Best Golf Clubs For Seniors 2023: Our Top Picks To Help Your Game
*This post may contain affiliate links. We are reader supported and earn affiliate commissions when you buy via links found on our site*
- Last Updated on September 6, 2023
Contents
Golf is all about playing your game. The key word being “your” because so many players try to play other people’s games.
By that, I mean too many golfers play the clubs and balls they think they should play. Usually, it’s based on a friend’s recommendation or their favorite golfer on TV.
But to set yourself apart from most struggling players, it’s vitally important to play the club’s made for your swing. As a senior golfer, it’s crucial to update your equipment as your swing and body changes.
Here’s how to do it…
Best Golf Clubs for Seniors
Finding the right clubs isn’t just about replacing a driver or switching to a lower compression golf ball. It’s about going through your entire bag and making updates to your weak spots. This will help offset “Father Time” so you can play great as you get older.
Here are some of the most important things to update.
Easy to Hit Driver
The driver and the putter are the two important clubs in your bag. If you can drive it well and putt it well, you’ll beat a lot of your buddies, regardless of your age.
When it comes to your driver, you want one that is 460CC, gives you confidence, and is easy to hit. This way, your mishits will still go at least 80-90% of your total distance and not get you out of position on the hole.
If you struggle with a slice, I would also suggest getting a driver that is offset or has the ability to adjust lie angles. A lot of drivers now are draw oriented with a slightly closed face, which will help straighten out that pesky slice.
Also, don’t forget to adjust your driver loft too. Playing more loft will help get the ball airborne faster even with a slower swing and increase distance. For most seniors, I recommend between 10.5 – 12 degrees.
Here are some of the best drivers for seniors:
Or, check out our full guide for the best drivers for seniors here.
Here are some of the best drivers for seniors:
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | TSR1 Driver
| 9.8 | Check PriceCheck Price |
 | Callaway Paradym X Driver
| 9.8 | Check PriceCheck Price |
 | TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD
| 9.7 | Check PriceCheck Price |
 | Cleveland Launcher XL
| 9.5 | Check PriceCheck Price |
More Hybrids and Fairway Woods
The second thing seniors should consider is changing the number of hybrids and fairway woods in your bag. Replace those hard to hit long irons with more forgiving clubs to make long shots much easier.
As I mentioned in the intro, play the club’s for your game, who cares what your buddies think. As long as you get the ball in the hole in fewer strokes than them, that’s all that matters. Heck, even the best players in the world are opting to skip long irons and instead play 5 or 7 woods or hybrids as well.
Specifically for seniors, I suggest focusing on the 3-5 or even 6 iron if you struggle with it.
Replace these irons with easy to hit, high lofted fairway woods (also known as a heaven wood) or hybrids. These clubs are much more forgiving and great for long par 4’s and difficult par 3’s too.
These clubs will help build confidence and give yourself more birdie looks every round. Plus, they’re a lot easier to hit out of the rough than long irons, too.
Some of our top picks include:
More Forgiving Irons
The third equipment aspect to think about is your iron set.
One of the best ideas is to buy a combo set that has both hybrids and irons. These sets replace the long irons with hybrids and gap them perfectly so that you don’t have huge distance gaps between any clubs.
If you’re still playing a lot and don’t need that many hybrids, maybe think about a larger, more forgiving set of irons instead. A larger cavity back set makes it easy to launch the ball high and provides plenty of forgiveness with the longer clubs too.
But if you don’t play often and/or don’t have the time to work on your game, a combo set can do wonders for your game. The hybrids are a great replacement for long irons and can make long shots significantly easier.
Some of the best irons we suggest are:
Cavity Back Wedges
When most golfers change their clubs as they get older, they forget about one thing – wedges. An easy way to improve your scoring is to play wedges that are similar to your irons.
If you play graphite, cavity back irons, maybe you should play similar wedges instead of traditional, blade wedges with steel shafts. That way, it’s easier to get your scoring clubs on the dance floor so you can have more birdie putts.
Some of our top picks include:
Lightweight Shafts
Finally, don’t forget about your shafts as well.
While all the above equipment changes will help, I would argue that the shaft itself is the most important part. It’s the piece of the puzzle that most golfers skip over and it costs them big time.
As a senior golfer, you need to use more lightweight shafts so they’re easier to swing faster.
This will help increase your clubhead speed, which will help with total distance. Not to mention, it will help minimize the chance of injury as well.
If you play a shaft that is too heavy, it can increase the likelihood of injury and take you away from the game you love. Plus, it’s harder to get the proper fundamentals if the club is too heavy to swing easily.
I would also check on the shaft flex as well. Switching from a regular to a senior (or some brands call them A flex or Lite flex) can also help with distance and consistency.
So when you begin to update your clubs based on the recommendations above, make sure to double-check the shafts.
Easy to Align Putter
As we get older it’s common for our eyesight to dip a little as well. This is why it’s a good idea to possibly update your putter with one that has more alignment aids. This should make it easier to get the ball started on the proper line and hopefully drain more putts.
Mallet putters typically have bigger alignment aids built-in which can help you get the ball started on the right line. These putters are also more forgiving and help with mishits on off center strikes.
Here are some of our favorite putters for seniors:
Bonus: New Grips, Gloves and Golf Balls
While all the above equipment will help, you might want to update your grips and golf balls too.
With grips, you might want to switch to ones that are softer like a Winn grip instead of a rough, corded grip. These are much firmer grips and harder to apply enough grip pressure – plus they’re uncomfortable for a lot of golfers. Additionally, you might even go up to a midsize or larger grip so that you don’t have to squeeze as hard.
Another great option is to switch to a bionic golf glove. These grips are made so that you can get a lighter, more relaxed grip throughout the round. They’re built differently from normal grips, but provide a ton of relief for golfers with arthritis.
Finally, don’t forget about possibly switching balls too. As you lose clubhead speed, you might need a different ball to help offset distance and match your swing.
Check out the best golf balls for seniors here.
Top Questions About Senior Golfers
Want even more information to take your game to new heights? Check out the top questions and answers now.
What are the best golf clubs for a 60-year-old man?
Senior golfers should make some updates to their equipment to offset a natural loss of speed. These equipment changes might include:
- Using more hybrids and fairway woods vs. hard to hit long irons.
- A more forgiving driver or one that is anti-slice (built-in draw bias).
- More forgiving irons that have a bigger cavity or more distance technology.
- Lighter iron shafts – this might mean switching from steel to graphite. Or less flex like regular flex to senior flex.
Every major golf brand has different models/shafts for seniors which can make a big difference in distance and accuracy.
What shaft should a 70-year-old man use?
Shaft flex is dependent on swing speed more than age. Faster swings require more flex while slower swings need less flex.
Since most senior golfers lose speed as they get older it’s better to play a senior flex (also known as lite or A-flex) instead of stiff or regular. While other more experienced seniors might have more speed but not as much as they once did and might benefit more from a regular flex shaft.
The weight of the shaft is also important as a shaft that is too heavy (even if it’s the right flex) can minimize distance. While a more lightweight shaft can help gain speed.
How do seniors get more distance in golf?
Seniors can get more distance in a number of ways including strength training, speed training, and improved flexibility. Getting stronger and more flexible can help both on and off the golf course.
Senior golfers can also switch equipment like a lighter shaft or more forgiving driver. Paired with the right golf ball, it can make a difference in terms of performance.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you have a much better understanding of how to update your golf equipment as you get older. These little changes can have a huge impact on your game and will also help you avoid injury by using lighter clubs.
The one thing I would say you don’t have to worry about with age is your putter. If you love your putter, don’t take it out of the bag unless you’re in a nasty slump and need to change it up.
Regardless of how old you are, always remember two things: every day is a chance to get better and don’t forget the most important rule of all – have fun!
What’s the biggest change you think senior golfers should make? Or, what switch have you made that has already made an impact on your game?
Let us know in the comments below!
Michael Leonard
Michael Leonard is a full-time writer, author, creator of Wicked Smart Golf and +1 handicap amateur golfer. He left his corporate career in 2017 to pursue entrepreneurship and professional golf; since then, he’s competed in 160+ tournament days and went to Q-school in 2019.
You May Also Like
