Working Up To Be A Senior Golf Pro

Some interesting facts about the senior golfer might have some people amazed. There are three classifications that some believe in strongly. The top golfers/pros, the good amateurs and the hackers. It is said that to become a pro you will need to start early in life and hit over three hundred and sixty thousand golf balls by the time you reach twenty. Now this may be an exaggeration, but it is possible to hit a hundred balls a day if you do not work or have any other hobbies or obligations.

For a top golfer or a pro it is said that they started as kids, had a mentor or a coach, were natural at athletics, hit thousands of balls and spent hours perfecting the game. It is also said they have belong to some sort of golf club and play eighteen holes of golf regularly. The younger they start the more they have learned and have hit many balls to lead them on their way to becoming a pro.

Now for the amateur senior golf player, they may have started as a kid, but usually start as a young adult. For the most part, they have some type of lesson whether professional or by someone, more experienced. They are also naturals as athletes and can say they have hit thousands of balls in their game. This is someone who also plays eighteen holes more often than not.

Now the hacker is said to be someone who starts out later in life and some have even had lessons or are just learning as they go along. This might just be a new hobby that they discovered and are probably not very athletic by nature. The hacker also usually only has a couple thousand hits and a few games to such as ten to twenty or so a year.

Some senior golfers believe you have to hit so many balls before the age of thirty to become a scratch golfer, which is someone that plays at par. This might not always be true since some golfers are just naturals at the game. Some pro golfers have the opinion that it is how you learn the game and how you achieve the distance needed to play the game. Whether you are a pro, amateur or a hacker, you can still come in at par or even under par if you have the god given talent at any age.

For the most part, if you start out young, you have a better chance of becoming a senior golf pro. The idea of giving up your childhood is not for everyone, but you can still make your way in life as a golfer by enjoying life as well. Most players that play the game still like to live a little and do have active family and social lives. Becoming a senior golf pro boils down to dedication and the ability to take guidance and run with it. As your game improves so does your recognition.

Senior Golf Strategies That Work

As a senior golf player, you want to keep up with the younger players and keep your handicaps right where they are or better. To do this you need to have a few tips on the strategies that other senior golfers use. The first one is the club. The club is important for distance as well as how the ball sails down the fairway. If you have the right club with the proper amount of flex, you are going to keep with your game. If you do not make adjustments, as you get older, you may see your game and handicap slip away.

The next strategy that senior golf players need to consider is the stance. If you are a little older, the way you present yourself to the ball will have a big impact on the game. You are going to stand differently as well as move differently when you swing. You should always keep this in mind when you are trying new clubs. If you have back problems, you will probably stand and move your body differently, which will great affect the distance you get with the ball as well as how you use the golf club.

The most important thing to remember about strategies is the course you are playing. Not all golf courses are created equally. Many courses are going to require you to adjust your swing and distance. Some of the best golf courses are the ones that require some degree of thinking and planning your drive. If you are playing against a wind, or on a drizzly day, you are going to have problems no matter how good you are in the game. Plying against the wind might require a different flex shaft because the wind is going to push the ball backwards.

The entire game is going to depend on how you tee off. As you age, you will have to change the way you position yourself over the ball. You may need to continually change this as the years go by. You can play golf for years after reaching fifty, you just have to realize when you need a change in your stance and positioning. Your distance not only comes from the club, but also from your presentation to the ball. Hit the draw is a term many golfers use to describe how you stand over the ball and how you will hit that ball

The best strategy is the tactical and practical strategies rather the mechanics. This is the thinking of many of the senior golf pros including Jim Hartley, who wrote a book about just that way of thinking. Golfers also have to have the mental image of the course in their minds in order to play more efficiently and know how many hits they need to make the putt easier and closer. Keeping all this mind should allow you to play the game and keep your handicap the same or better as you enter into your senior golf years.

Senior Golf Pros Retired

Arnold Palmer who was born in 1929 is a well-known golf pro who had gone on to turn pro in 1954 now has built many golf courses and a children's hospital. Arnold has an overall performance record of ten first place holdings in the Champion Tour and sixty-two first place holdings in the PGA Tour. He played three hundred and nineteen events in the Champion Tour and seven hundred and thirty-four PGA events. He still continues to talk about his days of golf and is one of the senior golf pros that are still making a name for themselves.

Jack Nicklaus born in 1940, turned pro in 1961 and tied Arnold Palmer with ten first place wins in the Champion Tour with eighty-four events played and seventy-three first place wins in the PGA Tour with five hundred and ninety-four events played. Jack also played two Nationwide Tours, which he made the cut just once. He has gone onto providing lessons to golfers who need a few lessons in the game of beginning, amateur and senior golf.

Seve Ballesteros retired just recently in 2007, after having years of back pain the preventing him from playing many years. He held fifty European Tour victories and five other championships. At the age of fifty, he did try the Champion Tour and finished last. He did not have the attitude that most senior golf players need, he was telling himself he needed to retire and that helped his game drop to nothing. In 1979, Seve won his first major and is now playing golf leisurely.

When they turn a certain age, most of the senior golf players start playing more than what they did before. Golf is the choice of sports for baby boomers nearing retirement. The retire pros retire from the spotlight but they never really retire from the game. Golf is the top rated sport as you age. Tennis and skiing are not far behind, but you are going have more fitness problems with these two sports. Golfing is soothing and a great way to spend a day. Even retirement from the limelight does not mean they never touch a golf club.

If you play about twenty-five games a year, you are considered an avid golfer. The senior golf player will have more time to play, which accounts for more games played. Because of the handicap system in golf, more players can stay competitive with the younger golfers. To play as a senior golf player, you need flexibility, endurance and some strength to keep playing.

Many of the retired pros can offer some of the new senior golf pros some tips that they have learned. Arnold Palmer still watches the rounds and does speak out about what he sees, but it mostly the distance he sees that needs improvement. As you get older, most avid golf players know you need to adjust your swing and your equipment to get the same or more distance when playing professional or amateur golf on the golf course.

Senior Golf - The Senior Open History

The very first Senior Golf Open was played in New York in June of 1980 at the Winged Foot Golf Club on the East Course. It was established because of the interest of senior golfers who wanted to compete on an amateur and professional level. The very first Senior Open had six hundred and thirty-one entries. At this time, the senior golfer had to be at least fifty-five years of age the day of the tournament. Some of the former champions competed in the first Senior Golf Open such as William Campbell, Tommy Bolt, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol and Lew Worsham.

The winner of the first Senior Golf Open was Roberto De Vicenzo while William Campbell was in second place. The age limit was lowered to fifty just one year later to allow for more participants in the tournament. Arnold Palmer went onto win the second Senior Open at the age of fifty-one in Michigan. Miller Barber won the Senior Open in 1982, which was just one of his three wins for a Senior Open. The other two wins were for 1984 and 1985. As of 2002, there were a little over three thousand entries for the Senior Golf Open.

In 2006, Allen Doyle became the new oldest winner of the Senior Open at the age of fifty-seven, eleven months, seventeen days. The oldest winner before that was De Vicenzo at the age of fifty-seven years, two months and fifteen days. Don Pooley won his way into the Senior Golf Open by qualifying and went onto win the tournament in 2002.

Today, you will see only a three or four hole playoff if needed were in the past it used to be four playoffs of eighteen holes. There have only been a few times in the Senior Open history of a playoff occurring, once in 1981, 1983, 1988 and 1991 with the winners being Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Gary Player and Jack Nicholas respectfully.

In 2007, the Senior Open was played at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin where senior golf player Brad Bryant won the Championship. He had winnings of four hundred and seventy thousand dollars to take home with him. He did share his revenue with his caddies Tony Smith. The golf course designed Pete Dye was designed to attract PGA tournaments in the future. It proved to be a tricky course that is considered rugged terrain that does not have golf cart abilities.

If you want a chance to watch the U.S. Senior Open when it comes to your town, you can buy advance tickets, walk around with your favorite players, and see how they fair in the tournament. Some of the courses they play are set up according to the guidelines established for the tours. This is just another way to see how the pros do it and how they apply different stances and what clubs they use to get distance and win the game. It is always a spectacular event for any city and golf course when the Senior Open comes to town.

Planning A Senior Golf Vacation

Many senior golf players enjoy getting away by planning a golfing vacation. Whether you play golf regularly or just once and awhile, a golf vacation is a great way to relax and enjoy the outdoors just like the pros. The senior golf pros play golf for many of the same reasons the amateurs do, they love the game and enjoy traveling to new golf courses. The more you play and learn, the better you become at playing. Understanding what clubs to use and when is also important.

A travel agent or an online travel site will be a good place to start if you are planning a senior golf vacation. You want to find a course that offers a challenge as well as some great people to meet. You might even consider playing a game at some the courses where the pros give lessons or play a leisurely round of golf just like you. You can look through brochures or websites to see exactly where to plan your next golfing vacation.

When you plan a golfing vacation, you usually find a package deal that includes hotel accommodations, golfing and other related rewards to your vacation. You might even enjoy a day of lessons from some pros. Senior golf is an enjoyable sport that sees no age limit as with other sports. This sport is for all ages, the more you play, and with a few good tips, you gradually improve your game.

If you plan your senior golf outing at the right time, you might even find that the weather is just right for playing. After all that is why the pros use these courses to stay in the game. You could find yourself right in front or behind some of the most reputable players in the world. This sure would enhance the golfing vacation. You can choose where and when to travel, but if it happens to be in an area where the Senior Open is going on, you could also spend a day watching how they perform.

Some golf courses even have there own resort hotels, which makes tee time no problem. If you plan your golf vacation, make sure to schedule a tee time so you do not miss out on the experience of playing golf away from home on a new course. This is the most exciting part about planning a golf vacation.

You might consider a senior golf outing to the Jack Nicholas Golf Course down in Florida. This course is considered a prime golf course that offers a challenge for any player. If you find yourself intrigued with the course and need more time, you might even consider a condominium right by the course so your vacation can become permanent. You are going to see many different courses you can plan a vacation around looking for information about the top courses is found on the Internet. Start your search with "Championship Golf Courses" and see where the pros keep up with their game and stay in shape.

Increase Your Distance With Tips For Senior Golf Players

Just because you play senior golf does mean you lose that distance. If you have been playing regularly, you may have already adjusted your fitness and your clubs and other equipment. If you continue to play, you always make adjustment for age. You never have to stop playing golf. Golfing is probably one of the most popular recreational games an older person can play without hurting himself or herself. You might need some instructions or tips on how to maintain that distance that every golfer wants. While your body changes as you get older, you want to stay fit. This is the reasoning behind doing some strengthening exercises and some flexibility training. Keeping your body strong and flexible will only enhance the game and help you achieve the distance you need. Maybe a little weight lifting to keep the upper body in shape is needed as you get older.

Stretching the legs daily will help to keep you flexible for a natural string, which helps with the distance you get from your swing. The more flexible you keep the body, the better you will be in you swing. Fitness is also necessary to walk the distances between holes as well. If you are not use to walking, you could tire easily. Not all golf courses will have golf cart for you.

Having the right equipment also makes a difference in your swing and the distance you get on the ball. As a person ages, they need different clubs that can help you swing better and drive the ball farther. The thing to look for is the club shaft flex, the length of the club and of course the lie angle.

These are important factors in a golf club. Sometimes the senior golfer may take a lesson or two from a pro. This just enhances the game and you can learn some techniques that the pros use.

The clubs you use do make a difference when you participate in senior golf. Even the pros change golf clubs as their body and age changes. The more flex you have in a club should give you more distance. This is seen by seasoned players as well as the pros. If you are just starting out, you will probably want to take a few lessons and practice on the driving range to get the most distance on the ball before trying the greens.

Senior golf has become very popular even for beginners. It is a nice way to spend your retirement and stay fit at the same time. Some of the pros do suggest starting out slow if you are new to golf and before you take any lessons or play a round of golf, you should have some type of fitness regiment to keep the body flexible. This will help your game as well as prevent injury. A good pair of shoes is also very important not only for walking in but also for your stance. If your shoes are uncomfortable, you are not going to stand correctly when hitting the golf ball.

Senior Golf Vacation Packages

If you are looking for a senior golf package where you can have golf lessons, a friendly game of golf or watch a PGA Tour, you might look on the Internet to see where the best places would be. You might travel to Arizona, Hawaii, Bermuda or Myrtle Beach. You can have some exciting rounds of golf when you book a senior golf package that includes accommodations, airfare and a day or two of golf. You will not only enjoy a day of golf, but the many attractions in the area as well. Vacation packages are great and when they include golf at one of the most prestigious clubs, you will have a better time.

Myrtle Beach alone has some of the most prestigious packages with different adventures with each one. You can play the Big Cats and even have a lesson or two from a former Senior Golf Tour player Gary Cowan. Cowan was the winner of two majors and made eight appearances in other majors. You might want the Big Cat package, the Fanatic golfer package or the four rounds and three-night package. The later is for the true golfer in everyone. Four days of golf and only three-nights in the hotel is what you get with this package.

In Maui, you can play one of the courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, enjoy a day in the warm sun and experience a golf course that you have never experienced before. You can stay at the Kaanapali Beach hotel and take the short walk to the golf course. The two courses are a senior golfer's delight. The South Course has an executive style, but with little difficulty where as the North Course runs through the foothills and along the beach and is considered a challenging golf course, which is home to the PGA Tour.

If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, you might try the senior golf package to Bermuda. With nine golf courses spread out on twenty-one areas of land, you will find this is one of the most extraordinary experiences of a lifetime. You can choose from fourteen hotels and resorts that offer the senior golf packages. With ocean all around, you will feel the warm breeze and smell the ocean as you enjoy a good game of golf. Many of packages include at least one day of golf, but you can find the deals with more days as well.

Senior golf packages do not stop there, you might enjoy a trip to Arizona where you find some of the leading golfing schools. The golf courses in the area host the PGA and the LPGA. The Scottsdale area is filled with many senior friendly golf courses that will intrigue even the skilled golfer. Not only do you have the game of golf, but some of the finest entertainment is offered in the area as well. You can plan a senior golf outing anywhere you find some great package deals and even professional lessons.