Advancing (Age) with Golf

I read with interest a recent article in the RCGA’s Golf Canada titled “Game of a Lifetime.”

“A York University stuffy has concluded that golf does indeed live up to its reputation as the game of a lifetime, good news for baby boomer golfers looking to stay active despite turning 60.”

Joe Baker, a professor at York, studied 96 PGA Tour golfers, each whom had logged at least 12 years on the tour. The study looked at “scoring average, driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, putts per round and number of competitive rounds played.”

Baker concluded that “performance in golfing can be maintained to a much greater extent than performance in activities relying on biologically-constrained abilities.”

Other conclusions included:
- Among the statistics studied, driving distance and greens in regulation declined most rapidly with age
- Declines in scoring average and putts per round were “minimal”
- Driving accuracy “improved a little for players past the age of 50”

From a business perspective, as we work towards the opening of Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, I obviously find this data encouraging. We’ve all always known that golf can be played, and even mastered, by those of advanced years, even if the game is discovered late in life.

However, as an organization that guarantees to deliver a 25% reduction in your handicap, or your money back, we’re very happy to hear that scoring average suffers from only a “minimal” decline as a golfer ages.

And of course, on a personal note, since I don’t get to play much golf now, and I’m not sure if/when I will play very much, I’m buoyed by the prospect of playing well for quite some time to come.

For now, keep it in the short grass, especially ye who are 50+!