How much distance do you lose with age?

[k-troop]

Ill be 40 in 2 months, and I'm longer now (or at least as long) as I was when I played in college 20 years ago. Technology is amazing. (To be fair, I'm at least as strong as I was at 20 but my speed and flexibility have diminished significantly.)

[9wood]

I'm 66 and I may have have lost a bit of distance, but my accuracy has improved and I am now producing lower scores than I use to back when I use to drive further into bad lies.

[dfreuter415]

How much distance do you lose with age? Thanks for your thoughts.

My distances were pretty consistent until I hit my late 50's then they dropped. Now I play a lot of senior tees to make up for lost yardage off of the tee.

Club	1976-2008	2015
Driver	250-270	220
3 Wood	230	210
4 Wood	210	190
5 Wood	200	X
7 Wood	190	X
3 Hybrid	X	180
3 Iron	190	X
4 Iron	180	170
5 Iron	170	160
6 Iron	160	150
7 Iron	150	140
8 Iron	140	130
9 Iron	125	115
P Wedge	115	100
G Wedge	X	80
S Wedge	80	X
L Wedge	60	60

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artimas

How much distance do you lose with age? Thanks for your thoughts.

My distances were pretty consistent until I hit my late 50's then they dropped. Now I play a lot of senior tees to make up for lost yardage off of the tee.

Club

1976-2008

2015

Driver

250-270

220

3 Wood

230

210

4 Wood

210

190

5 Wood

200

X

7 Wood

190

X

3 Hybrid

X

180

3 Iron

190

X

4 Iron

180

170

5 Iron

170

160

6 Iron

160

150

7 Iron

150

140

8 Iron

140

130

9 Iron

125

115

P Wedge

115

100

G Wedge

X

80

S Wedge

80

X

L Wedge

60

60

I can just copy your list and change a couple of clubs and I'm right there with you.  That first column is exactly what I played to for most of my golfing life.  I didn't carry a 4W or a 7W during that period, nor did I have a Gw or a LW, but I did have a 2I, and I carried 2 drivers for several years, one of which, a TM Burner 9.5°, I used as a fairway wood, with a TM 8.5° Tour Driver as my driving club.  Distances for the same clubs were exactly the same.

[newtogolf]

It depends on how long you've played golf.  I'm 50 and relatively new to the game, (3.5 years). This year I've added about 20 yards to all my clubs because of an improved swing and making better contact with the ball.  My instructor believes I will still add another 10 - 15 yards by the end of the year as I increase my flexibility and core strength.

I realize I will eventually peak and then start to decline but I'm enjoying the longer distance while I can.

[Mr. Desmond]

I am 60 and have picked up and/or maintained speed from earlier years with golf fitness (flexibility and limited weight work) a better swing, sequencing, tempo, and setup.

After surgery about 4 yrs ago, driver SS was about 78, then mid-80's, went to an instructor a year ago, and am at 95+.

The more one understands the swing, I think, you can get more speed without looking like a gorilla throwing yourself at the ball.

[dfreuter415]

I am 60 and have picked up and/or maintained speed from earlier years with golf fitness (flexibility and limited weight work) a better swing, sequencing, tempo, and setup.

After surgery about 4 yrs ago, driver SS was about 78, then mid-80's, went to an instructor a year ago, and am at 95+.

Congrats Mr. Desmond - you are an example for all of us 60+ golfers. Adding 17 MPH is awesome. About how many yards did that translate to on your driver?

[Lastpick]

At 65 years old, I am hitting the ball as far as when I started.  I started golf about 1969 and quit about 1976 because of family and work.  When I started golf, you bought a set of woods and really didn't know the loft or anything about the shaft.  Technology has really change the game for the senior golfer.  Hybrids are long and forgiving.  Hybrids are great for all kinds of shots.  A good drive of mine is about 250-260.  Probably average 240.  Irons are longer than when I began.  Also launch higher.

One quick addition.  When I started golf, a set of irons was 2-pw.  I now carry four wedges.

[MSDOGS1976]

I played with some guys today, both over 60. One of them was carrying the ball 245-250. He was easily outdriving me. I had a really, really bad driving day, but even if I was hitting it well, I would've just matched him. Technology allows people to play longer. Senior shafts, titanium club face, and of course the improvement in the ball. The one gentleman's swing didn't look pretty, but he was very, very effective off of the tee.

Agree 100%. Technology has certainly helped me. Twenty years ago or so, I was hitting a persimmon headed driver or just getting into hitting a small headed metal driver. Even though I was younger and stronger(60 now), I couldn't hit the driver any further than I do today. If anything, I hit it further today. I have a real light shaft and it works well for me plus I have one of those long Tom Watson type swings and that has helped in keeping my flexibility. I can tell I'm shorter with my irons though.

[PEZGolf]

I am 67 and  I have lost 20 yards in distance. Even 6 years ago, I was OK. From 2010-14, I played only once a year, and did not practice. My handicap rose from 5 to 16. Prior to 2010, I hit my 6 iron 152 yards.*******This year, I have played 4 times a week, and practiced almost every day. I am now scratch, and my son and I won his member-guest by 10 points over the defending Champs. I reluctantly moved to the senior tees since I hit my 6 iron only 133 yards.

 

[JBailey]

I quit playing for 20 yrs. and started up again this year a 65.  My on-the-screws drives this year were a good 50 yds. shorter than 20 yrs. ago at the beginning of the summer.  By the end of summer I was about 30 yds. shorter.  I walk every round and was very sore after a round at the beginning of the summer.  By the end of summer I wasn't bothered at all by a round of golf.  My irons were 2 clubs shorter at the beginning of the summer and now only 1 club.

I think as I get in better shape next year, and work on flexibility, I'll be able to get a little longer.  By playing smarter and keeping the ball in play more, I think I'll be able to get close to my previous handicap of 5.

Later,

John

[Lihu]

On 9/11/2013 at 10:28 AM, Acuna said:

Man, this thread makes me wish I took up golf when I was younger.  I am 35 and started playing this past April.  Sounds like I could start to lose distance as soon as I gain it.

Not sure it'll happen that quickly?

 

On 9/11/2013 at 11:40 AM, newtogolf said:

I'm 48 and gaining yardage but that's most likely because I only started playing seriously at 46 and didn't know how to swing a club as well as I do today.

Makes sense.

 

On 6/20/2015 at 1:33 AM, vangator said:

Did you serve your full sentence or did you get out on early parole? I'm 58 and have been playing over 40 years and I've definitely lost yardage. I used to be a long hitter, consistently hitting the ball to the lollipops. Now I hit to the black and white candy cane (150 yard marker). Used to be I could reach almost any par 5, even the 600 yarders. Now I'm laying up on the 500 yarders.

That sounds like >50 yards loss?

 

On 6/20/2015 at 2:36 AM, Natural Patrick said:

I'm 48 and over the past 3 years I have lost about 10yds per iron and 20yds with the driver. I have been playing golf for 40 years, so I'm not going to get into how far I use to hit the ball years ago. This is what I can tell you from my own personal experience. My health and fitness have been on a downward trend for a very long time. I have never ate right. I eat what I want and when I want and not healthy foods. I drink way to much. I have never worked out. I do walk about 3 miles a day and ride my bike a couple times a month but that is about it. I can still shoot in the upper 70's for a round of 18 a couple times a month but, my lifestyle is catching up to me very quickly. So for me it's a health and fitness issue more so than age.

This is very typical of the responses I have seen. There seems to be a trend.

 

On 6/20/2015 at 3:20 AM, Patch said:

I have lost around 10% - 15% distance in my longer clubs, but I don't attribute much of that to getting older. Being in the wrong spot at the wrong time, and multiple surgeries is the major culprit. I have kept most of my short club distances, and have gained a bit more accuracy in my long clubs due to having to swing slower. I can still get around most courses on one side of 80 or the other. These days, in my game, it's my putting that dictates my end score. Chipping, and putting has no age limitations.

This and some due to aging, I guess?

 

In summary, I'm wondering if good technique can retain/regain some of the distance you "used to have"?

Here's and article.

The table is for professionals so, they have really good technique.

It looks like distance loss with purely age is not as bad as most of us think? 30 yards from 29 years old to 69? That's only 7.8 yards per decade. It might be because of injury or technique that leads to further reduced performance?

I have far from perfect technique, but last year I decided to make sure I did not get injuries playing golf and started to make adjustments in my swing accordingly. My instructors taught me the basics and I am still remembering and implementing the stuff they taught me. More of it is making sense, and I am able to make minor modifications without any kind of undue stress on any part of my body. A testament to this is that many of my new playing partners are surprised by my age. They typically think I an 10-15 years younger just because of how far I drive? What's better is that the more I increase my swing speed the less stress it seems to impose on my body.

Not sure if this is a valid generalization or not, obviously there are many factors in play here. Yet, I attribute this to good instruction, and not any form of latent natural talent.

[vangator]

I started playing when I was 18.  I am 58 now.  I was a pretty good athlete when I was younger.  I was seriously contemplating trying out for the 1976 Olympics in wrestling.  Obviously in pretty good shape and very flexible.  I could hit the ball a mile.  Regularly in the 300's, but didn't know where it was going.

I've lost some swing speed.  I remember when the swing speed radar first came out.  I grabbed a 5 iron in the store and without any warm up was about 102.  Don't know if that was good, but I used to cast the club, so there wasn't any whip to my swing.

Currently I measured my driver without any warm up around 107.  But I really don't swing that fast on the course now.  I'm more about FIR.  I hit some warm up balls on the range beforehand.  The first hole at my course is 327 and I'm usually around 60 yards from the center on my drives.  Years ago I used to drive the ball now and then into the green side bunker.  That's a little out of my range now.

There's a par 5 that measures 480 and I used to drive it upon occasion to the 150 yard pineapple palm.  The palm is gone now and so is my distance.  My best drives are to the 200 yard marker now.  No more driver / 8 iron into that hole.

I think a major contributor to my loss of distance are the little aches and pains I have.  A couple of rotator cuff injuries has certainly hurt my distance.  Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow in both arms.  I've shortened my backswing also.  No more John Daly wrap around.

[9wood]

On 6/12/2011 at 9:01 PM, Golf'nBiker said:

 I do kno tho, that we have some guys that hit a 7 iron to a 135 par 3 while others are still whacking PW or 9 irons!

Not too far off. I personally use my 8 iron for those holes or a seven going into the wind

Even in my 40's I was never a long driver. Today at age 67 my average drive is about 210. The only difference now is that I hit almost every fairway on my drive, where in the past I would hit very few fairways.

[Marty2019]

When I was in my 20s, about 35 years ago, I was hitting a persimmon headed driver about 240, sometimes as much as 270.   Now, I am 62, and I think my swing is better, and I know my clubs are better, and I know the balls are better, but I can only drive it 220, sometimes as much as 240.   I have lost a LOT of flexibility.   I generally shoot in the mid to upper 80s.  That's about what I shot when I was in my 20s, from the same member tees (not the tips), on the same course.   The scorecard says the yardage from those tees is 6,153.  I think I'm a better golfer now than I was back then, but I have lost a lot of distance. 

I was watching a replay of a tournament the other day, and 52 year old Miguel Angel Jimenez was teeing off, and the announcer said he only averages about 250 off the tee.  The PGA tour average is (I think) around 285-290?   So, first tee, he steps up and snap hooks his ball into deep rough and has to punch out to the fairway.   I'm flipping channels, and I come back a few hours later, and he's 4 under for the day and standing around 10th place.   How does he do it?   I'm going to have to watch him a little more closely next time.  

[Mr. Desmond]

I think distance is part attitude, and that attitude can overcome physical limitations. At the same time, you've got to work on flexibility and maintain some strength.

Five years ago, I could barely break 200 with driver after a quad bypass, it saps your energy, and with me, a side effect was a frozen right shoulder that took a year to regain 95% motion. But you overcome. I took the occasion to rebuild a swing -- now that has had its ups and downs, but my swing has finally improved. It feels different. At 60, my irons are a it longer as previous to surgery, and I will know by summer as to my distances with woods. I now have clubs with which I have confidence.

At the same time, I know my key to distance is flexibility, maintaining strength, and improving swing keys.

[bkuehn1952]

Technology has been my friend as I have aged.  At 63 I may take one more club than 10 years ago but often that would have been the smart play 10 years ago.

I have never been a long hitter like so many of my internet friends but my attention is on scoring, not the club used or the distance of the drive.  I continue to score as well as I ever have playing the same set of tees.

I have noted a marked increase in driving distance when playing in AZ, TX and FL.  If/when I need a distance boost, I may have to move.  ;)

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, bkuehn1952 said:

Technology has been my friend as I have aged.  At 63 I may take one more club than 10 years ago but often that would have been the smart play 10 years ago.

I have never been a long hitter like so many of my internet friends but my attention is on scoring, not the club used or the distance of the drive.  I continue to score as well as I ever have playing the same set of tees.

I have noted a marked increase in driving distance when playing in AZ, TX and FL.  If/when I need a distance boost, I may have to move.  ;)

What's the difference between your internet and non-internet friends?