Age demographic

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

More likely, like me, they started playing with persimmon heads, bladed irons, wound balls and heavyweight steel shafts. The advances in technology have allowed them to retain the distance they had with their more primitive equipment

When I joined my club 18yrs ago I was using a persimmon 3w off the tee and had done so for 20yrs and so since my mid 20s. Hardly surprising then that today I hit the ball further than I did then. And so to today as I learn anew…and learning to strike the ball better I suspect my distance will increase without me trying to make it so. I have not got the foggiest about my swing speed back then compared with what it is today.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I'm 31 but probably the shortest hitter in my regular group despite being comfortably the biggest/strongest there. But I've also been playing the shortest time.

Mentally about 12 though and physically feel in my 50s. More so at the moment since I've decided to try other sports again ?.

I wonder if the lack of drop-off in distances mentioned in previous posts is also related to the development of club tech as well? And the the increase/speed decrease has been offset by the better tech?

I bought an old titleist 975d on a whim and, although when I catch it right its an absolute rocket launcher, it definitely doesn't go as far or is as forgiving as mt epic flash.

 

[clubchamp98]

When I joined my club 18yrs ago I was using a persimmon 3w off the tee and had done so for 20yrs and so since my mid 20s. Hardly surprising then that today I hit the ball further than I did then. And so to today as I learn anew…and learning to strike the ball better I suspect my distance will increase without me trying to make it so. I have not got the foggiest about my swing speed back then compared with what it is today.

Yes the head will make a difference.
But imo the shafts are the main thing helping us to stay where we are.
Shafts are so good now it’s a pity they were not like that when I was younger.

 

[clubchamp98]

I'm 31 but probably the shortest hitter in my regular group despite being comfortably the biggest/strongest there. But I've also been playing the shortest time.

Mentally about 12 though and physically feel in my 50s. More so at the moment since I've decided to try other sports again ?.

I wonder if the lack of drop-off in distances mentioned in previous posts is also related to the development of club tech as well? And the the increase/speed decrease has been offset by the better tech?

I bought an old titleist 975d on a whim and, although when I catch it right its an absolute rocket launcher, it definitely doesn't go as far or is as forgiving as mt epic flash.

Your right about the club tech.
But your launch conditions have to be correct.
A nice rhythmical swing will have good clubhead speed.
A lash and off centre strike won’t hit it very far

 

[stefanovic]

Distance requires suppleness, and you will start losing that around your thirties.

Oldest players to win a major.
Mickelson, 50.
Boros, 48.
Morris Snr 48.
Nicklaus 46.
Several more over 40 won a major.
I feel sure these guys had distance through strength of muscles, particularly in the upper arms.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Oldest player to win my club's club championship, 36 holes off scratch.

Me at 58 a few years ago. Haha.

 

[Tashyboy]

I reckon looking at the stats we are talking average age around 47 ish.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Higher

 

[Orikoru]

Agreed. Look at the young fit golfers on tour, no way will they be bombing it 300+ yards in their 60s and 70s ?

I know we’re discussing amateurs, but the same principle applies. Maybe the guys commenting that they have lost no length only started playing in their 50s?

Or they're like me and had the sense to never swing it particularly fast in the first place. ?

 

[Voyager EMH]

More likely, like me, they started playing with persimmon heads, bladed irons, wound balls and heavyweight steel shafts. The advances in technology have allowed them to retain the distance they had with their more primitive equipment

A lot of truth in that, except that I never had any persimmon woods until last year. Always had the (generally) cheaper laminated maple woods and I believe most people my age had this type of woods in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
There were a few years when 1.62 and 1.68 balls were both allowed. The small ball was longer off the tee for most good players. So I noticed a slight drop off in distance back then when the 1.62 ball was outlawed.

 

[Bdill93]

I'm a whopping 29.... Not sure there's many younger than me on here!

 

[Orikoru]

I'm a whopping 29.... Not sure there's many younger than me on here!

According to the votes someone is under 20. Or somebody fibbed.

 

[rosecott]

I was looking for the 90+ option.

 

[sjw]

Dedicated forums always have an "older" demographic. I'm in my later 20s (27), but generally people are moving to social media pages.

 

[Orikoru]

Dedicated forums always have an "older" demographic. I'm in my later 20s (27), but generally people are moving to social media pages.

I've always preferred forums. On social media pages (Facebook, Reddit I'm assuming) every discussion is sort of fleeting and then lost forever. On here there is a bit more longevity in the discussions. (some might see that as a bad thing I guess ? )

 

[Bdill93]

I've always preferred forums. On social media pages (Facebook, Reddit I'm assuming) every discussion is sort of fleeting and then lost forever. On here there is a bit more longevity in the discussions. (some might see that as a bad thing I guess ? )

Honestly hate FB groups! Theyre just swamped by people with awful takes on things.

I was part of the "Rick Shiels Podcast" Group for a while and the attitudes of the people were just like this forum on steroids

 

[Orikoru]

Honestly hate FB groups! Theyre just swamped by people with awful takes on things.

I was part of the "Rick Shiels Podcast" Group for a while and the attitudes of the people were just like this forum on steroids

Yeah, that sort of thing. Because of the discussions being so fleeting, people say absolutely any old thing and then it gets forgotten - as do the names of those who said it. On a forum like this you kind of have to stand by the things you say, and the profiles of various members actually stick in your mind.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yeah, that sort of thing. Because of the discussions being so fleeting, people say absolutely any old thing and then it gets forgotten - as do the names of those who said it. On a forum like this you kind of have to stand by the things you say, and the profiles of various members actually stick in your mind.

And some forummers have long memories of things said years before ?

 

[Blue in Munich]

Re the comments above, the video below may be explanatory to some of our younger readers . The Titleist 975D was the driver that replaced my last persimmon one, see how it compares with a TSR3.

 

[Bdill93]

Re the comments above, the video below may be explanatory to some of our younger readers . The Titleist 975D was the driver that replaced my last persimmon one, see how it compares with a TSR3.

SO 1.25 yards gained per year since the 975D came out!