Question for Those Who Have Lost Distance Due to Age/Surgery - Strategy

[David in FL]

I’m about to turn 63.  I hit my 7-iron 150.  As long as too many of the par-4’s aren’t over about 415ish, I play pretty comfortably up to about 6,500 yards.  Yep, there are times I’m a bit short on a par-4, and I never reach par-5’s, but I can still get around just fine.

Over 6,500 yards, or more than 2 par-4’s that I’m not likely to reach without a hero shot, and the tees are too long for me, and I look at the next set up.  If you’re expecting to lay up on many par-4’s, we have a different definition of fun.  

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by David in FL

[mcanadiens]

9 minutes ago, David in FL said:

I’m about to turn 63.  I hit my 7-iron 150.

This is the thing I find the most depressing.

I'm flipping 44 and hit my 7-iron 150. 

By the time I'm your age I'm going to be on Family Tee 1. 

[mattm16]

I hit my 7 iron about 135 - 140.  Yes, not a lot of distance, but I play the tee's that best suit my distance and have fun.  I've played with people that can hit it a lot longer, but don't have as much control, so I end up beating them.  

Too me, it is not fun to play tee's that doesn't suit your distance just to say "I played the back tees".  

[StuM]

4 hours ago, David in FL said:

I’m about to turn 63.  I hit my 7-iron 150.  As long as too many of the par-4’s aren’t over about 415ish, I play pretty comfortably up to about 6,500 yards.  Yep, there are times I’m a bit short on a par-4, and I never reach par-5’s, but I can still get around just fine.

Over 6,500 yards, or more than 2 par-4’s that I’m not likely to reach without a hero shot, and the tees are too long for me, and I look at the next set up.  If you’re expecting to lay up on many par-4’s, we have a different definition of fun.  

 

200 yards is a very long 7-Iron.   See link below.  Might considered working on the hybrids, woods & drivers to increase accuracy and start using them off the tee.       
 

https://fungolf.co.uk/bryson-dechambeau/amp/
 

 

[StuM]

On 7/16/2021 at 7:25 AM, Jack50 said:

I wondered how those who have lost distance like to play? I used to hit my 7 iron nearly 200 yards, now it's more like 150. Not to go into detail but needs some surgery and took a couple of years to start swinging golf club again. I'm hoping some power comes back but not holding my breath as I'm losing weight. The problem is my accuracy is no better than it was on each club. The question is should I lay up a lot of par 4s and play them as 3 shot holes or just go for it? I wondered how those that have lost yardage like to play? Maybe I need to practice more than I used to. I used to take an 7 iron off most tees and get the ball out there 190-200 yards , sometimes even an 8 iron for 180. This would leave me a shot to the green. I can't do that anymore now I've lost 50 yards per club. Any tips on what to do for strategy would be helpful. My short game is ok (for a casual player), especially inside 50 yards I would expect to get down in 3 85-90% of the time. Thanks.

Oops, in my post #22 I hit the wrong quote.  Should beed the quote above from @Jack50.  Sorry 

[Shindig]

12 hours ago, StuM said:

200 yards is a very long 7-Iron.   See link below.  Might considered working on the hybrids, woods & drivers to increase accuracy and start using them off the tee.       
 

https://fungolf.co.uk/bryson-dechambeau/amp/
 

 

Meanwhile the 155-yard 7-iron for an "experienced golfer" on that site is still a dream for me   

[darthweasel]

8 hours ago, Shindig said:

Meanwhile the 155-yard 7-iron for an "experienced golfer" on that site is still a dream for me   

per Golfpad my 7i averages 180 and my 6i 187. And my 8 162. 

the other day I had it go 91 (may have caught that one really fat and used some adult words immediately thereafter...), 201, 176, 200 even on the round in four uses. On a completely unrelated note, the 201 and 200 sailed well over the green into deep trouble.  

 

The dream for me would be distance control and clubs gapped properly...having 18 yards between my 7i and 8i and then just 7 between my 7i and 6i causes problems, but so does missing my distance by over 10%. I would much rather hit my 7i a consistent distance where my worry was missing left/right instead.

Don't get me wrong, I love my distance. It gives me a lot of advantages...but I would definitely sacrifice a bit of distance for consistent distance accuracy.

So many times I pull a club to lay up short of say...that creek bisecting the fairway...and when I lay up, I don't want to hit within 10 yards of it where a bad bounce ships it into the thing I am laying up for, I want to make sure I am not going in so I want to be somewhat conservative on this specific shot...and few things deflate me more than choosing to lay up, pick a club that would be well back from trouble, flushing it and taking a drop immediately thereafter...

 

I get where you are coming from but if your 155 is consistent you have a weapon with what is conceivably a scoring club. 

[Shindig]

2 hours ago, darthweasel said:

per Golfpad my 7i averages 180 and my 6i 187. And my 8 162. 

the other day I had it go 91 (may have caught that one really fat and used some adult words immediately thereafter...), 201, 176, 200 even on the round in four uses. On a completely unrelated note, the 201 and 200 sailed well over the green into deep trouble.  

 

The dream for me would be distance control and clubs gapped properly...having 18 yards between my 7i and 8i and then just 7 between my 7i and 6i causes problems, but so does missing my distance by over 10%. I would much rather hit my 7i a consistent distance where my worry was missing left/right instead.

Don't get me wrong, I love my distance. It gives me a lot of advantages...but I would definitely sacrifice a bit of distance for consistent distance accuracy.

So many times I pull a club to lay up short of say...that creek bisecting the fairway...and when I lay up, I don't want to hit within 10 yards of it where a bad bounce ships it into the thing I am laying up for, I want to make sure I am not going in so I want to be somewhat conservative on this specific shot...and few things deflate me more than choosing to lay up, pick a club that would be well back from trouble, flushing it and taking a drop immediately thereafter...

 

I get where you are coming from but if your 155 is consistent you have a weapon with what is conceivably a scoring club. 

I wonder if the loft on your 7-iron is off?  I don't know how often lofts should be checked on modern clubs, and if forged/cast makes a difference.  If it's a degree or degree and a half stronger than it should be, that might be the issue.

My 7-iron is, give or take, 140 yards.  I'm more versatile with my 6-iron because I'll hit both flight and full shots with it (I pretty much only hit flights with my 7-iron, a habit I picked up years ago), but there's a 15 yard gap to my 8-iron that is give or take 125.  

[darthweasel]

22 hours ago, Shindig said:

I wonder if the loft on your 7-iron is off?  I don't know how often lofts should be checked on modern clubs, and if forged/cast makes a difference.  If it's a degree or degree and a half stronger than it should be, that might be the issue.

My 7-iron is, give or take, 140 yards.  I'm more versatile with my 6-iron because I'll hit both flight and full shots with it (I pretty much only hit flights with my 7-iron, a habit I picked up years ago), but there's a 15 yard gap to my 8-iron that is give or take 125.  

wouldn't surprise me. been a couple years since I got fit for this set and both the 6 and 7i are in the "comfort club" category where if for some reason my Driver is slicing wildly and I am hooking my 3h and just need to make "good contact" and hit a shot relatively straight I will go with them.   but that is a good question, I might look at getting the loft adjusted, appreciate that

[tehuti]

I hit 7 iron 120, so I play for bogey on most par 4s and all par 5s. I WISHI could hit my 7 iron 150. Hybrids and 7 wood are my friends.