I agree, and I agree with everything else that you said. It was a good post and even if it's not right (on balance I think you probably are right), it's a great attitude.

I loved the balatas too. They were great. Such good feel and touch around the greens. If you couldn't get those to bite on a chip, then you were beyond help. I remember when the professional came out and it became difficult to find the old balatas that I never really got to grips with the relative lack of spin with the professional.

I turned 29 a few days ago and I feel my best golf is ahead of me. Finally maintaining a handicap that's less than my age! :) :)

I have hit some of the longest drives I ever hit in my life with a prov1 recently. If your swing speed is well over 100 it really takes off.

Perfect technique is the best way to maintain consistency and the only way to be competitive as you get older. That and stretching every day.

I used to hit balatas hard enough to flatten out at least one ball every round, I always used to go through at least 2 or 3 balls every round even if I didn't lose one. I liked the spin on balatas but I don't miss the expense. 3 or 4 piece balls are much better technology and a urethane cover is going to give you 95% or more of the spin you could produce with a balata.

I have shoes older than you are man!
Your best golf is definitely ahead of you = )

http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...lies/clapp.gif

I'll be turning 62 this Winter, and although my best pure golf may be behind me, I'm appreciating golf a lot more than I did when I was younger.

When I was younger, the score was THE MAIN THING, and the whole golf experience took a backseat. Nowadays, although I still want to score well, the "golf package" is more important - enjoying the course, the weather, my playing partners, the cigars, the banter, etc...http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...ies/banana.gif

I have never been good enough to get overly serious about a score. I try to have fun, and I also try to do well. The only guys who should ever get mad or be serious about a score are the ones playing on Sunday on TV and even then I am not so sure it helps them.

Balatas were on the way out when I started playing. However, someone gave me half a dozen old ones to try out. I don't even think he knew what they were, he just found them in a closet at a relatives house and knew I played, etc.

I had never seen anything so soft. They sounded more like a tennis ball instead of a rock hard golf ball. I loved the sound they made coming off the club, and I had to figure out how to hit them around the greens because they would just stop dead where they landed.

I feel My game has improved so much in the last 4-5 years that I should continue to get better for the up coming years,unless Injuries keep piling up as they have lately.

I feel my swing and technique is light yrs ahead of where I was when I was younger

If I could play that 24 yr old today,I would kill him even though he was sort of better in certain areas.

My pratice routine and mental game have transformed my game as of late.I play the game today vs the bomb and gauge style of the 24 yr old kid did.

I'm with you Lefty. After just a little over 8 years of playing, I have finally realized that longer isn't always the answer. Thinking wins out over brute strength every time in golf. As a matter of fact, when I try to stretch a club or hit farther than I am capable is where I get my worst results. Nice and smooth and keeping it in play gives me much better results. Experience is a great teacher, but the tuition has been high.