Old age setting in!

[Billipo]

I'm assuming my driver distance is diminishing due to age. Sometimes a small distance difference adds up to strokes. Yes, I am a Senior!

I have been playing for a long time and quite honestly feel comfortable with the flight characteristics/predictability/feel of the discs that I throw. Some models have been in my bag for years.

My question is ... As the disc becomes less effective should I try to replace them with other models or just try lighter weights same models.

Interested in thoughts.

 

[Jay Dub]

I would try both. Go with lighter of the same molds first, imo.

I have some great 150g weight discs but I still do real well with 165g range and a couple 175g. These are all drivers/fairways. My mids, approach and putters are the same as always, close to max weight most times. I'm not interested in a 150g Aviar.

 

[Dthunderchicken]

I'm 63YO and pretty banged up. After the first rotator cuff tear I shelved my old distance drivers for slower and lighter models. (I have less pain after a round now.) I do 150s in drivers, 165s in mids and max weight in putters. I'm going to start bagging 150 fast mids soon. I've become reacquainted with throwing a champ leopard that was my daughters. I like it.

 

[Jay Dub]

63 here too.

You didn't say which brand(s) you throw, I, and others, have said a 150 star Teebird is great. A friend is almost 70 went thru 350+ hours of chemo a few years back and is out playing again. Another friend turned him onto a Stratus and he loves it.

Those are two molds I'd suggest.

 

[Billipo]

I agree on the mids and putters - keeping the same weights 174g. often I just disc up. Only throwing a putter to putt, mids to approach.

as far as drivers,

forehand - 150g Z flick I'm good here.

primary drivers - 170g Rogue, 164 g. Hurricane,
Turnover driver - 167g gstar Roadrunner, 168g Avenger ss
Fairway driver - 167g cyclone

 

[The Valkyrie Kid]

Wow, a thread for us senior players.

I throw lighter drivers like Vulcans which advertise themselves as discs for players with the slower arm speed. Yep, that's me.

Other than the inevitable loss of distance, I also deal with the nagging aches and pains. When on a road trip, I try to schedule myself around 45-50 holes a day, down from the 72 I use to play. And I have vowed to myself not to tackle any more ridiculous ski resort courses. I'm sticking more to the flatlands now.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Take a look and see if there are discs in the same speed range as your current discs with a higher Glide rating. You may be able to get a bit more distance whether driving or putting with the same effort and weight as your current discs. Lighter weight discs is the standard suggestion, but more glide can help, too. For example, I'm messing with the Mirage as a replacement for a Classic Roc or Colt which has a bit more glide.

 

[ChrisWoj]

I'm assuming my driver distance is diminishing due to age. Sometimes a small distance difference adds up to strokes. Yes, I am a Senior!

I have been playing for a long time and quite honestly feel comfortable with the flight characteristics/predictability/feel of the discs that I throw. Some models have been in my bag for years.

My question is ... As the disc becomes less effective should I try to replace them with other models or just try lighter weights same models.

Interested in thoughts.

In addition to the discs... How much work do you do to maintain your physical state? Are you doing anything actively to reduce the reduction in strength? Forearm work to help your grip strength? Leg work to maintain power?

Just curious - sure we can't ever get back to our peak maximum potential, but if you weren't doing work before: adding some strength and flexibility work can get you to better than you were in recent years.

 

[elmexdela]

a little moar understable will generate some extra d

lighter discs are great too and easier on the arm however of course moar susceptible to the wind messing them around

 

[TheOtherBill]

Almost 50 here and found the biggest difference in distance is how much time I've spent stretching before a round. If I don't, my drives on holes 11 and above will be smoother/easier/farther than on hole 1.
I only bag drivers under 170 now, except for an OS destroyer for ridiculous wind, and now I'm moving mids down in weight too. I've always thrown understable discs tho - Leopard or Sidewinder and a Coyote always get a lot of use.

 

[ChrisWoj]

Almost 50 here and found the biggest difference in distance is how much time I've spent stretching before a round. If I don't, my drives on holes 11 and above will be smoother/easier/farther than on hole 1.
I only bag drivers under 170 now, except for an OS destroyer for ridiculous wind, and now I'm moving mids down in weight too. I've always thrown understable discs tho - Leopard or Sidewinder and a Coyote always get a lot of use.

I'm not quite to 50, still 4+ years from Masters age... but I've definitely added stretching before every round already. I started doing yoga religiously this year (and managed to keep on it for 9 months now) in the hopes that I can minimize what I lose as much as possible as I age. What better way to build an edge over the rest of my age protected division than by starting before I ever get there... I gotta imagine the same holds for anyone already in the age protected divisions. Want a big advantage in the 55 and older division? Start trying to minimize loss of physical capability when you're 50.

 

[sisyphus]

Will be 60 this coming spring, and agree the lighter discs for higher speeds work, provided you don't have too big a shift in mind. I have trouble with the release if a disc is 40 grams lighter than what I've gown used to. For drivers, I tend to throw Terns and Shrykes in the 167-173 gram range, and have never thrown consistently over 320' anyway.
That being said, I do throw a wonderfully weathered 150 Teebird ...and higher glide: love the River for my fairways!
But my staples are my VP putters, some Buzzes and Comets, all pretty much max weight, so my game's about approach and putt, and having fun doing so.

...and I definitely feel like a bit of stretching and/or vigorous walking to get loose helps my form become consistent faster when first hitting the course.

 

[Billipo]

It's winter in OHio so field work is useless, but I sure can use the stretching tools that I have never installed to build strength. They are the bands that hookup to the door knob style. Better use of time than putting in a mini target in the hallway!

You guys have motivated me! That will likely help with building or retaining strength.

Great suggestions.

 

[jfb3]

I've only been playing for a few years but I'll turn 60 in a few days.
I'm actually still increasing distance as I refine my form.
I can, though, foresee a future when I can't hammer an overstable driver down range.
I'll probably just move discs up a slot or two - a D3s and D4s might become main drivers instead of a D1s and D2s, etc.
Because I already have a bunch of discs that I like it'll just be like playing a course at altitude.

 

[Billipo]

I installed the "Equalizer" and will work on a strength routine based on instructions on package.

Been doing some internet research on glide suggestion. My current arsenal seems to have pretty high glide numbers, but I'm sure there is a good fit or better fit out there. I have some early thoughts.

 

[biscoe]

I am 55 and have kept my mids and putters where they have always been (low 170's). I dropped down into the 150's on drivers for a while but have found I am more consistent with discs in the mid 160's. Somewhere below that is a threshold where I feel like my timing gets bad. I also prefer the performance of the 160's discs in the wind to their lighter counterparts.

That being said I get beat on the reg by someone throwing a 132 Katana for distance.

 

[DiscFifty]

My question is ... As the disc becomes less effective should I try to replace them with other models or just try lighter weights same models.

Sticking with the same molds, 5 grams or less usually results in slightly more distance with similar control. 10 grams less and you'll notice more distance and less accuracy. Seems your drivers are in the 160 class, so there is definite opportunities to experiment with 150g variants. Also, don't forget to try even lighter weights combined with more over-stability.

While good D at 50+ is a plus, the guys that win always seem to throw under 300 but have an amazing approach game and solid putting. Like others have said, flexibility is key. I also lift weights several times a week to keep my arms, shoulders strong.

 

[da Crippler]

A low carb ketogenic diet and a micro dose of mushrooms every other day keeps me feeling young at 67. Without them I would be fat, anxious and depressed.

 

[danhyzer]

I'm a LHBH player, And have ben throwing 150 gram Star Lite Sidewinders for many moons as my driver. Most of the time for my approach shots and sometimes even when I putt. I know about how far I'm going to throw. And when I can't find the disc, I go to the area about how I throw (distance wise) and the disc is usually around that distance. The other disc I've ben using is the 150 Star Lite Mamba, not as predicable as my trusty sidewinder, but very effective for my game. As for a heavier disc (for my game) is the 172-3 Stratus. I can buy one of these off the shelves and it will do what it's suppose to do from the first throw! By accident, or I guess on purpose cause I was planning to play some hilly courses on a recent trip and found that the 172-3 gram soft Wizards seem to stick to the chains better than other putters I use. Pretty simple game plan, Try to stay in the fairway so I can get a good upshot towards the basket.
I also like to give away some of my 150 Star lite sidewinders to younger women that I find on the course playing with their Dad's/ Boyfriends disc and watch in amazement of how quickly their game changes by using a lighter and better (weight) suited for their game.

 

[Nick Pacific]

I started doing yoga religiously this year (and managed to keep on it for 9 months now) in the hopes that I can minimize what I lose as much as possible as I age. .

Have you done hot yoga before? If you like standard yoga, hot yoga is next level. Prior to covid I had been doing it quite a bit and IMO I think it's the best way to exercise not just for disc golf but for any sport really. Being a guy I wasn't naturally flexible and would get my butt kicked in the floor series by most of the all female class, but surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) from all the years of disc golf and sports prior to that, most of the standing series which rely on leg strength and stamina I was actually pretty advanced level right out of the gate it came really easy for me.

I have also found a good strong dose of THC prior to yoga class takes it to next level :thmbup: