Greetings Golfers! What is that yellow orb in the sky? It looks like something they used to call the sun. The summer weather is finally here.
This week’s question comes from David in Shoreline. He writes that he is getting back into golf after not playing for quite some time. He is approaching retirement age and wants to start playing again. He asks what he can expect after such a layoff.
Upon returning to the game at his age, there will be some factors to consider. These will include physical condition of the player, equipment and mechanics. Let’s start with the physical condition of the player.
Has he had any injuries to back, shoulder, and wrists? Are there any physical issues that will need consideration? As we get older, generally our swings will get progressively shorter which will lead to a reduction in swing speed. We also will lose some flexibility. Depending upon the amount of time away, changes in equipment can be significant.
First, choose a shaft that will complement your capabilities. Things to look at would be using graphite which is lighter and can reduce vibration that may cause pain in the shoulder and wrist.
A shaft that is more flexible and with a lower kick point can help compensate for a shorter swing and lower swing speed. The lower kick point in the shaft is designed to help produce a higher launch angle with less speed. The lighter graphite shafts help keep up swing speed and the hybrids provide more forgiveness while helping elevate the trajectory through a lower center of gravity. Also look into club heads that have a significant cavity, and try hybrids.
Finally, think about mechanics. As mentioned before, as we get older our swings will get shorter and slow down. To combat this we need to work on staying flexible. This will minimize the effect of age on our swings. Unfortunately we cannot eliminate this effect so we must accept that it is coming. By doing this we can make adjustments instead of fighting against Father Time.
One adjustment is to work with a shorter backswing. This means that we will need to work on timing. Although the swing may be shorter, basic fundamentals still apply with a few adjustments.
Also reexamine your choices of courses and tees from which you play. It may be a hit to the ego to not play the hardest courses from the tips but it will be much more enjoyable if there is some objectivity when choosing a course to play.
For example, my golf course, Ballinger Lake GC, is a great example of a course that is very playable yet challenging for the aging golfer. I hope this helps.
Send your questions to tyroneh@ballingerlakegolf.com. Tyrone Hardy is a Class A PGA member and is the Director of Golf at Ballinger Lake Golf Course. For more innformation about the course, see www.ballingerlakegolf.com
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