Scared of getting old!

[widespread55]

I am 26 years of age, and going to be 27 in July. I am getting pretty good distance on my drives right now (325-350ft). I am starting to think about what my max distance will end up being when its all said and done and I have been thinking a lot about what age will be my "peek". This may seem kind of redicualus, and maybe it is. Although I find it hard to believe that I am the only one who thinks about this.

The question is: At what age does one reach their "peek," and should we be more worried about working on accuracy rather then distance?

 

[simpletwist]

No worries Mate. Old is a state of mind. You can't stop getting old, but you don't necessarily have to grow up. I'll be 56 in 2 months. Discin' makes me feel young. My distance probably won't increase much more than the 300' I'm getting nowadays, but my technique can improve and with it my accuracy. I remember playing a few rounds of ball golf 10 years ago with my son, 20, and some old dude, late 60s early 70s. My son could drive the ball a mile. My short game & putting was pretty good. But that old man whupped us every time. He played consistent and he played smart, within his abilities.

Most atheletes are in their prime in their late 20s to mid 30s.

 

[Midnightbiker]

You are 26 and afraid of getting old? I am ten years older than you, and I am having a blast.

 

[bazillion]

Yeah, don't sweat it. The object of the game is to have fun and there's no age limit at all on that.

If you're wondering when you should start working on your accuracy, though, I'd say "yesterday"

 

[garublador]

My guess is it would actually depend a lot on how you're getting your distance. If you're actually getting a lot of snap then you should be able to throw 400' into and through much of your 40's if not longer. If you're "strong arming" the disc you might loose distance earlier.

It will also depend on how well you take care of yourself. You can do a lot of damage in the 15 years between 25 and 40. You can also do a lot of good and improve your distance in that time as well.

Other than that I'm not qualified to give a great respsonse other than I know it's later than option 1. I turn 32 in a couple weeks and I've popped a couple fairway driver shots over 400' since I've turned 31. IIRC (the remembering part goes first), all of my >400' throws have been after age 30 (I started playing when I was 26.)

 

[drkstr]

I turn 59 today. You young pups will out drive me but I still love the game and will never give it up!!!
My goal is to get that first Ace before my next Birthday!

Happy Un-Birthay to the rest of youse Disc Golfers out there. :~)

 

[t i m]

We've got a guy around here in his 50s (not sure how old) who can throw a chicken wing (weird looking shot) 400'+... some of the best distance I've ever seen from an older player. I don't know if some types of throws are just easier on the body and can be performed longer... it will be interesting to see how some top players continue to play as they age.

 

[craigg]

I turned 45 in April and just won my 53rd PDGA in MPO at one of the toughest courses anywhere (Paw Paw, WV)

Don't worry about getting old - just learn to stretch, and take some basic care of your body - and you'll enjoy DG for a looooong time

 

[Lewis]

I'm 32 and still gaining distance as I develop my form. The problem for me is it's easier to get sore joints in your 30's.

In most sports, the prime decades are 20's and 30's. A notable exception is tennis, where 30 is often over the hill. Rafa Nadal may never win another Wimbledon if his knees continue to give him problems.

 

[harr0140]

What is ridiculous is you are 27 and thinking about this I just turned 34 and havent even begun to think about my peak . . . especially since I have only been playing for 6 months.

 

[Dave242]

I voted "over 46" which I believe to be true in general. It gets harder and harder to stay in shape and to recover from soreness with age - that starts around 30 I think and gets worse every year.

I think the age of the PGA Champions Tour (formerly Senior Tour) corroborates - 50 is the age for that. And, distance is the primary thing that diminishes with age in golf.

 

[NovaDiscHead]

41 and playing the best DG of my life. Equipment has changed the game, but also working on technique. I'm now able to get close to 400 feet with a Groove.

 

[NovaDiscHead]

We've got a guy around here in his 50s (not sure how old) who can throw a chicken wing (weird looking shot) 400'+... some of the best distance I've ever seen from an older player. I don't know if some types of throws are just easier on the body and can be performed longer... it will be interesting to see how some top players continue to play as they age.

You talking about Tom (Burke Lake Pro), Tim?

 

[80playedin10states]

i didn't vote because i have seen players over 40 and even over 50 outplay and outdrive me...its all technique and experience..the top player in NY is 50 this year..

 

[craigg]

You talking about Tom (Burke Lake Pro), Tim?

I think he's talking about Tom Edwards from Baltimore - he's the local chicken wing king - although 400' is probably close to his max.

 

[hippiediscdude]

I think age is a state of mind for the most part. Im 34 I dont think I have hit my peak yet. I played with a guy that was 50+ and legally blind that whooped my ass. I think where disc golf isn't an aerobic or overly physical activity age shouldn't be to big of a factor. Disc golf seems to be more muscle memory and repetitive motions. I think age and time playing would almost help you in this sport. I have been playing for 10+ years and I know my game keeps getting better. I've seen plenty of guys that are 40+ that could whoop all of us.

 

[maynes32]

Much (MUCH) of the game is accuracy. Even if you are going to/have lost some distance with age, it is not necessarily going to have a huge impact on your game, as a result, especially if you continue to improve your accuracy. Additionally, I'd guess that you'd have to be pretty old (well past 50's) before you saw any substantial decrease in distance that would impact your game in a meaningful way.

 

[Guurn]

Well, I'm 45 and I can say for sure that my best year of driving was last year and I lost a lot of distance over the winter. It is hard to get it back, much harder than years past, but I am still driving well.

 

[kyflash]

I am 43 and didn't start playing until I was almost 41. I am still gaining distance.
So far (knock on wood) I don't feel any pains from playing. I did when I first started, my arm would be sore while doing everyday type stuff, but didn't hurt me to drive or putt or really anything that you do while DGing, except I had to carry my bag with my left hand.

I thnk DG is one of those activities that you can carry well into old age and not loose much.
I play regularly with a broad age of people from 17 to what I would gues to be upper 50's.

Stop worring about loosing distance at 27. At 27 your metabolism really slows and your pants get tight on you. That is what should concern you at your age.

 

[DavidSauls]

I am 26 years of age, and going to be 27 in July. I am getting pretty good distance on my drives right now (325-350ft). I am starting to think about what my max distance will end up being when its all said and done and I have been thinking a lot about what age will be my "peek". This may seem kind of redicualus, and maybe it is. Although I find it hard to believe that I am the only one who thinks about this.

The question is: At what age does one reach their "peek," and should we be more worried about working on accuracy rather then distance?

You shouldn't peek. Or worry about your peak. It's more like a plateau....at some point you simply can't drive any further, barring new equipment, but you can maintain that "D" for many years before it starts to fade. Whenever your distances maxes out, you can still refine your short game and continue improving for years.

For myself, I was continuing to drive further in my mid-40s until a shoulder injury.....now 50, I occasionally get off a drive as long as ever before, but my average is down. My scores are about the same as before.