When I taught golf full-time, many of the golfers I worked with were seniors and juniors. Senior golfers usually have more time to play but suffer from less flexibility, less range of motion and less speed. It’s a frustrating combo, especially when your brain still remembers the swing you used to have.
The good news is you don’t need a full swing overhaul to play better. A few small adjustments can go a long way. I published this article last year and at the time it was my four favorite golf tips. There was, however, a big one I missed. I’ve added that as the top tip.
These are meant to be smart little changes that might help something click and make your next round more enjoyable.
Warm up before you swing
This one seems obvious but it makes all the difference. Stiff hips and shoulders are the problem all of these tips are trying to work around, so loosen them before you start.
Roll your shoulders and swing your arms across your chest. Turn your torso back and forth with a club held across your shoulders. Hinge from your hips a few times with a straight back. Take a few easy half-swings with a short iron before you reach for the driver. If you can, walk for a couple of minutes before you stretch, so your muscles aren’t cold.
If you have a joint replacement or an injury, check with your doctor or a golf pro about what’s safe for you.
Drop your trail foot back for easier rotation
Dropping your trail foot back (right foot for right-handed players) slightly behind your lead foot is one of the simplest setup changes you can make. I use it myself sometimes when hitting long irons because it just leads to better results.
When you drop your trail foot back just slightly, it leads to a naturally closed stance, which helps encourage more hip and shoulder turn, even if you’re somewhat stiff. The club has an easier time travelling more from the inside, and you should see a draw or at least less of a slice.
Bonus Tip: Try flaring both feet out slightly at address. This frees up your hips even more, making it easier to turn back and through.
Release the trail leg to free up the backswing
Lower-body rotation in the golf swing is very important. As golfers age, the lower body becomes stiff, making it harder to hit long and straight shots.
Let your trail leg lose a little flex during the backswing to help your hips turn easily. You’ll create more width and time at the top of the swing. It reduces tension and prevents the “short and quick” move that causes poor strikes.
How to do it:
- Start with some flex in your trail knee.
- As you take the club back, let that knee straighten just a bit.
- This frees up your hip turn while keeping you centered and balanced.
Start with slightly more weight on your lead side
Many senior golfers begin with too much weight on their back foot and fail to load the swing properly. Here’s a better pattern: start a little forward, then shift into your backswing.
Starting with about 60 percent of your weight on your lead foot sets you up for a natural pressure shift. As you move into your backswing, you’ll transfer to the trail side with better rhythm and tempo.
The key here is not to sway. The weight should stay on the inside of your trail foot as you transfer it back.
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Try this on the driving range and use alignment sticks or tees to mark the width of your stance. Make slight adjustments and see how it impacts the ball flight, distance, accuracy ,etc. You may only need to narrow your stance by an inch to see a significant impact, so start small.
Final thought
The senior golf swing doesn’t have to look like your swing from 20 years ago. These tips aren’t about trying to regain what’s gone. They’re more about adapting to what you have now. With a few smart adjustments, you can enhance your movement, simplify your swing and play more consistent golf.
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