RWC

Agree completely about a swing video. For me, good iron play seems to revolve around making a good turn. My default bad habit is to cut the turn short and just slap at the ball with my hands. I get a pretty predictable low trajectory pull shot followed by comments which I then must apologize for to my playing partners.

I joined a 9 hole league this year and have enjoyed being able to have a fixed day to play each week. As a single, it was always a challenge to get to the course and then try and slide into an open spot - knowing that I don't have that concern has been great. Most of the guys I've played with have been good chaps (hopefully they would feel the same about me). I have seen some improvement in my game this summer but I think that is do more to changing to graphite shafts in my irons and adding a few hybrids. Give the league a try - hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Best of luck with the health issues - persimmon, forged blades and a Bullseye have been proven to cure many a malady!

Age 65, I play tees in the 5800 - 6000 length. Driver averaging 197yd this season and my 7 iron 125 yds. I try to play to a length where I can reasonably expect to reach most holes in regulation assuming decent contact.

Had time for a quick 9 holes this morning (1hour 50 minutes round). Shot 40 (+4) with 2 doubles from middle of the fairway - UGH! Made a switch to Ping i20 irons with graphite shafts earlier this summer and I'm starting to see the improvement plus much less arthritis pain. Now just need time to play a full 18!

When I play my regular course from the senior tees (6,000 yds) I typically only carry 7-8 clubs in my bag and walk. I'm not terribly long off the tee, so most par 4 are driver and 3 hybrid. Par 5s are Driver, 3 hybrid and 7 or 9 iron, Par 3s are 3 hybrid or short iron. Seeing a pattern? Add a gap, sand wedge and putter and I'm done. When I play a new course, I normally take a 14 clubs for the first round - then adjust for any future rounds.

Lived in Dallas - Fort Worth area for many years and played Glen Garden many times. It was alway great fun and Texas Golf History just oozed from everywhere there - especially the bar - where you could hear some amazing stories - some of which were probably true!

I have a GPS watch which I use - primarily to help with carry distance over hazards or bunkers. On shots to the green I normally club for the middle / back of the green. If pin on front, I club for middle, pin in the middle or back then I club for back. Started doing that this summer and GIRs have increased - now just need to get my putter under control to see scores improving.

Good luck with finding some new golfing partners. Lived in the Mid Cities (Bedford) for 20+ years before moving to Chicago. Bear Creek was also one of my favorite courses. Now I play on a city owned course that is laid out along Lake Michigan. I found it was equally challenging moving up north but was able to join golf league which has helped greatly.

I like to leave on a good shot and will walk even if balls are remaining. Generally I bring several goals to my practice session and will leave when / if I hit my goal for 3 shots in a row.

Society of Hickory Golfers (hickorygolfers.com) can provide you with information on acquiring and playing hickory clubs. There are also playing groups in many states which meet regularly for golf outings. Its an acquired taste but a great deal of fun.

I tend to play with 7-9 clubs depending on the course (typically based on par 3 lengths). Makes it easier to carry and walk - important at my age. Also with a fairly slow swing speed (75-80 mph) 3-4 deg gaps don't really translate into big difference in distance.

My biggest challenge seems to be my approach shots (100-175 yds). My drives are short ~ 190 yds and my short game is better than my handicap (based on statistics). The approach shots are all over the map - normally bad. I've picked up a couple of used hybrids (19* and 22*) to see if they help give me a more consistent strike. Fingers crossed!

For me, at 65, my body can handle 1 day of practice and 1 day of golf per week. With this limited opportunity, I'm working on accepting the quirks of my swing and trying to make the bad shots less bad - trying to improve the quality of the strike. Had a late start to the season here in Chicago but early results seem to be trending positively.

+1 on the FJ Contour shoes I've battled PF for number of years. Good orthotics and the Contour shoes plus daily stretching exercises have been my best shot at keeping it under control. Good Luck!

Fascinating reading - what a great way to spend time on a rainy day in Chicago!

I've found that hitting balls before the round tends to disrupt my timing and I start to over-think swing issues. Better for me to chip and putt, take some practice swings with several clubs and stretch before hitting first tee. When I do go to the range to practice, I try to have a specific point to work on and quit when I comfortable with the result. I only use a small basket of balls -with a big basket I tend to stand there and just pound balls one after another in a rush to get them hit. Lastly I always try to end on a good hit. Walk off with a positive thought - leave those extra balls for the next person.

I've used my GPS unit primarily to track the distance I hit each club. Tracking all my shots on the course over a season has given me a pretty good idea of how far I hit each club (min - avg - max).

Really enjoyed this post and the great photos. It certainly provides a wealth of knowledge and helps explain positions in the swing in a clearer fashion. Thanks!!

Re-reading the Penick books are part of my annual pre-season preparation along with Ben Hogan's Five Lessons. Also when I hit a slump during the season, I will often sit down with Harvey and a favorite libation. Amazing how often I pick up a pointer that helps me get out of the slump! Great books for any golfer.

I've owned this book for 20+ years. Re-reading it is part of my annual spring checklist for golf. It helps me focus on the essentials and it also get excited about the new season. Well worth the investment in time and money!

I seem to play my best when aim right and pull the ball back (somewhat like Kucher - but I'm no where as good ). I also share the OTT move when I get tired and the aiming right seems to help that as well. Playing Hickories or Vintage clubs, I'm used to the fairly low ball flight.

A journal sounds like a great idea. I do something similar in that I've made copies of instructional articles that deal with my game and review it every few months - more so when I'm waiting for snow to melt in Chicago. I could see where a list of key bullet points might help on the practice tee as well as help me focus on on key points before a round.

My "Modern" clubs are Tommy Armour Macgregor AT2W 1960 woods and 1990 Hogan Apex irons rounded out with a Ping Kushin putter. My "Old" clubs are hickories. Hopefully, I will get to put some of them to use later this week. Snowing in Chicago today.... ugh!

I’ve been playing hickories for 10+ years. SoHG member.