[BrianL99]

Mr. Shibumi has been offering some golf swing advice, most of it very good in my opinion, but ...

If you're 65+ there's not much chance your technique or swing is going to improve all that much. If you're shooting 90's+, you're never going to shoot your age without moving up to the Green Tees.

The best way for the average 90+ golfer to lower their score, isn't a better golf swing or better technique, it's better course management.

Here are my course management rules for the average senior 85+ shooters.

1. Throw away your Driver if it's more than 42" long and less than 13-14 degrees Loft. Get a good 3 wood and use it off the Tee.

2. Don't ever hit a 3 wood off the fairway. Never, ever, ever. Hit a hybrid or iron and keep it in the fairway.

3. Don't aim at a Pin if you're more than 50 yards away .... aim at the middle of the Green or aim to avoid bunkers and/or water.

4. If you have a Lob Wedge, don't use it if you're more than 30-40 yards from the pin ... too hard to control.

5. If you have a "clean, tight lie", do NOT use a Sand Wedge ... use a Gap Wedge or Pitching Wedge with less bounce.

6. Do NOT Putt if there's any grass longer than Green or Fringe length grass between you and the pin.

7. Any putt more than 6' is a "distance putt", not an "aim putt".

8. Forget what "Par" is and aim to play a hole in the fewest strokes.

9. If you get into a bunker, get it out in one shot, even if you have aim away from the pin.

10. If you hit in the deep rough, hit a wedge back onto the fairway. Every time.


Good course management (at the expense of your ego), will improve your scores faster than 5 lessons with Butch Harmon.

[justjim]

OP, you make some good suggestions for older golfers carrying 85+ - 90+ handicaps. Older golfers moving up a couple of tee boxes is especially a good idea. Playing with clubs that fit your game is especially important IMHO. It’s a bit costly to make the change (like senior shafts) etc. but you have the opportunity to play better with clubs that fit your game. When you get older and have certain physical challenges, having fun playing golf is more important than your score. Fore!

[Old Traveller]

I hired a personal trainer years ago to help my golf game. He taught me to be selective about which muscles to strengthen and which muscles that would hurt my golf game if strengthened. He also helped me with the right muscles to stretch. Tight hamstrings, back muscles and hip flexors do the most damage. Every muscle can be stretched and at every age. I know it hurts and that's the most common reason why my fellow Village golfers won't stretch. But, their lack of flexibility really hurts their game. Add that to your list.

[Papa_lecki]

Brian - thoughts on replacing irons with hybrids as we age?

[Whatnext]

Plus. It's usually one more club than you think it is.
Courses very rarely put bunkers at the back of greens. Too long can be your friend.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Brian - thoughts on replacing irons with hybrids as we age?

I replaced my 5 Iron with a Hybrid, today!

I've had both in my bag for the last month or so and today I took out the 5 Iron. Hit once today and hit it awful.

I didn't play with any hybrids (or a 3 wood), until up 10-12 years ago. 1st I added a 3 wood, got rid of my 1 Iron and replaced my 3 iron with a hybrid. About 5 years ago, replaced my 4 iron with a hybrid. Today, I replaced my 5 Iron.

I keep hearing about guys on Tour using 7 Woods, but I opted for a very small hybrid, that I can get at the ball when it's in deep rough.

I've read that Freddy Couples is playing with all Hybrids, up to his 6 Iron. Probably the most famous Hybrid user, was Dana Quigley. Dana made about $13M on the Senior Tour and by the time he quit playing, he was using Hybrids up to 7 Iron. (Your browser is not supported | usatoday.com)

I'm now carrying 3 hybrids ... a 19 degree, 22 degree & 25 degree.

I think anyone who's not carrying a couple of hybrids or high-lofted woods, is unnecessarily handicapping himself.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Old Traveller

I hired a personal trainer years ago to help my golf game. He taught me to be selective about which muscles to strengthen and which muscles that would hurt my golf game if strengthened. He also helped me with the right muscles to stretch. Tight hamstrings, back muscles and hip flexors do the most damage. Every muscle can be stretched and at every age. I know it hurts and that's the most common reason why my fellow Village golfers won't stretch. But, their lack of flexibility really hurts their game. Add that to your list.

My list was about "course management", not physical fitness.

As for "stretching", that's a load of balogna in my opinion. I'm about the least flexible person on earth. I have never ... not once ... done any "stretching". I get out of my car, walk to the 1st Tee and hit my drive. I've shot between 71 & 75 from 6300 yards, my last 4 rounds. Significantly better than I was shooting 5-6 years ago.

I'm sure stretching is beneficial and probably helps prevent injuries, but if anyone thinks stretching is going to improve their golf game, I have a bridge I'm interested in selling.

Did you happen to get a gander of the guy who just won the Rocket Mortgage? He can barely bend over to tie his shoes.

[thevillages2013]

You are talking Potgieter when we were discussing pot gutted old geezers!

[Rwirish]

There is no doubt stretching helps tremendously. To think otherwise is foolish.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Rwirish

There is no doubt stretching helps tremendously. To think otherwise is foolish.

Really?

Show me once piece of independent data that confirms "stretching" improves course management.

[Firebuffette]

I don’t know anything about golf. I’m taking lessons in August for the first time. My husband has been playing for 50 years. He can’t help me.
That being said, I’m thoroughly enjoying the banter between all of you. Thank you
Happy 4th of July.

[SaucyJim]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

If you're 65+ there's not much chance your technique or swing is going to improve all that much.

Using a number for the cutoff? So someone 64 and 11 months of age that’s obese and smokes two packs a day is better-suited to improve their swing than someone 65 and one month that is at a healthy weight, never smoked, and still runs half marathons?

Come on, man!!

[SHIBUMI]

All good stuff............ my wife is 75........ I moved her up to the friendly tees.......she shot 1 under par the other day with 4 birdies.......what a load of fun she had, you still have to make shots no matter what the tees.

When we get teamed up, I play blues, and at 74 I can still hit it 270 with the driver, the ego's of the other players makes them play blues and they cant break 100, I try to get them to move up based on their driver distance in the fairway not in the rough, but, egos are egos, eventually they move up.........sage advice

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Mr. Shibumi has been offering some golf swing advice, most of it very good in my opinion, but ...

If you're 65+ there's not much chance your technique or swing is going to improve all that much. If you're shooting 90's+, you're never going to shoot your age without moving up to the Green Tees.

The best way for the average 90+ golfer to lower their score, isn't a better golf swing or better technique, it's better course management.

Here are my course management rules for the average senior 85+ shooters.

1. Throw away your Driver if it's more than 42" long and less than 13-14 degrees Loft. Get a good 3 wood and use it off the Tee.

2. Don't ever hit a 3 wood off the fairway. Never, ever, ever. Hit a hybrid or iron and keep it in the fairway.

3. Don't aim at a Pin if you're more than 50 yards away .... aim at the middle of the Green or aim to avoid bunkers and/or water.

4. If you have a Lob Wedge, don't use it if you're more than 30-40 yards from the pin ... too hard to control.

5. If you have a "clean, tight lie", do NOT use a Sand Wedge ... use a Gap Wedge or Pitching Wedge with less bounce.

6. Do NOT Putt if there's any grass longer than Green or Fringe length grass between you and the pin.

7. Any putt more than 6' is a "distance putt", not an "aim putt".

8. Forget what "Par" is and aim to play a hole in the fewest strokes.

9. If you get into a bunker, get it out in one shot, even if you have aim away from the pin.

10. If you hit in the deep rough, hit a wedge back onto the fairway. Every time.


Good course management (at the expense of your ego), will improve your scores faster than 5 lessons with Butch Harmon.

[dtennent]

While I agree with many of the points raised here on course management, I have found that lessons have improved my game tremendously. (Watching all the videos on the internet doesn’t compare with having a good teacher watch you.) However, I practice different aspects of the game a lot. Everyone once in a while, I go back for a tune up. Does it cost money? Yes, but getting better makes the game more enjoyable - unless all you want to do is drink beer. In that case, put the money into a good beer cooler.

[Duppman]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Brian - thoughts on replacing irons with hybrids as we age?

I just got new clubs after a working with a master fitter (I'm 68). I've been a hybrid fan for many years, but after looking at launch angles and carry, I replaced the hybrids with woods. I now carry a 3,5,7 and 9 wood. The $100 investment in the fitting was worth every penny.