Can you handle it, when the ship sinks?
 

For some of us older golfers, there comes a time when the game heads south. It can be a temporary thing or maybe it just happens with age? Be it physical, mental, or just plain time to accept a change, golf is a fickle game. Golf can bring the strongest of men to their knees and when Father Time kicks in, we wonder what the heck is going on. You have Touring Pros, like Hale Irwin shooting their age (66) but most of us mortals, just don't have that kind of skill. I use to shoot low 80's on a fairly regular basis on my home course. Heck I shot in the 70's quite a few times last year, which is not really anything special on my home course. It's a short little course with not much of a challenge, so breaking 80 is no big deal.

Young golfers have struggles them selves however when us older guys struggle, even with many years of practice & play,,,, the ship still sinks http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/banghead.gif

OG,
This is a pretty interesting topic. All golfers struggle, however the more years you have in the game, the more unexpected it is it seems.

But as age comes there is equipment that match your swing ability. Hopefully the body allows one to at least get out on the course and then will power! One can not expect to shoot 70s all life, but it's more than the score. It's a way of life. Enjoy the scenery, friends and everything around the scoring itself. But then I'm still young and maybe naive, but I hope thats how it will be for me at least.


Tappin' for world peace in HD!

I love the beauty of golf, the walk in nature etc.. I also love the comradeship and the thrill of competition, however when you know your best is over, how do you handle it? It's not an easy thing to accept until you walk in those shoes. This can be a common thing among old & younger golfers. Either young or old it still sucks to hit that plateau. So how do you accept it?

I had a time when I was really getting upset with myself when I would not score "where I thought I should" score. I was so bad I would blow up and want to toss a club or two and even got to the point of wanting to walk away from this game. I am not sure what caused it but i have reached a level of inner peace with my game and I am accepting of whatever happens and the scores I shoot. Do I still want to and expect to improve? Of course I do and I know i will in time and if I don't well then I don't and I can live with it. To me it is about getting out with friends ( or strangers) in the sunshine and enjoy my time on the course. Oh sure I will mutter a four letter word if I hit a crappy shot but it does not consume me like it once did. And if the ship sinks, then we can all go for a swim...LOL

I understand what you mean and I don't think it's an easy thing. And I also don't think its something that you maybe can accept at heart quickly, but what I meant was that maybe when you have "had your best time" in the scoring department maybe you'll have to focus more and more on all those other aspects of golf and see it as a good and fun way to activate your body. Hopefully you'll still find enjoyment in the game that way. Also I think there is no ultimate way to handle it that works for everyone, everyone makes their own specific journey in life and handle it there after and I don't think golf is a exception.


Tappin' for world peace in HD!

I understand OG... I'm 56 and just coming to this game after a life of many other, very physical sports. My body can't do those anymore (and thankfully, I have the sense to not force it) but luckily golf found me or I found golf.

I don't yet have "game" but can see my progress... I know I'll get better and it will be in this older, less flexible body. I'll never be LPGA material, but thats OK. Meanwhile I enjoy being outside, seeing the different courses, hitting balls at the range until I can't hit anymore and meeting great new people (like here at THP)... I'm in love with this game and in it until I drop.

This is really an awesome statement and one that I totally agree with. Your wisdom is pretty fricking good and something that not only older golfers but all should adhere to.

Did not start playing until I was 61, been playing five years. Already do not hit as far as I did. On the plus side I'm addicted, try to play as often as possible, two to three times a week. I'm in Fl. half the year so in the winter play with guys in their 70's and 80's. Each time I go out I'm happy to be able to golf, I may play bad on occasion but always have good time because I'm old enough to know it could be a lot worse.

I think the more competitive you are, the more difficult it may be, at least for me it seems to be going that way. I'm only going on 48 but I've recently been diagnosed with a dabilitating illness that has progressed quickly. My mind says go go go, but my body just can't keep up anymore. I hope to continue to play for several more years, and it finally sunk in today that there is an easier softer way to play the game, I need some game enhancing equipment that will continue to make the game fun. I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was lol. Great topic!!

OG I have a question for you. I assume that the crew you play with is about the same age, correct? So their skills should be about the same and headed in the same direction. Doesn't this make it a little easier?
I mean if you played with folks that were getting better it might be hard to swallow. But if your skills decline gradually with your contemporaries it would seem that it would easier to
swallow. Just wondering if this applies or even makes sense.

A day that you aren't pure with those blades is.....well let's just say its fun to watch brother.

Man I can't agree with you more OG. At 59 stuff happens that just makes no sense. Like, what do you mean I can't turn that far today! Oh yeah, I forgot to stretch for 30 minutes, sometimes I just don't have the time. I reluctantly moved to the white tees a few years ago and that helped some. Thankfully my short game is still intact since I have apparently forgotten how to hit a damn driver the past few weeks. How does that happen after 30 years of golfing?!

Thats unfortunate OG, I'm sure the body just doesnt move like it used to as we get older so it makes the swing more difficult to replicate time after time, or you have to make adjustments that make it harder to be consistent. I hope you find a way to work it out OG, hopefully you have many more years of golf ahead of you.

OG just described my play at the outing. For some of us older guys we've still have very strong competitiveness in us
& it gets so frustrating when ya struggle.
Sent from my DROID X2

Nice topic, old timer. Getting older hasn't bothered me much in general, but how it affects my golf game is irritating. There's power loss, the hands are a little shakier on the putter, the legs don't hold up quite as well. For me it's a combination of age and weight.

It's annoying.

Kevin

Well, I'm as old as dirt, as they say, but I refuse to believe I still can't shave a few strokes off my handicap. No, I can't hit the ball as far as I used to. That's why I carry 13 other clubs! I've played with you OG, you're not done yet. Not even close.

So I am almost as old as dirt and I am constantly trying to get better, I know I can't hit the ball very far any more, but I know that there is more to scoring than simply hitting the ball a long way. I work on my short game and putting and when they are on I score, it really is that simple. With this old, weak, inflexible body those days when it is on are fewer than they were but I know some of those days it still works pretty good. I agree with v.man, OG you are not done yet my friend, you have a lot of game you whippersnapper. http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...es/biggrin.png

This has happened to me simply because I've almost stopped playing altogether. I dont have the drive to play because I need new irons, and I don't make time for that reason.

I hate not being able to shoot sub-76 anymore. I hate not being able to challenge par anymore. I hate just hitting the ball and not caring where it goes.

It does and I'm sure it makes most of us realize, that age will affect our games and it's something we have to accept. It's funny how the older generation somtimes buys sports cars to make them still feel young. In golf once the age and physical stuff kicks in, it's something that is hard to swallow. I think it is something we all have to accept to enjoy this great sport and not expect too much out of it. Not only guys/gals reaching their prime but also young folks with physical limitations. When life makes changes you have to roll with the flow and it's not always easy to except......