Age is creeping up on me.

[Moonlightgrm]

I will turn 60-years old in 4 months. Over the past couple of seasons my swing speed has slowed down to the point where I now swing my driver at 97-98 mph. I can still get the ball in the hole (4 handicap) but I have lost about 1-club with my irons, which are 20 years old (old like me). I play stainless steel shafts in my irons STIFF flex and graphite shafts in my driver, 3-wood, and hybrid also STIFF flex. No serious complaints about my driver, 3-wood, hybrid distance and accuracy, but I was wondering if there'd be any benefits to changing out my iron shafts to a softer flex. What are the benefits and disadvantages to having a softer flex shaft in the irons? My club pro watched me hit a few on the range and said everything is fine, just take one more club, ha ha.

[Golf64]

I feel your pain! Sucks getting old?! I would try the Mizuno shaft optimizer and see what it suggests for shafts?! Or find a launch monitor/trackman and hit some Reg. shafts vs. your stuff and see if you gain anything. You might hit it a bit farther, touch higher ball flight with a bit more spin. ;)

[Chazb]

I feel your pain! Sucks getting old?! I would try the Mizuno shaft optimizer and see what it suggests for shafts?! Or find a launch monitor/trackman and hit some Reg. shafts vs. your stuff and see if you gain anything. You might hit it a bit farther, touch higher ball flight with a bit more spin. ;)

I am70 and the mizuno optimizer came up with a XS shaft for me and there is no way I need a XS shaft as my driver swing speed is around 90 to 93.

[buckeyefl]

Do not go quietly.

[larryd3]

I'm in similar position and I went with lighter and softer shafts for my irons recently (modus 105 R) and so far much better results than the s300 amts.

[J-Blade]

Welcome to my world (Turned 62 last month) :)

 

It sounds to me like you are still playing pretty well. I'd suggest calling some courses in your area and see if one of their PGA pros can take a look at your swing speed and see what they suggest. I probably should do the same thing.

 

If we can't cut the mustard, we can still lick the jar :)

[Ed Settle]

I just turned 58 this year and so equipment, especially shafts, have become really important. Lighter, faster are all new keywords for me. My driver speed is still around 100-105. But I have a quick transition so I have stayed with an extra stiff shaft in my driver. I have to watch it because it can be too stiff. 3wood is a 70 g stiff shaft and hybrid is an 80 g stiff shaft.

 

My iron shafts have always been stiff steel. Nippon Modus 120 for the last 2 years. But switched to the 105's this spring and love them. Gain back some distance and much more accurate.

 

I could see switching to a stiff driver shaft in the next few years. And I will adjust the 3wood and hybrid shaft according.

 

And don't underestimate what a good golf ball change can do for you too. Experiment with some of the new balls that are out. Lots to be game there also

[BlackDiamondPar5]

What type of strength and stretching do you do? I recommend yoga/PiYo if you haven't tried it.

[RogerinNewZealand]

Maybe start off with a simple Soft Stepping of what you have in the irons now. 3 iron shaft goes into 4 iron.

Try soft stepping the 4 5 6 irons as 7 8 9 pw will likely be just fine .

 

I bought a set of Wilson PI5 irons a few months ago just for the DG R300 shafts.

 

Need to know what your shafts are now. Just going DGS300 to DGS200 is a difference.

Soft Stepping the DGS200 made the 3 and 4 irons very useable again off the TEE, and with DGR300 the 4 iron is just easy to hit !

I;m 56 and 94ish with Driver .

[DrSchteeve]

If distance is the only issue you probably won't get much by switching. However, if you need more height or spin, changing to graphite and/or a softer flex should help. graphite is also much easier on the joints if that's a concern.

[judgemartin]

What type of strength and stretching do you do? I recommend yoga/PiYo if you haven't tried it.

To me, you are just a kid. I'll be 82 years old in a little over a month. I play 3 or 4 times a week. I leave week ends and holidays to the people who have to work for a living. Yes, my swing speed has slowed down and I play graphite, senior flex, except for sand wedge which is still stiff. I also moved up to the senior tees, I've earned it. You either get old, or you die. No other options. If you get old, you need to adjust accordingly. I play with a group of old retired gentlemen and we have a great time. It's just a matter of attitude. I hope you have many more years of golfing. Best wishes.

[NoTalentLefty]

At 58+ I feel your pain. I've started lifting my front foot an inch just to get myself to remember to shift on the downswing. (The heel only) My equipment since my 40s all are Reg flex. My next driver will be a senior flex cut down to 44 inches. Figure that will get me a reg flex.

[SlowRain]

I am 63 and last year decided it was time to look a lot harder at shaft flex. My current swing speed with the driver is 95 to 98.

 

Rather than risk the possibility of a program telling me what I should do I got a couple of clubs with a few different shafts and went to the range and hit balls instead of a hitting bay with a simulator. For me that resulted in a change to Nippon Shafts Modus3 Tour 105's. I did go from my previous shafts in stiff and dropped to regular but I had them hard stepped once. I also tried TT XP 95 and 105... but didn't care for them. Ditto with KBS.

 

I also switched out driver and fairway shafts to what Graphite Design calls "Regular Stiff" flex...so a firm flex I guess. That said I think in most Graphite Designs, the shafts play a bit "soft".

 

In both changes I again can feel myself loading the shaft...something I was beginning to lose the feeling of playing stiff flex unless I really went after it.

 

If I were you I would just get a 6 iron fitted with something in regular flex and give it a whirl and see what you think.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

+1 for Yoga, especially Yin Yoga.

[jrr]

What type of strength and stretching do you do? I recommend yoga/PiYo if you haven't tried it.

To me, you are just a kid. I'll be 82 years old in a little over a month. I play 3 or 4 times a week. I leave week ends and holidays to the people who have to work for a living. Yes, my swing speed has slowed down and I play graphite, senior flex, except for sand wedge which is still stiff. I also moved up to the senior tees, I've earned it. You either get old, or you die. No other options. If you get old, you need to adjust accordingly. I play with a group of old retired gentlemen and we have a great time. It's just a matter of attitude. I hope you have many more years of golfing. Best wishes.

 

You are my official idol. I am 72 but play Srixon 545 with recoil 95 F4 irons and Epic SZ driver with Recoil F4 shaft etc.

You need to move around a bit and forget old, it's how you feel doing it. Age is simply a point in your life. Everyone on this site will be lucky to get to this stage. Motivation is not getting to this point.

[Switter]

At age 59 I switched balls, from Pro V1's to Srixon Q-Star after experimenting with various lower compression balls, made a world of difference. BTW soft stepping is a great idea too. My eldest son just purchased a set of Callaway steelhead irons, he reports they are 1 to 1.5 clubs longer than his previous irons. Maybe time to upgrade your arsenal.

[jrr]

https://feelthestretch.com/

I came across this in a contest on here. I bought one and its incredible. Simple and has really helped.

[Chazb]

https://feelthestretch.com/

I came across this in a contest on here. I bought one and its incredible. Simple and has really helped.

Thank,looks good and just ordered one.

[braveheart]

Lighter steel shafts are a way of dealing with it easier. KBS Tour 90 is one that helps. I'm 60, used to use DG S300.

[braveheart]

Her and Chazb,

Which one did you get? $79.00 or 110. Thanks

[bobfoster]

+5 on yoga.

 

Try Katherine Roberts ... Yoga for Golfers. Her DVDs rock. An entire system of yoga specifically designed to strengthen the golf game.

 

http://www.yogaforgolfers.com/

[Socrates]

It used to be only my underwear that was creeping up on me. Switched to boxer briefs. No issues since. ;)

 

Stretching is the key. Wish I did it.

[Man_O_War]

play shorter courses...or from ladies tee...

[BlackDiamondPar5]

play shorter courses...or from ladies tee...

I believe many courses now call them Gold, Yellow, Forward or maybe Senior tees in order to avoid emasculating men and encourage forward play :)

[KRW59]

There comes a point in one's life where adjustments to your equipment

and bag setups will be necessary to play to your full potential.

 

Going to lighter, softer, higher launching shafts was a must

after surgeries to my forearm, wrist, and hand + getting old.

 

I'm 58+. In the last 15 years my driver speed is down 15mph.

Still play courses from the 6400 to 6800 yard tees. Started

Replacing long irons with.hybrids and now have three in bag

to cover the 165 to 200yd shots into greens. In a few years

I could see 5, 7, and 9 woods in the bag if that's what it

takes to cover my yardage and trajectory needs.

 

 

[Moonlightgrm]

What type of strength and stretching do you do? I recommend yoga/PiYo if you haven't tried it.

I own and use a Total Gym three times per week and I follow Roger Fredericks' stretching program, daily.

 

 

[Trawlerman]

I'll turn 70 (9.8 index) in Sept. and still walking 18 3-4x a week. Last year I switched to Callaway XR irons with the 'SR' shafts ( I prefer to call them soft regular!) and picked up 10 yards per club over my old Pin G-10's. Yes, they are 4 degrees stronger in every club but the go higher and longer for me. I'm back to hitting my 7 iron from 150 so I'ma happy camper! Now I'm thinking about a new driver. I'm hitting it pretty great with my Ping G25 but hit a buddy's Epic with an 'A' flex shaft and it seemed to go a lot farther.

 

Jim

[Chazb]

Her and Chazb,

Which one did you get? $79.00 or 110. Thanks

$79 with a coupon code for another $15 offf.

[Ping Player]

As others have said, Yoga. I go to Pilates classes and it's made a big difference definitely worth it. Also equipment wise I went to KBS tour 110 in R Flex (ala Jim Furyk) and I picked up my lost distance in my irons. Good luck...!

[BlackDiamondPar5]

What type of strength and stretching do you do? I recommend yoga/PiYo if you haven't tried it.

I own and use a Total Gym three times per week and I follow Roger Fredericks' stretching program, daily.

Total Gym is great and have one myself. I'd seriously consider adding in some strengthening style yoga. I'm no yoga expert but it really seems to work. I've used mostly ddp and some PiYo but I need to find something else as I'm bored with the routine.

 

You're a much better golfer than I, so maybe you've peaked, but it really helps me with distance. Mid 50s and still have a lot of drives 270 plus.