The Woes of an Aging Golfer
I deal with players of all ages. I’ve taught 2 year olds to 92 year olds. Whilst that’s the beauty of the game we love, at different stages of our life, we have different battles to deal with on and off the golf course.
I have a steady stream of aging golfers who tend to have the same complaints:
“I’m losing distance!!”
“I struggle with longer irons”
“I used to be able to chip great but now I can’t do it”
“I can’t get the ball to go up in the air”
Whilst very frustrating for the player, I can assure you that these are common complaints, and you can do something about it!!
The MOST common complaint from older players is losing distance. I guess we have to start with where distance comes from. Ultimately, longer hitters strike the ball well, use clubs that help them optimise distance and can create an element of power.
So first things first. Go and see a Certified PGA professional. Ask them to measure your swing speed and check your clubs, and then have a couple of lessons to tidy up your swing.
Clubs are not the place to be frugal if you want to optimise distance. As a general rule, older players will need lighter clubs and this means good quality graphite. It may also be time to stop being so vain (sorry to be so frank!) -steer away blades and muscle back clubs, and transition into more woods and hybrids rather than long irons. Get the right equipment in your hand and give yourself a chance!
The next area that we need to address is power. Power is a resultant of work done and the time taken to complete the swing. In other words, the better you can move (rotation, sequencing, length of swing) and how quickly you can move (speed) will translate into clubhead speed and distance.
So, how can we maintain or even improve power as we get older? The key here is maintenance. As we get older, it is inevitable that we will have some wear and tear and possibly old injuries. Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is also a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade if you are inactive. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes.
In women, changes in bone density can be a major issue especially after menopause, which increases the risk of breaking bones. Maintaining muscle mass is an important factor in reducing the risk of falling, and/or breaking bones.
My key phrase in life is ‘PREHAB NOT REHAB’. In other words, deal with any issues before they become an issue. Although going to a gym can seem scary, there are lots of ways that you can prehab and look after your body. Pilates, yoga, crossfit, daily walking, cycling etc etc will all help. But if you want to be able to swing the golf club better, make sure you use specific golf exercises and stretches that target golf specific movements. Do you work on explosive movements, rotation, core strength, stamina, balance, flexibility, mobility? All of these areas need to be maintained to ensure you can be efficient in the way you move the golf club and optimise speed.
Another common problem is recurring pain or injuries.
Let’s talk pain first. This is a hot topic. Pain is an indicator that something is a bit out of whack. An imbalance in your body can translate into pain in an area of the body that seems completely unrelated. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE PAIN. It will not go away magically, and even if it seems to subside, it will eventually come back and probably worsen. If you experience any pain, go and talk to a specialist. Secondly, just because you feel pain does not mean you are completely incapacitated. Move!! You may have to adjust your gym programme or take a rest from golf for a few weeks, but if you stop moving completely, you will find that your body responds in the same way. It will shut down and that will lead to more discomfort. Movement keeps us strong and is great for your mental health. Just keep moving!!
Existing injuries are slightly different. Whilst you may have rehabbed an injury fully (reconstructions, replacements, breaks, fractures, tears, strains), you may find that your body doesn’t quite move the same way anymore. If this is the case, simple changes to set up or grip for example, can allow you to complete the movement, even if it’s not exactly how you swung the club when you were 25. Go and see your local PGA Professional for some advice.
I know change is hard, but adapting to your body as it ages is important and will allow you to continue to play golf for the foreseeable future. Go and seek some advice from a qualified fitness expert(ideally one that knows the golf swing) and your local PGA Professional. They will be able to guide you on exercises that you can do daily, from home that will help your golf swing. If you need some ideas, head to my YouTube Channel and subscribe to keep up to date with exercises and golf tips that will help you maintain your distance, and scores!
Love,
Coach Em
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