Distance loss over age 70--change shaft flex?

[Sean2]

I'm 65; I don't think there is any one answer to the distance loss question. The loss obviously comes from a loss of clubhead speed, and that is caused in turn by a loss of both flexibility and strength.

 

So the first thing would be to address those two things to slow the aging process as much as possible; personally, I think flexibility is the more important of the two and the one that can be maintained longer.

 

Equipment helps, without question. Stop using fairway woods off the deck and hit hybrids instead. Get lighter, more flexible shafts. Add loft to your driver. Use technology, including Trackman, to configure your bag for a 75 year old golfer instead of somebody that you used to be but won't be again.

 

Course management is a big deal, starting with moving up a set or two of tees without ego. If you want to know which tees to play, pick a par five that used to be a risk-reward decision on the second shot, and move up until it is again. Or a par 4 where the bunker on the inside of the dogleg isn't in play anymore. But when you find the right set of tees for THOSE holes, play that set of tees all the way around; it'll be more fun AND you'll be interacting with the golf course architecture the way it was intended by the guy who designed the golf course.

 

All of that said, there is a LOT of stuff about golf that is a bigger deal than how far you are hitting it. That life has given you the opportunity to play golf at all. That you are with buddies and laughing and telling dirty jokes and winning and losing a few dollars. That you are still playing make-believe at age 75. That you are outside in the fresh air and sunshine dreaming big dreams still.

 

Enjoy the game, and do what you can to hit it farther. And then the hell with it.

 

Very good response.

 

Since I didn’t start playing until I turned 50, I never had any distance, lol, but I can understand for those of you who have been playing a long time where a loss of distance might be hard to take, especially in this day and age where distance seems to be king (even though the game is about how many, not how far).

 

For me, I find the game most enjoyable if I play the correct tees. Too far back and I am hitting too many fairway wood approache shots, too far up and that reverts to too many wedges. A good gage for me is multiplying my average drive by 26.

 

As has been said, equipment too plays a roll. Getting fit will determine not only the best set make up for you, but also what shaft, flex, etc., works best.

 

For example, I have 3 fairway woods in my bag: 16/20/24. My first iron is a 6. I play graphite as at +2 inches the swing weight with steel is too high. He also put me in stiff flex because of that added length. The shafts in all my clubs are light. For example, my driver shaft is 40 grams.

 

For me what works is a combination of the right equipment and “correct” tee boxes.

 

Regardless, good luck!

[rxk9fan]

Of course if we live long enough, we are going to lose distance. There has been a lot of really good information shared here already. At the end of the day, eventually we will lose strength, flexibility, and distance. As said here, we ALL should work at hanging on to strength and flexibility through hard work. When all the work we can do is no longer enough...then it would be silly not to be fit and get all we can out of technology. I am 59 and I get out and play with the "older guys" once a month or so. The one thing that I see that has made the most difference in their games is the hybrid. IMO, if 196 is your average drive, the last thing you need in your bag is a two iron, or a three iron, or even a four iron. I played a couple of weeks ago with a foursome and one of the players use to own the local driving range. I believe he is 70 now and the longest iron in his bag was a 7 iron. The rest of the irons were replaced with graphic shafted hybrids. He used a very controlled swing and hung a 75 on his score card and I could tell that was not a fluke round. His hybrids were easy to swing, got up fast and carried consistent distances for him. I know in another 10 years I will be trying to mimic both his clubs and his swing!

Best to all!

[Pepperturbo]

The right shaft flex is not simply a matter of your age or your swing speed. As a wise man once said, "It's not how fast you swing it, it's how you swing it fast".. :rolleyes:

 

How you transition from the backswing to the downswing is a factor in determining the correct shaft flex as is the amount of lag your swing creates!..There are older (70+) guys out there who still need shafts stiffer than Senior Flex or even R-Flex... :yes:

 

:golfer:

 

Excellent advice.

 

In my late 60's, I cope with deteriorating muscle mass every day. Yet still hit the ball comparatively hard and maintain a quick transistion with fast hands though impact. Reason for heavier steel shafts (PX Flighted 6.0 are 129g 2i down to 117 PW) and Tour Stiff flex in woods.

[Bubbtubbs]

I'm 33 now and carry my 35* 7i just a hair over 160. When I start to lose distance, I'll probably just take the next club up, or finally get some hybrids/7+ woods to replace the long irons.

 

Could always go with GI clubs as well for easier launch. It seems to work well for some of the older (late 70s) doctors and real estate guys in my group.

 

Edit: and the game being about distance is really up to the group you play in. There's generally several ways to make par or better on most holes so does it matter what you hit to do it? I've never been one to care what club somebody hits their shot with and neither are they, do it works out well. That said, I've had guys get annoyed when outdriven in other groups, but there's always a few bad apples, you know?

[raggal62]

Not all but some of us can pick up a few yards by lengthening and reducing the weight of our drivers. There normally is a point of diminishing return however when applying this concept. Loss of control being the culprit. But it's still a worthwhile experiment for a lot of us.