Older And Playing Golf

[Blackjack Don]

I'll be happy to lead that charge someday soon. My uncle gave up the game when he could no longer hit his driver 250. So sad. Couldn't bring himself to hit from the whites. The "women's tee?" Forget that! lol

[easyjay39402]

Thanks for posting an uplifting topic to start the new year!

I'm 72, started as a caddie in my teens, had to lay off sports during most of my 60s due to a succession of medical issues. But was able to start back with golf two years ago.

During my prime golfing years I was plus, scratch, and sometimes single-digit. When I resumed golf at 70, it was with a much different body, so I decided to approach golf as if I had never played before, with a set of beginner lessons.  I must say that it has been fun, learning the game anew with fresh eyes. I'm happy to be a 17 and be able to work on getting down to a 16. Golf has never been more enjoyable for me and, as others have said, I plan to go down swinging!

Might be nice if the sandtrap added a section aimed at super seniors. I have found golf to be a very different game in my 70s, especially regarding equipment and swing technique.

 

[uitar9]

14 minutes ago, Blackjack Don said:

I'll be happy to lead that charge someday soon. My uncle gave up the game when he could no longer hit his driver 250. So sad. Couldn't bring himself to hit from the whites. The "women's tee?" Forget that! lol

Most of the munis I play suggest the forward tees for 20+ Hcps, like mine. Many of the women who I'm joined with play the blue tees. 

[Lihu]

25 minutes ago, Blackjack Don said:

I'll be happy to lead that charge someday soon. My uncle gave up the game when he could no longer hit his driver 250. So sad. Couldn't bring himself to hit from the whites. The "women's tee?" Forget that! lol

So, I'm guessing your uncle is not happy when half the LPGA or lady college players out drive him?

 

16 minutes ago, easyjay39402 said:

Thanks for posting an uplifting topic to start the new year!

I'm 72, started as a caddie in my teens, had to lay off sports during most of my 60s due to a succession of medical issues. But was able to start back with golf two years ago.

During my prime golfing years I was plus, scratch, and sometimes single-digit. When I resumed golf at 70, it was with a much different body, so I decided to approach golf as if I had never played before, with a set of beginner lessons.  I must say that it has been fun, learning the game anew with fresh eyes. I'm happy to be a 17 and be able to work on getting down to a 16. Golf has never been more enjoyable for me and, as others have said, I plan to go down swinging!

Cool. It's always nice to hear success stories in golf. . .

 

Quote

Might be nice if the sandtrap added a section aimed at super seniors. I have found golf to be a very different game in my 70s, especially regarding equipment and swing technique.

 

You can actually start a new thread for senior golfers and post successes, laments, etc.

I'd enjoy reading more stories from the past and present as well. Those are always enjoyable to read.

 

[uitar9]

On January 5, 2017 at 11:06 PM, iacas said:

I hope to play until my lie is on the wrong side of the grass.

We are talking, the other side of the grass. I'll take my par. Over and out

[Buckeyebowman]

7 hours ago, Blackjack Don said:

I'll be happy to lead that charge someday soon. My uncle gave up the game when he could no longer hit his driver 250. So sad. Couldn't bring himself to hit from the whites. The "women's tee?" Forget that! lol

Moving to the whites wasn't that jarring for me, it's where I started though I did play the blues for quite a while. My buddy and I are, however, resisting the move to the "golds".

My buddy and I did play the golds once last year when we scrambled against his Sister and her girlfriend. These ladies can both play pretty well, and this particular course gives the ladies a huge distance advantage over the whites, and usually a pretty substantial one over the golds, except for a couple of holes where the gold tees are only about 15 yards behind the reds.

The first time the ladies saw us pulling up that close behind them, they started sniping at us! "Hey! We're seniors and we're giving you strokes, to boot!" Well, we won handily on the front, with adjustments to be made at the turn. One of those adjustments was that we had to play the whites on the back! The back is the really hard 9! Plus, we had to give them more strokes!

Long story long, the back 9 ate our lunches for us, the girls played out of their minds, and they squeaked out a 1 stroke win for the match. Which entitled us to buy them food and drink while enduring a good needling! All in all, a wonderful day of golf!

When we related that story to my buddy's Son, who will be 41 or 42 this Spring, he looked at us in total disgust! He said, "Gold tees my ass! You guys still hit it plenty far enough to play the whites!" That's a nice ego boost, but didn't do much for my credit card balance.

 

7 hours ago, easyjay39402 said:

 

During my prime golfing years I was plus, scratch, and sometimes single-digit. When I resumed golf at 70, it was with a much different body, so I decided to approach golf as if I had never played before, with a set of beginner lessons.  I must say that it has been fun, learning the game anew with fresh eyes. I'm happy to be a 17 and be able to work on getting down to a 16. Golf has never been more enjoyable for me and, as others have said, I plan to go down swinging!

Might be nice if the sandtrap added a section aimed at super seniors. I have found golf to be a very different game in my 70s, especially regarding equipment and swing technique.

 

Sounds kind of like me, although I didn't wait until 70 to get back into the game. In my late teens and early 20's I could play a little bit, but life intrudes! I suppose I was in my 40's when I really decided to play somewhat seriously again, and by seriously I mean regularly. 

What I discovered right off the bat was that the swing I thought I "owned" had floated off into the ether somewhere! Plus, I had lost track of all the new developments in club and shaft technology. I was still swinging the old sticks.

I like your idea about a section for seniors or super seniors, but I also like the idea about just starting a thread devoted to that subject. Great idea! There's no shortage of threads here that are 5 to 7 years old. If people keep posting, the thread stays on the front page! Let's see what happens.

 

[MarvChamp]

Hi! I'm a newbie to The Sand Trap but a long time fan. I'm 71 and have a busy little law practice. Years ago I played regularly to a 12 or 14. Then I stopped playing for several years, for career reasons if I recall correctly. I decided to get back in the game about 3-4 years ago. Then I decided to use golf for my regular exercise. I make sure I am at the great practice facility at least 3 times a week and that I play with my regular group at least once a week. I met my pro teacher at our range and have taken series of lessons. All the time, my legs were killing me and had for years. I had spinal surgery in mid-November 2016 and will start swinging again soon. I cannot wait to get back to my golf schedule.

The point of all this is: Practicing and playing golf is wonderfully refreshing to the mind and the body. It is the most spiritual of all games ever created. I will never stop again until it's time for take-off.

[Blackjack Don]

Welcome, sir. You will make a fine edition to the group. 

[RandallT]

Welcome @MarvChamp!

[Hacker James]

The few times I did play from the forward tees, it did not make any appreciable difference, in fact,  I think I did better from the whites or blues. I guess it just changes the course parameter in that if one uses a certain set of tees, he just "knows" the best way around the course. I do believe that if  I moved up more often, I would settle and probably do better. 

Also, I need to play more often. In fact, the only time get to play is when I am by myself, or with somebody!