How much distance do you lose with age?

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Mark_Aged_42

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Just seen this topic on a US based forum and thought i would like to pose the question here.
Clearly TimGolfy will be down to 525 yards (carry) when he hits 85, but the rest of us?? :D
And conversely, does our short game improve with age?
 
Of course it depends on a lot of things,i wouldnt say much,maybe 20%.
Take a driver for instance,at 40 years of age 260-270,60 years of age-220-230.
Of course there will be exeptions to the rule.
 
One of our league team players who's also a big hitter, regularly over 300yds, PW to 150 etc played a guy a few ago who was in his 60's and he was not only disappointed to get beat but was mortified that this older guy was 30 - 40yrds past him every time.

For me its an impossible question to generalise as each persons swing is different, each persons body changes differently with age.
Feasibly you could be hitting the ball at 60 as far as you did when you were 30, if you looked after yourself and had a good solid swing, or alternatively you could lose 50 yrds in a couple of years, with say something like weight gain reducing your movement.

Plan ahead and go down to a half swing now ;)
 
Of course it depends on a lot of things,i wouldnt say much,maybe 20%.
Take a driver for instance,at 40 years of age 260-270,60 years of age-220-230.
Of course there will be exeptions to the rule.
Click to expand...

I must know lots of exceptions then ;)
 
well I used to be able to hit the porcelain at the back of the toilet, but im slowly graduating towards the front of it. I'll be luck to reach it by the time im 60...
 
Surely it isn't just dependent getting older, it's dependent on how you age and that is totally dependent on the individual.
 
A lot has to do with flexibility and health. If you aren't able to make a good turn you won't hit it very far. That said most of our seniors can still pop it 150 yards straight down the middle
 
We are not all a load of coffin dodgers in the Senior section, I'll have you young whippersnappers know!!

I am 70 years old, finished my Seniors round this morning (up, up and away..at 6.30am!!)and now doing my day job until 6 pm - at a Scottish knees up (barn dance type of thing) from 7.30 tonight till the early hours of the morning (No eeeee's required.. just a wee dram!).

I am also playing in a medal at 9.30 in the morning with young golfers, much lower handicapped than you Homer and I will drive as far as they will and, with a bit of luck ...take the spoils!!


Only thing I have lost to age is my tolerance of younger people who think age is a problem - get over it!!

OLD FART!! AYE RIGHT!!

Oh, the golf this morning? 38 out against a par of 37 and 37 in against a par of 34 (off the yellows mind you!) and I will not get a sniff of a prize!

Homer ???150 yards down the middle?? On yer bike! I think you have lost a wee 100 yards somewhere!!
 
3-years ago I had some clubs made after a fitting session. The clubs have been awesome, but a couple of months ago I thought my driver was 'going off' as i wasn't getting it out there as much. Went back to my fitter as i suspected i needed a new driver, he said otherwise and put me back on the machine. In 3-years I had lost 5mph head speed, so we just changed the shaft and tweaked the loft - eh presto headspead back and a few extra yards even better than the original when new.

So although I'm mid 50's there are ways and means of keeping it together, even if you slow down.
 
We are not all a load of coffin dodgers in the Senior section, I'll have you young whippersnappers know!!

I am 70 years old, finished my Seniors round this morning (up, up and away..at 6.30am!!)and now doing my day job until 6 pm - at a Scottish knees up (barn dance type of thing) from 7.30 tonight till the early hours of the morning (No eeeee's required.. just a wee dram!).

I am also playing in a medal at 9.30 in the morning with young golfers, much lower handicapped than you Homer and I will drive as far as they will and, with a bit of luck ...take the spoils!!


Only thing I have lost to age is my tolerance of younger people who think age is a problem - get over it!!

OLD FART!! AYE RIGHT!!

Oh, the golf this morning? 38 out against a par of 37 and 37 in against a par of 34 (off the yellows mind you!) and I will not get a sniff of a prize!

Homer ???150 yards down the middle?? On yer bike! I think you have lost a wee 100 yards somewhere!!
Click to expand...

Well said 19th,I`m senior to you so the twentysomethings on here must think i`m decrepit.

I came late to golf (my first love was climbing) I was 66when I first picked up a golf club so I`m never going to be brilliant.However I can still hit a ball 200+yds. on a good day (down hill following wind ) and usually get round in a respectable score.

Of my two regular partners the 76yr old carries the ball 230 yds,The other one doesn`t hit it as far as me but his short game is phenominal.

So all you yougsters of fiftysomething cheer up.

Theres life in the old dog yet. :) :) :)
 
In my 30's I used to be able to put it out there about 300 yards or so.
I'm 55 now and I guess my average drive is about 280 so I've lost 25 yards in the last 25 years.
Not bad I guess.
Means I'll still be oinking it 255 when I'm 80
 
In my 30's I used to be able to put it out there about 300 yards or so.
I'm 55 now and I guess my average drive is about 280 so I've lost 25 yards in the last 25 years.
Not bad I guess.
Means I'll still be oinking it 255 when I'm 80
Click to expand...

I can vouch for the current figures, but am a little longer than Rob. Oh and years younger.
 
what about the part of the question about the short game? Mine has improved because I practice it. I don't think it gets better just because your older. For some reason on TV they seem to think putting gets worse for the older pros but I'm not sure why.
Adam Scott and Matt kuchar have already had to try alternatives so it doesn't appear to be just oldies. Steve Stricker proves the point, Ace putter in his mid Forties :rolleyes:
 
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