Looking after your body

[paininthenuts]

I only took up golf a year ago, and I am 60 next year. My improvement has been quite rapid, albeit I am still very inconsistent. It's no surprise that after playing in excess of 60 holes a week for a year, I am suffering from a few aches and pains. That hasn't surprised me, but I have managed to strap up the offending part and get on with it. Recently though my golf has taken a real downturn, and I mean the last 10 days or so. It was pointed out to me by an experienced golfer that it may well be muscle fatigue. Whilst I haven't felt tired, I just haven't been able to strike the ball cleanly, and on the odd occasion I have done so, it just goes all over the place. I am sure I don't need to tell everyone how frustrating that is. I just took a few days rest, and this morning I played OK, not brilliant, but OK. Getting older is horrible, especially when your mind tells your body it can things, when in reality it just can't. I would like to think that perhaps someone in a similar position to me reads this post and takes heed. 

[boogielicious]

55 minutes ago, paininthenuts said:

I only took up golf a year ago, and I am 60 next year. My improvement has been quite rapid, albeit I am still very inconsistent. It's no surprise that after playing in excess of 60 holes a week for a year, I am suffering from a few aches and pains. That hasn't surprised me, but I have managed to strap up the offending part and get on with it. Recently though my golf has taken a real downturn, and I mean the last 10 days or so. It was pointed out to me by an experienced golfer that it may well be muscle fatigue. Whilst I haven't felt tired, I just haven't been able to strike the ball cleanly, and on the odd occasion I have done so, it just goes all over the place. I am sure I don't need to tell everyone how frustrating that is. I just took a few days rest, and this morning I played OK, not brilliant, but OK. Getting older is horrible, especially when your mind tells your body it can things, when in reality it just can't. I would like to think that perhaps someone in a similar position to me reads this post and takes heed. 

Check out the Fitness section of the forum. Loads of good stuff their.

[dennyjones]

I believe flexibility is key as we age.  I'm reading a book called the Flexible Golf Swing and it is enlightening.  

[wannabe]

yeah, don't remember who he is, but there's some golf pro/instructor on Morning Drive this week who is definitely up there in years, but is fit and flexible, a wiry, sneaky strong smacker of the golf ball.

fitness is a key to all sorts of good things in life, golf swing being most important.

[paininthenuts]

44 minutes ago, wannabe said:

yeah, don't remember who he is, but there's some golf pro/instructor on Morning Drive this week who is definitely up there in years, but is fit and flexible, a wiry, sneaky strong smacker of the golf ball.

fitness is a key to all sorts of good things in life, golf swing being most important.

I do most of my work outs in the pub. I find the lifting action advantageous as well as therapeutic. Rarely do I ever leave the pub feeling worse than when I went in !!  

[jkelley9]

I'm not on some of y'alls spectrum of age, but my priority in my hopefully-lifelong golf hobby is to take the least amount of toll on my body as possible. Period. If I will never be a single-digit player, so be it. That means, when I get the the course to either hit range balls or play I will ALWAYS warm up and do full stretches for every muscle group that I believe is in the full swing motion. I will groove my swing (hitting a ball or not) with the mindset of relaxed, good controlled rotation and then head to the 1st tee after. I think this would be highly beneficial to y'all as well. Take the time!

I would probably bet (although I'm no doctor) that the majority of back and leg related injuries are following someone completely skipping any stretching/warm-up routine thinking "I feel good today."  

Edited September 15, 2016 by jkelley9

[MacDutch]

On 14 september 2016 at 2:37 PM, paininthenuts said:

I only took up golf a year ago, and I am 60 next year. My improvement has been quite rapid, albeit I am still very inconsistent. It's no surprise that after playing in excess of 60 holes a week for a year, I am suffering from a few aches and pains. 

Same age here, but no problem at all to play that much. This weekend will be packed with golf, 6 rounds in 4 days. Walking and carrying. And I am not at all in perfect condition. Better then average is more correct.

Maybe the swing is hard on you? Or you need to work out?

[No Mulligans]

On 9/14/2016 at 7:02 AM, dennyjones said:

I believe flexibility is key as we age.  I'm reading a book called the Flexible Golf Swing and it is enlightening.  

+1

I really started stiffening up a couple years ago.  Stretching is the exercise component I do every day, my routine takes about 20 minutes. I'm 58 (59 in a couple of months).

That and a lot of walking is just about all you need.

I walk the dogs every morning either 20 minute route or the 40 minute route with a good hill.  And most evenings I do an additional dog walk of 20 minutes (unless I'm working late and my wife takes them).

If I have more time I lift and/or do some cardio.  When I lift I alternate between a light traditional weight workout (mostly dumbbells) and this Joey D' workout plan (see image).  3 to 4 "lifting" workouts a week is what I usually do.

And oh yeah, I usually walk when I'm on the golf course.  That definitely counts as exercise.

All that has kept me thin.

 

[Groucho Valentine]

On September 14, 2016 at 10:02 AM, dennyjones said:

I believe flexibility is key as we age.  I'm reading a book called the Flexible Golf Swing and it is enlightening.  

True indeed. You can do as much for your game by working on your range of motion as you can through mechanics. Yoga is a great tool for that. I do it 2-3 times a week. 

[paininthenuts]

On 9/15/2016 at 5:46 PM, MacDutch said:

Same age here, but no problem at all to play that much. This weekend will be packed with golf, 6 rounds in 4 days. Walking and carrying. And I am not at all in perfect condition. Better then average is more correct.

Maybe the swing is hard on you? Or you need to work out?

I have a relaxed, and do a little warming up before the game. In fact, I am the only person among all my golf buddies who does warm up. Unfortunately that whilst my family has a reasonable history of internal organ welfare, our joints are pretty awful. I play with a couple of blokes who are well into their 70s, and their joints appear to be far healthier than mine, but that's life I suppose.