How much distance do you lose with age?

[Dave325]

3 hours ago, Lihu said:

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

True story about the technology and club choice. I used to play fairway woods when they really were made out of wood... And my first set as a kid had wooden shafts. So, I am hitting a lot further than I did back when and until just recently... Started to pay attention to my swing and learn how to do it correctly. I am actually looking to go further in the future. After all... Age is only a number that I don't pay attention to.

[bkuehn1952]

5 hours ago, Lihu said:

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

One group plays golf that I witness, the other group reports on their golf electronically.

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, bkuehn1952 said:

One group plays golf that I witness, the other group reports on their golf electronically.

Sure, of course. I was originally thinking that it was people you met on line and now play golf with them.

[Bucki1968]

I know I am repeating what many have already said, but at 46 years old I actually hit it further than I did at 26. Irons and woods. Shafts and the balls have made a huge difference in my game. I now routinely hit a 9 iron from 150 yards and about 30% of the time it's a pitching wedge. That being said, I work out much more now than I did a "hard partying" assistant professional. I usually will hit a couple 300 yard drives per round also (sometimes they even go straight).

[pganapathy]

Assuming the same equipment, I would have to say fitness determines how far you can hit a ball.  When I was younger we used to play with wooden woods but now the better balls, 460cc heads and fancy shafts have increased my distance.  Could not really get much more than 250 when I was in my late teens or 20's, but now get around 300 with good contact

[saevel25]

My dad hit the ball out to 230-250 yards will about his late 50's. Then he's dropped to 200-230 yards now, he's in his early 60's. Really he lost the a good chunk of his distance in the past 5-6 years. 

[Fourputt]

3 hours ago, Bucki1968 said:

I know I am repeating what many have already said, but at 46 years old I actually hit it further than I did at 26. Irons and woods. Shafts and the balls have made a huge difference in my game. I now routinely hit a 9 iron from 150 yards and about 30% of the time it's a pitching wedge. That being said, I work out much more now than I did a "hard partying" assistant professional. I usually will hit a couple 300 yard drives per round also (sometimes they even go straight).

Come on guy - 46 is just the prime for an amateur golfer.  If you had lost distance already then it would be from something else, not age.  I was still driving 250-270 when I turned 60.  Come back and talk to us when you are approaching 70.

[Lihu]

11 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

Come on guy - 46 is just the prime for an amateur golfer.  If you had lost distance already then it would be from something else, not age.  I was still driving 250-270 when I turned 60.  Come back and talk to us when you are approaching 70.

Funny, I was told the same exact thing by two of my random playing partners who are 70*** or older last week. I never thought of 46 as being the "prime" in anything, but I guess golf is the exception?

 

***They were really good players and former range marshalls. Not short hitters by any sense.

[Fourputt]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Funny, I was told the same exact thing by two of my random playing partners last week. I never thought of 46 as being the "prime" in anything, but I guess golf is the exception?

It may be nearing the end of what most would call the "prime" period for a golfer, but most players are still playing at as high a level as they ever have at that age unless injury has impacted their game.  I was at the highest level I'd ever played in my mid 40's.  I was 45 when my handicap dipped below 10 for the only time in my life.  I mostly kept my  handicap wavering around 10-13 until after I turned 60.

[Lihu]

4 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

It may be nearing the end of what most would call the "prime" period for a golfer, but most players are still playing at as high a level as they ever have at that age unless injury has impacted their game.  I was at the highest level I'd ever played in my mid 40's.  I was 45 when my handicap dipped below 10 for the only time in my life.  I mostly kept my  handicap wavering around 10-13 until after I turned 60.

That's pretty much what the other golfers in this age group told me. One of the three partners was probably late 50s or early 60s if I had to guess and still puts the ball out there and played single digit golf. He hit his 3W pretty far. He also showed me how to play a hole "backwards", and do other fun stuff on the course. He challenged me to hit greens from other fairways and stuff like that. It was really fun and made the round really interesting.

[MacDutch]

Started golf at 52, now 58 and didn't loose an inch in distance so far. A couple of weeks ago I played with an 84 guy, he did hit it as far as I did. When he started to talk about 'la guerre' I realized he ment WWii. Verry impressive.

[Lihu]

OT, but still cool to watch. FF to 54 seconds.

 

 

 

 

Getting back on topic. . .

So, the motions I am using are pretty much depending upon flexibility, but not so much strength (that I can feel, anyway). The more relaxed my muscles the farther I hit. I'm not a short hitter any more, and it seems like I should be able to retain my current distance for some time to come (maybe a couple decades)? Still working a lot on my form and mechanics, but it seems pretty stress free?