Old guy - Starting up again

[JBailey]

23 years ago I was a solid 5 handicap with an occasional foray to 2.  Then, I was told that without a back operation I may not walk again.  After the back operation I spent 3 years unsuccessfully trying to break 100.  So, I quit and took up sea kayaking.

Fast forward to this August.  Since I fully retired this year and have become bored, I decided to dust off the old clubs and get back into the swing of things.  The result, a round of 116 and 108.  I decided the stiff shafted clubs I used 20 years ago just would not do.  So, I told my wife I was going to buy some "old man" clubs.  Light weight graphite regular shafts and hybrid 4 and 5 clubs did the trick.  I've been under 100 since. 

In the last two months I've been consistently lowering my handicap -- which now sets at 11.  I feel like a golfer again.

Yesterday I hit 8 greens in regulation and I'm charged up.  It is a great help that the weather in Northern Michigan has been unseasonably good and I'm still playing in November.

Good to be back and will truly enjoy the only good Sand Trap around.

Later,

John

[Gator Hazard]

Welcome to TST, sounds like you are really picking back up where you left off.  

[JBailey]

I'll tell ya', the "old man's clubs" really made a difference!  However, my goal this year was to get the handicap down below 20.  That didn't take long.  Given another month of playing, I think I might get the handicap below 10.  However, looks like I'll have to go south for that.  The course I've been playing closed today and, so far I haven't found another one open.

Later,

John

[mvmac]

Welcome to the site. Good luck with your game!

[14ledo81]

Welcome to TST!!

[9wood]

On 11/3/2015, 9:51:52, JBailey said:

23 years ago I was a solid 5 handicap with an occasional foray to 2.  Then, I was told that without a back operation I may not walk again.  After the back operation I spent 3 years unsuccessfully trying to break 100.  S

John

Just curious - what age are you?

[inthehole]

great story !     I took up the game at 46 (5 yrs ago), so I can relate at least to some degree.    I've got a bad back too & I'm not even trying to keep up distance wise with the young guys I play with, but it is fun to keep it in play & smack the crap out of them on the scorecard.

[9wood]

On 11/3/2015, 9:51:52, JBailey said:

 

1 hour ago, inthehole said:

great story !     I took up the game at 46 (5 yrs ago), so I can relate at least to some degree.    I've got a bad back too & I'm not even trying to keep up distance wise with the young guys I play with, but it is fun to keep it in play & smack the crap out of them on the scorecard.

When I was 46 years old, 70 year old golfers were beating me on the scorecard. I'm now 67 years old and an athletic 43 year old avid golfer challenged me to a match so I took him up on his challenge and ending up beating him by 6 strokes for the nine holes that we played. Now he wants a rematch.

[JBailey]

18 hours ago, 9wood said:

Just curious - what age are you?

65

15 hours ago, 9wood said:

When I was 46 years old, 70 year old golfers were beating me on the scorecard. I'm now 67 years old and an athletic 43 year old avid golfer challenged me to a match so I took him up on his challenge and ending up beating him by 6 strokes for the nine holes that we played. Now he wants a rematch.

About 35 years ago my partner and I won our league championship.  However, we never did beat Jim and Jim.  Both Jim's were 75 and hit the ball straight every shot, although they were very short.  I'm putting the "Jim & Jim" lesson to good use right now.  I'm about 30 yds. shorter off the tee.  However, when I get my short game and putting back into shape, (that part of the game seems to be the slowest to return) I truly feel I can get back to my old "5" handicap.

I only wish I had longer to play this season in this Northern Michigan climate.

Later,

John

[Return2Golf]

Well done John.

As previously mentioned, back injuries are so unpredictable that one never really knows how it will respond to a new-found return to golf.  The switch to newer technology seems to have really worked for you.  I read that Seve Ballesteros used to hang upside down to help with his notorious back problems.  I'm wondering if he used an inversion machine.  I'm not even sure if these devices are proven to alleviate back problems but people I know think I should part with the $$$ to test it so they can decide if they want to part with the $$$ for one.  Honestly.  Easy does it.  I will no longer be hitting ball after ball at the range, trying to hit as far as I can and will just try and get by with basic tee offs and concentrate on short games and putting.  Backs are too important as we know.

[JBailey]

19 minutes ago, Return2Golf said:

Well done John.

As previously mentioned, back injuries are so unpredictable that one never really knows how it will respond to a new-found return to golf.  The switch to newer technology seems to have really worked for you.  I read that Seve Ballesteros used to hang upside down to help with his notorious back problems.  I'm wondering if he used an inversion machine.  I'm not even sure if these devices are proven to alleviate back problems but people I know think I should part with the $$$ to test it so they can decide if they want to part with the $$$ for one.  Honestly.  Easy does it.  I will no longer be hitting ball after ball at the range, trying to hit as far as I can and will just try and get by with basic tee offs and concentrate on short games and putting.  Backs are too important as we know.

Thanks Return2Golf.  I've almost convinced myself to not worry about distance off the tee.  My best drives only go about 240 now with and average more like 220.  I've had two 78's and a 79 by, simply, eliminating double and triple bogeys (or worse).  I wish I had known, as a younger player, how much accuracy meant to scoring more than distance.

Later,

John

[pganapathy]

@JBailey, it is better to play a 78 with a short drive than belt it 300+ and have to come out 15 yards sideways because you are in the boonies.  Impressive golf.  Hope to be able to emulate that one day.  Not enough time for practice and golf in general now.  I can sympathise with you about the back.  I have a horrid lower back caused by bad posture and have had lower back pain every day since I was around say 15 years old.  Not fun

[JBailey]

39 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

@JBailey, it is better to play a 78 with a short drive than belt it 300+ and have to come out 15 yards sideways because you are in the boonies.  Impressive golf.  Hope to be able to emulate that one day.  Not enough time for practice and golf in general now.  I can sympathise with you about the back.  I have a horrid lower back caused by bad posture and have had lower back pain every day since I was around say 15 years old.  Not fun

About 40 years ago the club pro at my club came out to the first tee and demanded I take some lessons.  I was playing 7 days a week, usually 36 holes, and could hit the ball 300 yds. with persimmon. I was a 16 handicap.  When I ask him "why," he asked how far my tee shots went in the woods.  I, of course, told him I didn't hit it in the woods very often.  He said, "show me."  I proceeded to hit it 20 yds. in the woods.

He told me he would take 20 yds. off my drive and cut my handicap in half.  I took the lessons and lowered my handicap to 8 that summer.  Over the next few summers I did everything I could to be more accurate.  The most effective item was to build a 13.5 degree driver.  That improved my accuracy to the point where I was missing very few fairways.  My handicap got down to a solid 5 and although I did get below that a few times, a 5 is where my talent level seems to lie.

I've still got that 13.5 degree driver, but I can't hit the stiff shaft anymore.  I'm going to build another this winter with a 460 head and regular shaft.  I believe it will help me get in the single digits next summer.

Later,

John

[Return2Golf]

12 hours ago, pganapathy said:

@JBailey, it is better to play a 78 with a short drive than belt it 300+ and have to come out 15 yards sideways because you are in the boonies.  Impressive golf.  Hope to be able to emulate that one day.  Not enough time for practice and golf in general now.  I can sympathise with you about the back.  I have a horrid lower back caused by bad posture and have had lower back pain every day since I was around say 15 years old.  Not fun

Maybe if humans evolve, their backs will be new and improved versions :)

[Lihu]

On 11/3/2015, 11:37:06, JBailey said:

I'll tell ya', the "old man's clubs" really made a difference!  However, my goal this year was to get the handicap down below 20.  That didn't take long.  Given another month of playing, I think I might get the handicap below 10.  However, looks like I'll have to go south for that.  The course I've been playing closed today and, so far I haven't found another one open.

Later,

John

Nice results, and good thought. . .I'm going to try my Ping G10 12 degree with regular shaft this weekend.

[JBailey]

5 hours ago, Lihu said:

Nice results, and good thought. . .I'm going to try my Ping G10 12 degree with regular shaft this weekend.

I'll be interested to hear how you do.

Later,

John