Golf Swing Instructions for Seniors

Keep your body in good physical condition to ensure yourself many years of golfing enjoyment.

Golf is one of the few sports people enjoy their entire life. As golfers get older, they will develop new goals, such as shooting their age. While golf does not produce the wear and tear on your body as other sports, it is important to stay in relatively good physical condition. A good stretching program and a daily walk could be enough to keep you healthy enough to continue playing golf in your 70s, 80s and even 90s.

Things You'll Need

• Golf course
• Golf clubs
• Golf ball
• Golf tee
• Scorecard

Instructions

Swing Instructions

1. 

   Stretch before you play. Stretching will help prevent injury that could set you back months or years. If you live in a cooler climate during the winter months, it is a good idea to develop a stretching or exercise program to help stay in shape. A good stretching or fitness program could even add distance to your golf shots.

2. Maintain a solid tempo and balance. If the tempo is smooth, it will lead to good balance in the swing. Good balance in the swing will lead to better golf shots. Good tempo and balance lead to a solid finish, where the golfer will be flat on the left foot and on the right toe. The body will turn toward the target with the belt buckle facing the target on the follow-through.

3. Continue to work on proper swing fundamentals. As an individual ages, it is natural to lose flexibility and distance. If a senior maintains or improves swing fundamentals, they might not see a drastic change in a loss of distance. Continue to work on ball striking drills.

4. Make sure the equipment is ideal for a senior golfer. Graphite shafts are lighter than steel shafts. The graphite will allow for faster swing speeds, which will lead to more distance. Also, switch to oversize grips. Oversize grips will produce a softer feel for the hands. A softer feel is ideal for golfers who suffer from arthritis in the hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Develop a good short game. The short game will become more important if you lose distance with the full swing.

• Meet with the appropriate professionals to develop a plan of action. For example, a golf professional for swing fundamentals, a doctor to determine any health concerns problems and a fitness instructor to develop appropriate exercises.