Evaporating swing speed, where will it end?

[Maninblack4612]

I was fitted for my current driver in April & was surprised to see that my swing speed struggled to reach 85 mph. I've got a spreadsheet going back years and it shows that, about eight years ago, I could achieve 92 mph. That was bad enough, but, the other day, I had a session on a simulator to see if I could do anything to increase swing speed / reduce spin. I was struggling to get over 80 mph but, on the bright side, backspin averaged about 2,500 rpm. One exceptional swing touched 85 mph. It felt the same as all the rest but gave me my best carry of exactly 200 yards.

The pro who runs the swing studio had a quick look at my swing & said he could find a few more mph so I'm going over next week for a lesson.

I'm almost 76 & appreciate that the muscles deteriorate with age but the speed at which this is happening is disconcerting. Has anyone got any experience of this / tips on technique to overcome this. I'm quite fit & fairly flexible but, obviously, something is changing.

 

[Mandofred]

I'm 65, pretty fit considering. I've never had any arm strength....ever. Skinny distance runner in my younger days. Picked up a hip issue that made me stop walking about 8 miles a day, and most days some dumbbell exercise.....so I got off my butt and joined a gym very close to where I golf. A week and half now and I'm glad I did. I was getting exercise, but now I'm getting exercise. Can really feel the difference. I'm not lifting very hard yet, and may never.....but that plus the rather hard cardio work I'm doing....even with my crap eating habits I'll be losing a few pounds and it can't help but improve overall strength a fair bit. Slowly adding more stretching....not being flexible was causing the hip issue I think. I hate stretching. In another week I'll start adding more strength work....just increasing things slowly. It took me 65 years, but maybe (just maybe) I'm getting wiser.

About 6 years ago I took my tablet over to the course to video myself swinging. I was going to work on my backswing angles, but after watching the first recording.....I can't believe how slow I swing. It was shocking. In my head it was faster than that. I've been told I have a nice smooth swing, but if I wasn't so cheap I'd take a few lessons just to increase the speed dynamics a bit. First thing would be to widen my stance.....I know my feet are too close together.

If you don't mind spending the money, there are some good reviews on some of the speed work/equipment things you can buy now.

 

[jim8flog]

No tips just empathy.

In my mid to late 50s my driver swing speed was still around 105. Now it is somewhere about the same as you.

Iron speed has dropped to below 70.

 

[oleinone]

Look on the bright side, your years of experience will still get you up and down from short of the green when the younger bigger hitters are turning bogeys into doubles. At 72 speedwise, with driver, I've started my practice swing by swinging forward well past the tee and then all the way back and this seems to amplify the swing and the speed. The sensation is of freeing up the swing and mitigating that " hitting at it" feeling. Good luck with the lesson.

 

[Jensen]

2 things my friend.
Firstly what studio have you been to.
Secondly, technique, I’ve seen your swing many times and as you’ll agree it’s extremely flat. You need to improve/change your technique and it will make a massive difference ?

 

[williamalex1]

Welcome to my world Bill, as you know I've been here for years

 

[Maninblack4612]

2 things my friend.
Firstly what studio have you been to.
Secondly, technique, I’ve seen your swing many times and as you’ll agree it’s extremely flat. You need to improve/change your technique and it will make a massive difference ?

1. https://thegolf.studio/

2. I'm swinging as steeply as my short legs will allow me. I don't believe that the steepness or otherwise of my swing affects the swing speed at all, there's just no power, & not much timing there.

 

[Maninblack4612]

I'm 65, pretty fit considering. I've never had any arm strength....ever. Skinny distance runner in my younger days. Picked up a hip issue that made me stop walking about 8 miles a day, and most days some dumbbell exercise.....so I got off my butt and joined a gym very close to where I golf. A week and half now and I'm glad I did. I was getting exercise, but now I'm getting exercise. Can really feel the difference. I'm not lifting very hard yet, and may never.....but that plus the rather hard cardio work I'm doing....even with my crap eating habits I'll be losing a few pounds and it can't help but improve overall strength a fair bit. Slowly adding more stretching....not being flexible was causing the hip issue I think. I hate stretching. In another week I'll start adding more strength work....just increasing things slowly. It took me 65 years, but maybe (just maybe) I'm getting wiser.

About 6 years ago I took my tablet over to the course to video myself swinging. I was going to work on my backswing angles, but after watching the first recording.....I can't believe how slow I swing. It was shocking. In my head it was faster than that. I've been told I have a nice smooth swing, but if I wasn't so cheap I'd take a few lessons just to increase the speed dynamics a bit. First thing would be to widen my stance.....I know my feet are too close together.

If you don't mind spending the money, there are some good reviews on some of the speed work/equipment things you can buy now.

You're right about the speed, I sometimes catch myself just waving the club at the ball instead of really swinging the club fast. Strangely, I seem to be able to do the practice swing faster than the actual one.

If I went to a gym regularly & exercised properly I'd probably hit it further but I just can't be bothered. Same with practice, I used to go up & practice a lot on summer evenings. Now I'm just too tired at the end of the day. Product of old age - don't like it.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Welcome to my world Bill, as you know I've been here for years

One of my problems is that, having been as low as 5 handicap, I know I'll never be that good again. I tell people who have taken up the game late in life that it's all right for them, they're playing the best golf they've ever played, until age related decline sets in, of course.

 

[Crow]

Quoting only from personal experience so may not apply to you; when I find my distance is down it's usually because I'm concentrating too much on body turn and not hitting with my right hand.
Refocussing on using my right hand to deliver/release the clubhead at impact usually ups the clubhead speed quite a bit.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Quoting only from personal experience so may not apply to you; when I find my distance is down it's usually because I'm concentrating too much on body turn and not hitting with my right hand.
Refocussing on using my right hand to deliver/release the clubhead at impact usually ups the clubhead speed quite a bit.

Being left handed that's something I struggle with & forget to do at times. Will give it some attention

 

[clubchamp98]

You're right about the speed, I sometimes catch myself just waving the club at the ball instead of really swinging the club fast. Strangely, I seem to be able to do the practice swing faster than the actual one.

If I went to a gym regularly & exercised properly I'd probably hit it further but I just can't be bothered. Same with practice, I used to go up & practice a lot on summer evenings. Now I'm just too tired at the end of the day. Product of old age - don't like it.

Think you just answered your own question in this post.
For your age your doing ok.
I think golf goes in stages.
Learning the game being frustrated
Being quite good but still frustrated.
Getting older losing your speed but can’t be arsed to practice so still frustrated ( no offence intended)
It’s a frustrating game we never master ,just enjoy what you have.
Worst places to be than on the course.

I am in the same boat but still doing ok for 65.

 

[Crow]

Being left handed that's something I struggle with & forget to do at times. Will give it some attention

Us righties, always assume everyone is right handed, I should have said trail hand.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Think you just answered your own question in this post.
For your age your doing ok.
I think golf goes in stages.
Learning the game being frustrated
Being quite good but still frustrated.
Getting older losing your speed but can’t be arsed to practice so still frustrated ( no offence intended)
It’s a frustrating game we never master ,just enjoy what you have.
Worst places to be than on the course.

I am in the same boat but still doing ok for 65.

You summed it up well

 

[Maninblack4612]

Us righties, always assume everyone is right handed, I should have said trail hand.

I'm left handed, playing right handed

 

[Voyager EMH]

Never had my swing speed measured.
Don't intend to do so.
Ignorance is bliss.
I just whack it.
62 and 4.5 and enjoy my golf as much as ever.

 

[Orikoru]

My driver swing speed is 85mph and I'm less than half your age, I think you're doing alright.

 

[r0wly86]

weight training, doesn't have to be a full on world strongest man, but if you start doing the basic compound lifts. Bench press; squats, dead lift, and over head press, your strength with improve quite quickly. 5x5 strong lifts is a good app. 5 sets 5 reps only takes 30 minutes or so to do a session with warm up and cool down

 

[AAC]

Another 65 year old here, I have scoliosis in my spine and an increasingly arthritic right wrist/hand, both of which are limiting to my golf, I think tho' i have now finally accepted this and it no longer frustrates me, yes my distances are down from 20 years ago but I am more than able to keep pace with the majority of 50-70 year olds, when a 30 year old sticks a drive 75 yards past mine I now just say good shot and don't think why can't I do that any more. I have even just bought a doobri for my putter so i can pick the ball out of the hole without having to bend over, trouble is at my age I keep forgetting I have got the ruddy thing !! twice yesterday I nearly went base over apex when retrieving the ball from the hole.

Just accept you can't change your age and try and continue to enjoy your golf.

 

[BiMGuy]

My driver swing speed is 85mph and I'm less than half your age, I think you're doing alright.

You’ll struggle to knock a ball off a tee by the time your his age ?