When did you become a senior golfer?

[John Kavanaugh]

My Dad told me a long time ago that the sooner I get glasses the sooner my eyesight will get worse. While I have put off getting glasses I have moved up a set of tees and wish I would have waited. There is little doubt in my mind that playing shorter courses day in and day out has made me a weaker golfer. Don't enjoy old age, fight the hell out of it.

[Peter Pallotta]

Yes, I've convinced myself that I actually prefer hitting a hybrid rather than a mid iron into a long par 4. In years to come, I hope to convince myself that I prefer hitting a 5 wood in most of all.  In anticipation, I recently picked up an old TaylorMade V-Steel 5 wood.  If the 4-wood version was good enough for Corey Pavin in his prime, for why isn't it still good for me in the not-prime years?
P

[Lou_Duran]

There is little doubt in my mind that playing shorter courses day in and day out has made me a weaker golfer. Don't enjoy old age, fight the hell out of it.

JK,

No question about it.  While an undergraduate at Ohio State I would go home for a summer factory job and bought a cheap summer membership at a nearby daily-fee course.  During the 6 months I played on the long, demanding Scarlet course, 90% of my scores fell within the 75-85 range.  For the first couple weeks I played the much easier Hillcrest GC during the summer, my scores were around par.  But as the summer progressed, I was back in he 75-85 range, with perhaps a lower average.   My game acclimated to a level I was familiar with, and it took awhile to get it back upon returning to school (had a hard time getting back into the 70s).

I now play a 6800 yard course though my average drive is probably around 220+/-.   75% of my scores are in the same 75-85 range, but I suspect that if I moved to the whites (<6500), I'd be shooting similar scores in time , my handicap would go up, and my distance problem would just get worse.

Persist!

[MCirba]

Persistence is Omnipotent.   

And at the end of the day, I only remember long-term the good shots and holes or the ones so bad as to be humorous.

[V_Halyard]

As evidence becoming an older golfer isn't a death sentence, my dad improved his game quite a bit after being retired.  He went from a 15 down to a 9 and his short game is as good as it ever was.  Now at 72 he plays to about a 13 I think.  So certainly you lengthen out a course to 7000 yards and he would struggle, but he is pretty straight so plays for bogey on long par 4's.  Because you can play so much more I think some people's game will improve.

I thought I was a senior golfer until I played with Jeff Schley and his dad last week and could only think to myself: 
"Damn, I need to keep up or Coach Schley (Jeff's 72 Yr. old dad) is going to make me do wind sprints..."

[Tommy Williamsen]

My Dad told me a long time ago that the sooner I get glasses the sooner my eyesight will get worse. While I have put off getting glasses I have moved up a set of tees and wish I would have waited. There is little doubt in my mind that playing shorter courses day in and day out has made me a weaker golfer. Don't enjoy old age, fight the hell out of it.

I think you're on to something. I have moved up and score the same. Once in a while I will move back a tee. I hit more three woods into greens but actually enjoy it more. The greater the challenge the greater the reward.

[MCirba]

I thought I was a senior golfer until I played with Jeff Schley and his dad last week and could only think to myself: 
"Damn, I need to keep up or Coach Schley (Jeff's 72 Yr. old dad) is going to make me do wind sprints..."

Yep... I had the pleasure recently and for him missing a fairway seems to be when he's 5 yards off the center line.

[Ed Brzezowski]

When I had more replacement parts than natural ones .   

[V_Halyard]

When I had more replacement parts than natural ones .

Don't you consider them "Upgraded Components"?