What cost distance for a senior golfer ?

Release · 2017-01-26T14:06:18+00:00

I have some ideas after observing and going through this with personal experience. But lets hear what you think and your personal experience ? Fix for the...

Provisional

Release I've experienced most of aging, health issues mentioned here. Fighting depression on occasion too, takes away motivation if you give in. Take a look at our guys at the course and seeing lots of John Daly bellies and weak legs. Looking in mirror for myself and seeing neglected body as well. I took out my Sun Mountain cart again yesterday & did front 9 on rather hilly course. It took a while and several groups played through if you know what I mean, I lived. Hoping I can find more time for walking for my golf. Think I'd rather play only 6 holes this way than 18 in a cart. Funny watching all the young kids riding their carts. They probably think that old man is crazy. Their loss, seems sad to me. Hope I can stay healthy enough to continue this a while longer. I usually score better this way too, a little but enjoying it lots more

Typhoon

Release

Are you talking about killing yourself to not "prolong the journey?"

You know...eating healthy etc... we're not getting another 15 years in our 20's. We're just prolonging the diapering, having someone feed you years.

Live for today.

Release

Typhoon

Life is a journey, and golf is another side trip.

I'm interested in seniors sharing their real experience in how to deal with losing the distance on the golf course.
What they do, or don't do in order to make the journey last longer.

Someone said the length of the back swing dictate the length of the distance. I did, noticed my back swing had shrunk to maybe close to 50% of what it used to be. Follow through is easier and thank goodness for that.

I had a serious injury, and the repaired triceps pulls on the shoulder ( a physical therapist / trainer once told me the reasons, one is the shortened triceps ( one end broke off so they had to reattach it with 3 anchors ) pulls on everything form my shoulder to the neck to the back.... all connected you see.
Arthritis also set in form my younger days of doing other sports........ Thank goodness for the Allopurinol. Pain and swelling had been minimized.
Besides stretching exercise, I know I have to do exercise to keep my muscle mass. My diet is good since I married my wife. To work with retaining and/or build up muscle mass, I'll need to incorporate protein intake. Protein supplement is possible but I'll need to check with my physician first to see if it's safe to have large protein intake to avoid damaging my kidney or liver.......
Not man of steel like all the 20 something.

sdandrea1

I have accepted the loss in distance and geared my attitude, bag, and strategy to accommodate. I play from about 5800 yard tees and focus on accuracy and ball striking. Practice short game, sand game and putting. Longest iron in the bag is a 6i. I try to stay flexible by stretching. Swing smooth and easy to avoid injury and prolong the ability.

Release

sdandrea1 I have accepted the loss in distance and geared my attitude

That there, is a big word. Attitude !
I still want to keep up with the the younger golfers until I see someone tee off close to 300 every time before I surrender.

Supp

sdandrea1

That's my approach as well. The game is supposed to be fun, and it you're getting beat up by the golf course it's not fun.

Typhoon

Release

I try to measure my protein intake as a gram per pound of body weight. So I take in 130-140 grams.

sdandrea1

Release

A huge part of playing well is managing your expectations. I take what the game gives me.....good or bad round and enjoy the journey. I was never longer than about 240 off the tee anyway, so hitting it 200 on a 5800y track still allows me to shoot respectable scores.

letthebigdogshunt

sdandrea1

Steve that really hits it on the head. Good post.

FauxAmish

sdandrea1 I take what the game gives me.

The only way to play The Game.

Release

I had also laid off the "sauce" for a good part of maybe 4 years now.

Still have a brew once in awhile but not opening a bottle of wine if no company stopped over for dinner.
No "spirits" , I used to enjoy maybe a 2-3 fingers of good Scotch now and then. Sometimes a few shots of vodka to keep me happy....

It minimized my arthritis flare up.

gllama

Release, do you really think that limiting alcohol has reduced your arthritis? I'm curious because I have pretty severe osteoarthritis in my hip and I do like my evening libations, especially good Scotch...
I haven't read that reduced alcohol consumption helps with arthritis pain.

Release

gllama Release, do you really think that limiting alcohol has reduced your arthritis? I'm curious because I have pretty severe osteoarthritis in my hip and I do like my evening libations, especially good Scotch...
I haven't read that reduced alcohol consumption helps with arthritis pain.

In my case it did not make me brand new but stopped the progression of "going down the hill".
I had been on a pretty good diet since I got married. Wife made sure of that. I also started to read the label on all the packaging including wine and spirits. Some ingredients I could not even pronounce...... as the saying is, if you can't pronounce the name, don't ingest it.

I'm not saying rid of the pleasures in life, do them in moderation. Moderation level depending on each one's expectation and condition. I believe moderate amount of alcohol actually is good for you, but in my case it agitate the arthritis flare up. the base of my right index finger ( connecting to the palm ) used to be "lumpy" and painful so were my shoulders and knees. It was manageable after I laid of the regular consumption of all the "sauce".

It will not show improvement right after you reduce the alcohol consumption, it'll be a gradual progression .

professor

Within reason - "Live for today". I'd adjust a tad and say "enjoy today". Yeah, maybe you want to "eat dessert first" but, best make sure your dessert is more often fruit than cheesecake. Just sayin'

Par4QC

Imma buy me some new OEM irons this Spring and get back any distance I've lost. I read articles, I've seen the light! These companies have heard our distress and invested millions to help us get back our youth. And I'm going to take advantage of it, and show them they did the right thing. It's only money; we cannot take it with us and why leave it behind for the kids to buy up some dope with? Or spend on hookers. Why kill ourselves trying to do all those damn exercises and dieting and such nonsense, when all we got to do is drink from the wells of club manufacturers and be rejuvenated?? Come on people....use your brains for a change!

I may even be playing from the back tees!

😉

sdandrea1

Par4QC

Now yer talkin'.........😏

LBlack14

Uuuuuh yeah.....I don't like this thread, AT ALL.

Well except for Pappy's post. He got it figured out. I like the way he ciphers.

garyt1957

You get older, you slow down simple as that. You will lose ,(not sure on the right word power, speed, reaction time) some exceleration. You can help delay it but it's going to happen. Just like great pro athletes who "lose a step", just enough that they can't produce like their prime years. They still have the skills, just can't do them at the same speed. A batter who just can't get around on a fastball anymore comes to mind. They still know how to hit they just can't get it done anymore.

I work out for general fitness. I'm as strong as I ever was if weightlifting is a good measure but playing basketball with young kids like I did this summer showed me how I've lost speed. I just don't care enough about my golf game to do golf specific exercises. Maybe when I retire.

Bigborgel

Having recently entered "God's waiting room", I find that the way to keep the devil from the door is a combination of diet(less carbs, less sugar, less booze-maybe), exercise (especially for your core, and more strength training than aerobics (which I despise) and as Steve said dealing with realistic expectations. Accept what your game is today, not 20 or 30 years ago. Play with those of your age and general abilities, it's fine and still fun, Time is running out, make the best of it.

GLFTPS

I will be 72 in a few weeks. I go to the gym but do not kill myself and do flexibility exercises. I concentrate on going wide on my backswing to create a bigger arc. I do not swing hard but hit my drives 250, 7-iron 155. Last week I tied for 1st in our stroke play championship with a 1 handicapper. I am a 3.8. I think genetics has a lot to do with it as I see guys my age at the VA hospital that look like they are 90. Oh, I play or practice six days a week.

rsvman

GLFTPS Nice. Congratulations on your tournament results, too.

I think flexibility work and core strength training are the most important things.

Par4QC

GLFTPS Oh, I play or practice six days a week.

That's going to do a ton for anyone's game.

This game is not about distance, never has been, never will be, so I seriously dislike the thread title to begin with. I still play with people that hit those 300+ drives and 185 8 irons and I think nothing of beating them(more often than not) at the end of the day. I played with people like that 40 yrs. ago also. Won the league 2 years running. Longest club in my bag is the brain. As it should be for every golfer.

garyt1957

GLFTPS I think genetics has a lot to do with it as I see guys my age at the VA hospital that look like they are 90. Oh, I play or practice six days a week.

That is probably the #1 factor. We like to think we have control over things but really life is a crap shoot. Some get lucky in the gene pool others not so much. Doesn't mean we shouldn't try to maximize what we have but there's only so much you can do.
My Dad is 92 and still hanging in there. He still lives alone, washes his own clothes, cleans etc. He was a construction worker in his younger years and even after becoming foreman kept doing the heavy work. He retired at 62 and has never worked out or watched his diet. He still has bigger biceps than I do. He simply caught a break in the genetic lottery.