste like carp!

 

·       3 Whips – 4

·       Bogey Par 5’s – 5 (yikes)

·       130 to 80 – 24.4 feet

·       80 in – 26.1 feet

 

As far as, the mental stuff…surprise that’s a challenge! 

 

 

Sounds like you're a Southerner @Mungbean which is too bad, as I'd love to shoot a round with you.  Absolutely love the sense of humor, which is much like my own.

 

Kept a couple of stats here, as these ones stood out to me.

 

#1 - Only 4 3-jacks in three rounds is not the end of the world.  I look at them as "did my putter also steal me a few strokes this round"?  If I have a theft for every three-jack, I can live with this.  Though 2 thefts per 1 3-jack is a good way to hit par.

 

#2 - Even hitting a bit shorter, this makes me wonder if you need to look for a new FW.  One area where my game has improved this year is on Par 5s, and this is 100% due to picking up some FW that work very well for me.  If you can consistently get 400-420 yards between your driver and FW, Par 5's become an non-issue. 

 

#3 - Those approach stats suggest some time with the short irons would be well spent.  If you can bring down the proximity average to 10-15' (or less) you are going to have a lot more looks at birdie.

 

 Regardless, sounds like you're having fun.

[Mungbean]

Southerner is probably too generous redneck inbred mo-Ron is probably more fitting. 
 

I got the Titleist trs1 fw recently and they are fantastic. Get the ball easy straight up in the air. 
 

i think you are on target wedge game gotta improve hit them solid for the most part just lack distance control. 

Edited July 30 by Mungbean

[jonsnow]

48 minutes ago, Mungbean said:

Southerner is probably too generous redneck inbred mo-Ron is probably more fitting. 
 

I got the Titleist trs1 fw recently and they are fantastic. Get the ball easy straight up in the air. 
 

i think you are on target wedge game gotta improve hit them solid for the most part just lack distance control. 

Anyone else wondering if Mungbean is related to our friend Big Stu? I miss Stu...

[Mungbean]

19 hours ago, jonsnow said:

Anyone else wondering if Mungbean is related to our friend Big Stu? I miss Stu...

We’re all related some kinda way