10 Essential Tips For Senior Golfers

Golf is meant to be fun. As you grow older it can become a difficult, physically demanding and frustrating sport. But if you are aged 60 and over there is no reason why you still cannot enjoy this wonderful game.

As an "ancient golfer", I have come up with 10 tips that I hope might help you to get the most from your game while still enjoying your golf.

Lower Your Expectations

The chances are that your handicap has started to creep up. Accept that this is inevitable. Your scores will be higher and you will not hit the ball as far as you did when you were in your prime. By all means continue to set yourself some realistic targets but accept your limitations.

Electric Trolley

I got my hands on a Motocaddy earlier this season and I have to tell you that it has been a game changer for me. Having struggled with a cheap trolley for months I found that I was coming off the course feeling utterly exhausted. But my electric trolley has been a godsend. It means that I can now climb hills without worrying about being on my knees when I finally reach the green. The best ones are not cheap but trust me when I tell you that they are a wonderful investment. Almost all of the senior section at my club use electric trolleys. They can’t all be wrong.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Short Game

You may not be able to hit the ball as far as you once did but there is no reason whatsoever why you should not be able to work on and improve your short game. This is the area I now practice more than any other. I have always been a decent putter and still am but I also now spend hours on my wedge play. Give it a go - there is nothing more soul-destroying for your opponents than to see you getting up and down in two on hole after hole. It is better than hitting a 300-yard drive.

Lessons

The chances are that your golf swing may have changed. There are all sorts of things that can cause this - arthritis, loss of flexibility, dodgy hips and knees. Book yourself a lesson or two and explain your physical limitations to the pro - if they are worth their salt they will be able to give you some tips to help you improve your game.

Practice

There is no point whatsoever in paying for a lesson if you don’t follow it up by trying to groove in what you have been told. But be sensible. Back in the day you might have hit 200 balls on the range. The chances are that your body will not thank you for doing that now. So how about doing it little and often? Hit 50 balls four or five times a week.

Do it For Fun

We have all been brought up to play the game with a scorecard in our hands. Now may be the time to just head out on the course with your mates and simply play for fun. Medal play is difficult at any time in your life but all the more so as you grow older. Matchplay means you can forget about your 18-hole total. And the stableford scoring format is incredibly forgiving. Only this week I managed to score 36 points with three blobs on my card. Had it been a medal round I dread to think what my score would have been!

Yellow Tees

Championship tees are tough. They often demand huge carries over water or stretches of thick rough. There is no need to feel embarrassed about opting to play from the front tees. I have reached the quarter-finals of my club’s señor single knock-out where I have no option but to play from the white tees. It has been really difficult for me, and also for my opponents. And for the life of me I do not understand why we are forced to play from the championship tees. As I keep saying, this is meant to be fun! If your golf club is anything like mine then you will find yourself faced with a hectic potential schedule of competitions. Pick and choose the ones you want to take part in.

Choose Your Course

If you are a member of a long, hilly course, it might be time for you and your friends to have a look around for a more senior-friendly course. If you regularly play a relatively flat course the chances are that you are not going to be shattered after playing 18 holes. Or perhaps look for a course where the ninth green is close to the clubhouse so you can opt simply to tackle nine holes rather than the full 18. 

Playing Partners

You are not the only one who is feeling the passage of time. And we all age differently. At my club there are still many seniors who hit the ball into the middle of next week. It can be pretty deflating to be outdriven by 50-60 yards so choose the guys you want to play with. In my experience, golf is a more enjoyable game when played in the company of men and women who are of a similar standard to you.

Stretching

As you get older it becomes even more important to do some stretching exercises before you go out to play 18 holes. There is a good reason why the world’s best golfers go through an exercise routine every day of their lives. You will know your body’s limitations. You should also try to hit a few shots on the range before heading to the first tee. Loosening up becomes ever more important as we grow older.

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