"Being in your prime"

[LongballGer]

I never understood this. Why are the old guys not in contention more in pro tournaments. I mean guys in their 40s, 50s and even 60s.


I don't believe it's a lack of distance. I mean look at Brian Gay, Tim Clark etc.

I don't believe it's fitness either. Anyone can be in shape provided they hit the gym.

Why is there such thing as being in your prime when golf is mostly a skills game and not a physical one.

[chriskzoo]

It really comes down to a combination of mental accuity and physical prowess. The peaks of these two will hit most people in their 30's, which is whey that is the prime for most golfers. Then again Tiger said yesterday his current self would beat his 2000 self and he expected that in 2019 he will be better than he is now - which scared the crap out of me if that's true. He just has more shots and thinks his way around the course a lot better.

[clubchamp]

Kenny Perry?

[dragonflyin]

Actually what I gathered from TV interviews of some of the all time greats, is that putting is actually one of the first things to go with age. Distance is more trivial in comparison.

[CG031]

A lot of guys tend to lose their putting - especially the short, testers when they get older. I guess it becomes a confidence issue...I think it's one of the biggest reasons - the young guys on the PGA Tour are generally much better putters than the real old guys on the PGA Tour, or a lot of the guys on the Champions.

[ks8829]

Tom Watson if he won the Open is going to be 60?

[microcrayfish]

The physical side of golf isn't just out on the course. There's the grind of the thousands of hours of practice when you're not playing tournaments, and things like the travel and promotional appearances can wear on you. Plus there's also the fact that most of the older golfers have families and business ventures that take up time, so they're probably not practicing as much as they used to.

[allin]

  microcrayfish said:

The physical side of golf isn't just out on the course. There's the grind of the thousands of hours of practice when you're not playing tournaments, and things like the travel and promotional appearances can wear on you. Plus there's also the fact that most of the older golfers have families and business ventures that take up time, so they're probably not practicing as much as they used to.

I do believe energy and physical recovery take more time as you get older. I am especially aware of this in my 50's. Those who push the limit are at higher risk of injury. The often attributed mental decline is I think caused by the physical fatigue factor, as this post expresses, makes it more difficult to play well four straight days as you age. The emotional changes as you age are correctly identified as a factor as well. When the odds of being on top get longer it is hard to justify single minded pursuit of golf greatness and the loss of other valuable experiences.

[bogeyhitter25]

There are still a handful of "older" guys that are occasionally in contention. And of course KP has won twice this year (FBR, Travelers), and has a runner-up at Augusta. Vijay won the FedEX when he was 45. Plus when you have young guys like Rory McIlroy, AK, Camilo Villegas, etc. bombing it miles and making tons of birdies, it's tough to get into contention. And how could we forget the big TW's.