Has anyone here gotten A LOT better after 35?

I've worked as hard as I can on my game for the past 5 years, but busy job, wife and 3 kids, you can only work so hard on your game.  No matter how much work I've put in, it seems like I'm just stuck around the 15 hcp range.

I'm just curious how many people here have made significant improvements to their game after they turned 35?

I am just under 35, but, I made some major improvements in the last 2-3 years. When starting my job 12-15 years ago I went through a huge amount of stagnation. I was stuck at 9-11 handicap and was going nowhere. Then after the kid and wife started to get into a routine and spending a ton of time learning about the golf swing I got much better. I now am 5-7.

So my point is you can improve but it is going to take some work and a family that accepts you working on your game once a week on the weekend. You can maybe add a day a week at lunch it will help also.

Well, I'm 32, so I don't have an answer from personal experience for you.  But I played just last Thursday with a guy who was 57 who had a really solid game, had a couple blow up holes and still shot an 82.  He plays off a 9 and is an excellent putter.  I wouldn't be surprised if his good rounds were solidly into the 70s (I know this stranger's handicap cause I was playing with him in a men's club tourney).  He asked me how old I was at one point.  When I told him 32 he said, "You're lucky.  I hadn't even thought of playing at 32."  He was a serious bodybuilder back then apparently.  Eventually gave up trying to go pro cause he wouldn't take steroids and I think got into the game in his 40s.

Anyway, the point is that if you can get into the single digits not starting until well after 35, there's no reason you can't improve significantly after that.  Hopefully time opens up more as your kids get older, and with time, a good pro, and meaningful practice there's no reason you can't significantly improve in your late 30s or 40s.

EDIT: Like @cipher said, I' ve also improved a lot between 29 and (almost) 33.  Unless you're in really poor shape or have back or joint issues that are really going downhill and playing more will cause lots of injuries or whatever, I don't see any reason you couldn't improve a lot between 35 and 40.

I have improved a lot from 30 to 33. I don't think it should be any tougher from 35-40 or so.

35?  Hell, that's damn near dead.  Pack it in man!

I'm 55 now.

I played to about a 12 until I left active duty 20 years ago, right at age 35.  At that point I started playing a bit more and got more serious about scoring.  Since then I've played to a low in the mid-4's and have tended to hover in the 5-6 hcp range for the last ten years.

I expect to continue to improve.....

I've improved a lot in the last couple of years (40 now) however, the significance is that these last few years are the first years where I've had professional instruction, practiced a lot, practiced properly, and I've played three or four hundred percent more than I ever have.

The improvements were entirely independent of my age, and entirely dependent on the other factors.

What kind of "hard work" have you been putting in, if you don't mind my asking?  Do you have an instructor?  Is he any good?  Do you practice properly?  If the answer to any of those questions is 'no' then you definitely still have room for improvement!!

Like Golfingdad I think for most people it's going to be time you are able to devote, the level of instruction you get, how your approach practice, etc... that will be much bigger factors in improvement than just age. No reason you can't get a lot better after an age like 35. Now if you have already done those things at high level it would be more difficult to improve.

Of course I say all this as a 33 year old not so low handicap golfer looking for some big improvements myself.

Thanks everyone. Some helpful comments.  Hoping to make a big push this year.  I

I didn't hit my first golf ball until I was 48 so by default any improving I have done was after 35.

I was in good physical condition and was always a workout freak in addition to having a job that demanded being in shape so I don't think being 48 made any difference at all. In fact I still don't think it makes any difference at 58 (unless this ridiculous elbow injury I have right now is connected to age?). I guess time will tell about that.

Not knowing how to play was the handicap. Not my age.

That's really impressive.  Starting at 48 and you're a 5?  Well done.  Not that 48 or 58 is old, because it's really  not.

at age 35 I was about a 14, 20 years later I am a 3ish.

Most of the improvement was due to slowing my swing down, even tempo and balance through out the swing. I became more of a feel player with my irons too

Like MS256, I didn't start until after 35, so... naturally! I'm in my 40s and have been playing for about 5 years.  I have improved more in the past two years than in the three years before that.

+1 with a lot of what was mentioned.

I didn't start real instruction until this year, so I guess all the improvements will be after the age of 35+!

You guys make 35 sound so old though :)

When I first registered here on the Sand Trap in (I think) 2010 -- I was 40 and probably about a 16 handicap.

That's a pretty impressive improvement in ~3 years. Granted i'm not over 35 but i'm looking to emulate that sort of improvement in the next few years

I played a lot as a kid but was never any good.  I gave it up at around 20 and didn't touch a club again until around age 36.  Now I'm age 40 and in the last 2 years have made fantastic stride in my swing.  I am the poster-boy for the middle aged guy with no time to play golf.  I have 2 little kids, a wife and my own business.  Last I played actual golf was early 2013.

However, I have a net and a matt in my garage and I go out there and hit balls a lot.  I can step out and just hit 5 or 10 if I want to.  Because I play no actual golf, I can't tell you how much lower my score is now, but my swing is a million times better.  2 years ago I was a chronic slicer.  My drives would go about 175 with a big slice.  My irons stank royally - short, cruddy trajectory . .and that was when I hit it well.

I don't get out to the actual range much - but I went the other week and was driving around 250-260.  My 7 irons were right around 165.  Most of my shots draw to some degree.  I still can't draw or fade on demand.  I still can't control trajectory - but my trajectory and ball flight are much, much better.

I had a lesson today, first one in almost a year, and got to see my swing on video for the first time in a long time and I was shocked at how much good stuff there is going in it now.