With age comes better golfing knowledge and more experience in the game – but also less physical strength, flexibility, endurance and control. While this can be frustrating, there are some modifications older golfers can make to improve the mechanics that are diminishing with age. There’s no reason older golfers shouldn’t still be able to enjoy the game and play to the best of their ability, so try these few tips to help.
Make sure you warm up properly
Warm ups should be compulsory as you age, to better prepare your body for the exertion to come. A solid warm up routine is crucial to keeping your physical abilities honed and preventing injuries on the golf course. Go for a brisk walk to get your heart rate up, or hit some shots in the practice area or at the driving range. Stretch some of the common problem areas for seniors such as neck, shoulders, ankles and hips. At least 10 minutes of practice swings and stretching exercises will really help you hit your game, as well as reducing aches and pains post-game and keeping injuries to a minimum.
Improve your balance and stability
As your balance and stability declines with age, it becomes more important to work on your balance and base of support. A good golf swing needs a stable base to be effective. As well, maintaining your muscle strength will help you achieve good posture, stance and balance. Perform balance exercises such as trying to balance on one foot for 30 seconds (or as long as you safely can), using a wall for support at first if necessary. Once you’ve mastered this skill, try it with your eyes shut. Participate in regular weight-bearing exercise to improve the strength of your muscles. It’s also worthwhile to see a physiotherapist or exercise professional to help you with strengthening and balance exercises appropriate for golfers. The key is to do them regularly if you want to see an improvement.
Adapt your golfing posture
Posture changes caused by aging, such as rounded upper back, wear and tear on your spine, extra weight being carried around and weaker muscles can all have an adverse impact on your game. Loss of flexibility can be a big issue, so senior golfers really need to stretch to maintain their range of motion. And not just during the warm up either. Make stretching a part of your daily routine to help minimise the effects of poor posture on your game. Consult a physiotherapist or exercise professional for help if you’re unsure how to stretch properly.
Adjust your stance
If you are very stiff and have poor hip flexibility, you’re probably swaying in your backswing to compensate for a poor hip position, leading to loss of distance, accuracy and consistency. To check if you may have this fault, stop at the top of your backswing and feel where the weight is on your right foot (if you’re a right-hander). If your weight is on the outside of your right foot rather than the inside, you have a problem. Try turning your right foot out in your stance, rather than having your foot facing forwards, to fix this issue.
Change the ball position in your stance
Setting up with the ball slightly back from your normal position, so that it’s aligned closer to your back foot, will give you greater overspin and allow the ball travel further.
Strengthen your golf grip
Slightly changing your golf grip will give you a few extra metres. To make sure your grip is a strong one, get the crease between your forefinger and thumb to form a “V” shape and point to your back shoulder, causing your hands to slightly rotate to the right. This will close the club face a little when you make contact with the ball, as it includes a bit of over-spin and a bit of draw. As well, your wrists won’t ‘give’ as much when you make contact with the ball, which will allow you to strike the ball harder and for it to travel further.
Slow your swing down
A fast swing makes it harder to keep your balance as you get older. Aim for better control rather than speed by slowing down your back swing a little. A three-quarter back swing, where your hands stop at shoulder height at the top of the swing, will reduce the amount of body movement and allow you to control your balance more easily.
Modify your equipment
As the mechanics of your game change as you get older, it’s important to check whether the equipment you’re using is best for your game now. Replace your long irons with easier to hit hybrids, and your low-lofted 3 woods with high-launch 3 woods, which are much more user friendly for senior players. The slower your swing speed is, the more loft is required to help you achieve some distance on your shot. Consider switching to senior shafts, which are lighter and more flexible than regular ones. Having the right shaft for your swing speed will help improve your ball flight. Also consider changing your grip to a larger size, which will allow you to grip the club better and help increase your power and strength. And if you find bending over difficult, invest in longer clubs to make it easier for you to strike the ball without causing an injury.
Shift your focus
You may not be able to hit the ball as far as you once did, and that’s natural. Rather than feeling frustrated, and trying to fruitlessly improve your long shots, instead focus on improving your short game to make up for your lack of power in the long game. Practice your chip shots, pitch shots, putts and bunker shots to give yourself the best chance of a good round.
