How much distance do you lose with age?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

So you can do it (not proven as far as I know) but the guy above can't. Says who? You?

I say so. That good enough for you sean_miller?

[wmiller]

Here we go...

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by iacas

I say so. That good enough for you sean_miller?

It depends on what you're saying. Are you validating his driver distance or his scepticism about everyone else's?

[The Recreational Golfer]

A better question might be, at what age do you start losing distance? I see older golfers who can still make a pretty full backswing, but turning into the ball they have to hold up. Look at this video of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus hitting the opening drives at Augusta this year. Palmer is 81, so there isn't much left of his swing. Nicklaus is 71. His backswing looks pretty good, but look at that hitch just as he's coming into the ball. That's the move that I notice the older golfers have the most trouble with. Not being able to keep accelerating into the ball is what cuts down your distance as you age past a certain point, as I see it.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

It depends on what you're saying. Are you validating his driver distance or his scepticism about everyone else's?

Validating. You're sometimes too quick to judge. Danny's on staff and has been for years. I've played golf with him. He can hit the ball 300 yards.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by iacas

Validating. You're sometimes too quick to judge. Danny's on staff and has been for years. I've played golf with him. He can hit the ball 300 yards.

He seemed to be dissing recent posts and that triggered my response. Maybe he has more experience with people who see their drives with 300 yard coloured glasses than I do. Also, I did see the TST staff logo and wasn't doubting his personal driving. There's a lot of extra pop required to go from 275 to 305 - flukes don't count - when someone routinely drives 300+ (rangefinder or GPS or even just plain old common sense validated) they know it and their playing partners know it. They just know it. Peace out.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

He seemed to be dissing recent posts and that triggered my response. Maybe he has more experience with people who see their drives with 300 yard coloured glasses than I do. Also, I did see the TST staff logo and wasn't doubting his personal driving. There's a lot of extra pop required to go from 275 to 305 - flukes don't count - when someone routinely drives 300+ (rangefinder or GPS or even just plain old common sense validated) they know it and their playing partners know it. They just know it. Peace out.

Easy there, no need to get upset. It is a well known fact people tend to over-estimate their driving prowess. In fact golf digest did an article on it several years back, I wish I could find it.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

Easy there, no need to get upset. It is a well known fact people tend to over-estimate their driving prowess. In fact golf digest did an article on it several years back, I wish I could find it.

Settle down big fella. There's no need to denigrate my post with insulting emoticons, is there?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Settle down big fella. There's no need to denigrate my post with insulting emoticons, is there?

s_m, chill. I think the ":doh:" smiley was referring to Danny's inability to find something he was searching for. Not to "denigrate your post."

Back to the topic, please.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by iacas

s_m, chill. I think the ":doh:" smiley was referring to Danny's inability to find something he was searching for. Not to "denigrate your post."

Back to the topic, please.

Sorry Danny - I suppose iacas is correct.

I've been bombarded too many times with insulting cartoons to think objectively. Apparently it's not only distance people lose with age.

On topic, I'm waiting for my distance losses to begin. I have a lighter carry bag (vintage izzo - almost zero gravity) with my TA3 irons, 588 wedges, G10 driver, Launcher 3-wood, and 2-hybrid all set up. It may double as my early season setup next season.

[dospesos1]

10 yards for every 10 years after 50, 15 yards every 5 years after 60. Then 20 yards for every 2 years after 70.

[phan52]

I guess I am not a good example for this question. If I knew how to swing a club properly in my thirties and compared it to today, maybe there would be something to measure.

But I am 60 and I hit the ball farther today than I ever have, with every club. Equipment (both clubs and balls) is a HUGE factor, I am pretty fit for a guy my age, I have decent flexibility and I know a lot more about the golf swing than I did 30 years ago.

[AmazingWhacker]

Eventually we lose it all. Based on good golfers I've played with, guys seem to be able to hit it pretty far into thier late 50's. after about 65, they get that "old man swing"

[Moppy]

When I get that old man swing, I hope I have the good sense to play from the red tees.

[phan52]

Eventually we lose it all.

Based on good golfers I've played with, guys seem to be able to hit it pretty far into thier late 50's. after about 65, they get that "old man swing"

If you stay fit you can hold that off. I know some guys who are 50 and have an "old man swing" and I have a regular playing partner who is a 5 handicap at 68 and hits it as good as he ever did. But he's a workout freak, even plays in a mens hockey league in the winter.

[Dave2512]

Really depends on how fit you are. My step-dad just turned 65 and he is in good condition for his age. He hits the ball nearly as well and far as I do at 44. A few at his club are in their 70's and they play single digit golf with good swings but are what I would call extraordinarily fit for their age, the run marathons until they die types. The flipside is we see much younger guys that have no golf skill what so ever and they would be doing good to emulate a decent old guy swing.

[Fourputt]

10 yards for every 10 years after 50, 15 yards every 5 years after 60. Then 20 yards for every 2 years after 70.

What?  This is stupid.  You can't put a firm number on it because everyone starts at a different place.  A player who was hitting 220 when he turned 50 would be barely over 100 yards at age 75 by your numbers (220 - [25+37+50] = 113 yards).  You're a whack-a-doodle.

[mdl]

It all depends.  I played yesterday with a guy who who was crushed by a bus in his 50s and then proceeded to have 5 surgeries on his left hip, knee, and leg.  The torque, load, and fire onto his front leg just wasn't possible anymore, and he didn't play for years.  He's in maybe his mid to late 60s now, picked the game back up 3 years ago AS A LEFTY.  His good drives still went in the 230+ range!

Point is, I hold out hope to be able to play totally respectable golf, meaning not driver, 3w, 3w, pitch, putt from a medium length par 4, from the front tees well into my 70s.