10 Golf Tips for Seniors (Detailed Below)
- Stay active
- Use every day motion in the golf swing
- Consider swing speed training
- Course management
- Check your equipment
- Hit the ball straight
- Maximize short game opportunities
- Develop a stock shot
- Control your low point
- Have fun!
Golf is truly a game for all ages. Enjoyed by all, ranging from kids to seniors. The key to enjoying golf for many years is finding a way to stay healthy while improving your game, which can help lead to years of quality golf.
The reason why many of us play golf differs from person to person. Everyone has their reasoning. Whether that is spending time with family and friends, enjoying the competition, or simply being in the outdoors, golf is highly popular game in many places throughout the world.
Golf can become more difficult as we age, gone are the days of feeling loose and ready to play on the first tee to hopefully just making it through the round feeling good. However, everyone wants to play quality golf. Nobody wants to go out there and hit bad shot after bad shot. Regardless of our current ability level, we are all seeking tips to play better.
The information below is provided for seniors to maximize their time, their health and the overall enjoyment of the game. The great part about being a senior is that often times there’s more time to play than in previous decades of life. Below we provide our top 8 tips to help you play better golf and enjoy the game you love
I have worked closely with my father, who is in his 60s and we have seen his game change over the past 10 years. There’s definitely a battle to maintain distance and flexibility. However, the ability to manage emotions and course management, can get better and improve.
Below I will dive deeper into the tips laid out above!
- Stay active
- Use every day motion in the golf swing
- Consider swing speed training
- Course management
- Check your equipment
- Hit the ball straight
- Maximize short game opportunities
- Develop a stock shot
- Control your low point
- Have fun!
If you are looking for more swing specific tips, check out these posts linked below!
#1 Golf Tips for Seniors – Stay Active
Flexibility and being able to make the movements required in the golf swing are major keys. Going for daily walks, or having some type of exercise routine, will help extend the quality of your swing into the later years.
Golf is a sport that takes some physical excursion as well. The average round of golf takes four hours, being able to stay strong and hit quality shots on holes 15 through 18 is important. Some people will enjoy daily walks, others might want to ride a bike, while others may enjoy going to the gym to work out.
Whatever it is that you enjoy, do it frequently and often. It will more than likely help your golf game.
Related: Stack and Tilt Golf System for Seniors
#2 Golf Tips for Seniors – Use every day motion in the golf swing
Golf is a game that has similar movements to other sports that you may have played. Senior golfers might struggle to play positional based golf, one where you are trying to get into certain positions. As the body loses flexibility, it is key to utilize a swing that capitalizes on the movements we have made in other sports, such as throwing a ball or skipping a stoke across the river.
We are all seeking a swing that is consistent, repeatable, and dependable. Gone are the days of trying to get the body into different key positions or even having the knowledge to understand it all.
As a senior, you want to focus on movements in the golf swing and use comparable movements from other areas of life. I would highly recommend the system linked below, as it is designed for seniors to maximize their distance and finally arrive at the swing they have been striving for years to obtain. It is selfishly designed for senior golfers. To truly find a swing that is consistent, repeatable and dependable.
Related: Check this swing approach out, by clicking here.
#3 Golf Tips for Seniors – Consider swing speed training
Let’s face it, as we get older we lose swing speed. Golfers like Phil Mickelson have worked hard to maintain and even increase swing speed as he reaches 50, but he knows that he must do something about it.
Simply sitting around and hoping that your swing speed doesn’t decrease probably won’t get you very far. Mickelson has used over speed training and can often be found with the SuperSpeed golf swing sticks in his bag and utilizing them at his tournament locations.
He has experienced an increase in distance and has also taken action on improving his overall fitness. The SuperSpeed System is quite impressive and it only takes 5-10 minutes per session about 3-4 times per week. You can chart your progress over time and studies have shown that most golfers will see a 5-8% increase in ball speed.
This could be 20-40 yards with your driver depending on your current swing speed. This system has worked for many golfers.
Check out SuperSpeed Golf here (Use discount code Golfjourney365 for a 10% discount)
One other Option for Speed: Gain 30-40 yards in 30 Days – Swing Man Golf
#4 Golf Tips for Seniors – Course management
One of the advantages of the senior golfer is that the ego of your younger days can be suppressed and you can actually manage your way around a golf course. You know that hitting the 300 yard drive is probably long gone, but hitting the fairway is possible and probably likely.
Staying within yourself and management your game and the course will pay major dividends with your score. When you get to that par 5 that requires a 220 yard carry over water to the green, instead play to your comfortable yardage within 100 yards and make birdie with your wedge.
You can have the upper leg on your competition by playing smart and playing to your strengths.
#5 Golf Tips for Seniors – Check your equipment
Golf equipment has advanced greatly over the past decade or so. Make sure you have the right shaft on your driver, one that is setup for your swing speed. Also, be sure to maximize the technology of the day with the right driver head.
Related: Hybrids vs Irons (Outcomes Compared)
Most importantly, check out some of the hybrid clubs now available and consider replacing your 3, 4 and 5 iron for a more forgiving hybrid that will help you launch the ball higher and further. You can now hold the green from 155-180 and have a shot to make some pars on those longer par 4s.
Don’t let your ego make you think that you have to still hit the 4 iron to be considered a player. When people are paying you their skins money at the end, they will know who won that day!
Some Callaway Hybrid Options – Check Amazon for Current Price
#6 Golf Tips for Seniors – Hit the ball straight
While others are looking for their ball in the trees or water, you can be in the middle of the fairway preparing for your next shot. As your swing speed decreases, it is essential to hit the fairways and something you should practice frequently.
I believe the two most important items will be hitting the ball straight and chipping the ball close. This is how you can make up for any loss of distance and still score like you always have or maybe even better. While you will still want to do some over speed training with SuperSpeed Golf, focusing on hitting fairways and chipping it close will help you greatly!
#7 Golf Tips for Seniors – Maximize short game opportunities
Too many golfers of all ages fail to practice their short game enough. Now that retirement may have happened recently, you have more time to potentially practice. The cheapest form of practice that produces the quickest and greatest results is spending time from 50 yards and in.
Become known as the guy or girl that can really get “up and down” or the “great putter” in the group. Just the mental edge you will have over your friends will be worth it. Put in the time and you will see the results.
Be careful – You might find yourself getting invited to more golf scrambles because everyone wants the straight hitting golfer that has a great short game. You can become that person!
#8 Golf Tips for Seniors – Develop A Stock Shot
One one of the best ways to manage your game around the golf course is to develop a stock shot. This means hitting the same shot pattern over and over again. It doesn’t matter if it is a draw or fade, become great at hitting that pattern and stick with it. Too many golfers try to hit the ball both ways and are actually worse for it. Instead, develop that stock shot and have 90% confidence that you will hit that shaped shot.
Related: What is a stock shot in golf?
Here is a wonderful drill you can use to build a stock shot:
- At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
- If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
- The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
#9 Golf Tips for Seniors – Control Your Low Point
The best golfers control their low point 99% of the time. The weakest golfers might only control their low point 50% of the time or worse. Regardless of your current age, controlling your low point is vital to your overall success. Not only does it help maximize your distance with the driver and longer clubs, but it helps you control your distance with your irons. It also eliminates really poor shots. Gone are the days of hitting it into water hazards short of greens or blading a shot over the green. The low point control is one of the keys to any golf game.
The Drill: The Low Point Control Drill
- Take some yard paint and paint a 1-2 yard long line.
- Setup with 55% of your weight on your front side.
- Try to hit the target side of the line and see how many times out of 10 you can do this successfully!
- Repeat this drill every day for a month, tracking your progress and your ability to to this successfully in trials of ten.
- You may need to start with half swing and progress to full swings.
If you are struggling, put more weight forward and work on keeping your head still to help control the low point in the swing.
#10 Golf Tips for Seniors – Have fun
The key is maintaining the right mindset, regardless of age. When you are out there, take the time to take a deep breath, look around and reflect on how fortunate you are to be playing golf right now.
It is amazing what this simple thought, maybe even once a hole, will have on the quality of your golf shots and your score. The person who is grateful and is having fun is going to play to their full potential more so than the negative person always looking to blame or complain about something going on that day.
You may have dreamed for years about playing golf frequently in a warm climate, now take advantage of it and have the right mindset. Your score and your pocketbook (if you play for money) will thank you and those playing in your foursome will notice and appreciate it as well. Be the person that is an energizer to the group!
Bonus Tip – Use your wisdom
As a junior golfer, I remember golfing with the seniors that seem to always make the right decision and have the right temperament. I am assuming this comes from life experiences and maintaining the right mindset. Take advantage of this wisdom and have it become part of your personality and your golf game.
“Golf is a game of inches. The most important are the six inches between your ears.”
Arnold Palmer
Other Senior Related Posts
Any Finally…
Golf is an amazing game and that so many of us love to play. There are so many benefits. Golf will help keep you in shape and connected with those closest to you. Take advantage of the opportunity to get outside with those you enjoy being around playing a game that brings about great challenges. Test yourself and your senior wisdom!
No matter where you are at with your game, we have a series of posts on getting to the next level. We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
