How Golf Becomes More Difficult When You Get Older

I hate to admit this but golf is a different game when you hit 60. If you doubt it, just ask Bernhard Langer.

The legendary German required two drivers to get anywhere close to the 520-yard 18th hole in Munich during what was his final appearance on the DP World Tour at the BMW International Open. Next year he will make his final appearance at The Masters.

Langer has never been a big hitter and, at the age of 66, he accepts that time has caught up with him.

I am in no way comparing myself with Langer but at a similar age, and after a five-year injury lay-off, I have returned to discover that this has become a very difficult game. And incredibly frustrating.

At my very best I played off five. When I stopped playing my handicap was 7.2. I am now playing off 19.2! And boy does that hurt. 

A decent golfer is still locked in there somewhere, as I am reminded from time to time when the golf ball does what I want it to.

But there are many, many times when I now produce shots that both horrify and mystify me. I have never sliced the ball - I now do so routinely. I have never shanked the ball - it is now almost my go-to shot. I stand with an iron in my hand and quiver at the prospect of yet another ball coming off the hosel and disappearing into rough, trees or water. I booked a lesson, which thankfully looks to have ironed that out quite quickly.

But there are other things I know that I have to live with…

So what has changed?

Flexibility

I used to be incredibly flexible. People would often comment that my backswing would have given John Daly a run for his money. It meant that I was able to generate a fair amount of club-head speed. Despite being fairly slight of build, I was always able to hit the ball a decent distance from the tee and could keep up with guys who were much bigger and stronger than me. My go-to shot with the driver was a draw, and that guaranteed extra yards.

Those days have long gone. I now have a backswing that is three-quarter-length at best and two things have resulted from this - I have lost at least 50 yards from the tee and have developed a habit of coming over the top. As a result, I have all but lost my ability to draw the ball and now live with what I will describe as a fade (truthfully, it is a slice). It is soul-destroying to realise that your physical limitations mean you can no longer produce the shots that were once second nature.

Strength

I am in my late 60s and because of limited mobility and a nagging pain in my shoulders, I am nowhere near as strong as I once was. In truth, when I was in my prime I weighed 8.5 stones wet through so was never exactly a pillar of strength, but I would hold my own. And I was able to perform the right exercises to maintain my strength, fitness and flexibility. When I stopped playing five years ago I could hit a seven iron 150-155 yards. Now? 135-140 yards.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Eyesight

Many things deteriorate as you get older and right up there at the top of the list is eyesight. I could always follow a golf ball and my playing partners used to depend upon me to find their golf balls in the rough. Now? I can see it take off clearly enough and am fine on most par threes. But following a drive? Not a scooby! Fortunately, it has not affected my ability to read greens and I thank the great putting god in the sky for the fact that I can still putt as well as I ever did - and much better than most of the guys I play with.

Mental Approach

My approach to the game has had to change completely. I have had to accept my physical limitations. And that means thinking long and hard when faced with carries over water that stretch beyond 170 yards. I can still do it but now the strike needs to be absolutely perfect. And knowing that only a shot that comes right out of the middle of the club will do puts a whole different pressure on you. Mentally, I now have to accept that any par four that measures 400 yards or more is going to require three shots to get to the green, so I have to plot my way around in an entirely different way. It hasn’t been easy, but I am getting there.

Swing

I have to accept that when I ask somebody to film my swing, I may not like what I see. For starters, my swing speed has fallen to around 80mph. As I have said, my backswing is shorter and my follow through no longer resembles that of Rory McIlroy (there was a time when it did, I promise you!).

Lessons

I have managed to develop a shank, something I have never done before. I recently stood in front of a lake and shanked four successive shots into the water. And have no idea why. It was soul-destroying, especially as for the 15 holes that preceded it, I had played some proper golf. So I took the plunge and booked a lesson. One session may or may not be enough. Watch this space for a progress report.

Exercise

There are actually many exercises that senior golfers can perform to help with flexibility and strength. We'll share a few of those in a future article!

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