1. Shorten your swing – Increased age leads to decreased flexibility.  By intentionally shortening your swing you play within a controllable range of comfort.  Shortened distance can be easily compensated through improved accuracy.
2. Use longer clubs – To help offset slowing club speeds, a longer shaft will help to breed more power with less force.  Not to mention, less bend in your knees and back will suit the aging body well.  It may require some days at the range to adjust to your new clubs but in the long run it could prove worthwhile.
3. Stay hydrated – As you get older, you might want to consider switching from beer to water or Gatorade, at least on the back nine.  It’s increasingly important to stay hydrated with each passing year, to reduce any health risks if nothing else.

Golfers have a choice between two different basic golf ball compositions in today’s market:  two-piece and multilayered (sometimes referred to as three-piece) balls.  Two-piece balls often come at a cheaper price than their more complex counterparts, with a dozen starting at prices as cheap as $10 a dozen, but ranging as high as $30.  The two-piece design offers less spin than the multilayered alternative, but for high handicappers this is not necessarily an issue.  More golf balls are lost off the tee than at any other point on the course, with many amateur golfers using the occasional mulligan to make up for an OB shot.  The lower spin rates will actually help to keep your ball straighter down the fairway, limiting both hook and slice.  When you do lose a ball to the woods or drink, and it’s inevitable you will lose more than one, cheaper two-piece balls will also reduce the mental stress of your thinning wallet.  There’s just little to no reason for a less-skilled golfer to spend money on a high-cost sleeve of golf balls, when they don’t have the necessary skill set to utilize the ball’s enhanced features.  Once you’ve been playing for a while and can consistently hit greens and fairways, then and only then it might be time to upgrade your golf ball.

Par 3 Golf Courses – A lot of golfers go into a Par 3 course with the purest of intentions.  At first glance it might seem like a wise endeavor, offering a chance to work on your short game and condensing the time it takes to play a full round, lessening the inevitable headache caused by the significant other at home.  The similarities of Par 3 courses to a standard golf outing can actually have a negative effect.  Teeing off on such short holes places you in situations often uncommon to the typical golf course. The mental effects a shortened course can have on your game are further plagued by a propensity for misleading yardage markers.

Putt Putt – Unless your regular Sunday foursome includes Jack Sparrow, Long John Silver and Captain Hook, the stereotypical putt-putt course has absolutely no similarity to either the front or back nine, even at tropically located courses.  When you consider the cheap plastic putters and unrealistic speeds resulting from a cement and Astroturf combination, they should really call it putt-putt-putt to prepare you for the 3-putts in your future.

Baseball/Softball – Don’t go out and quit your company team if it’s going to anger your boss, but for amateurs, trying to double your success in two sports is quite a feat.  Swinging a baseball bat and golf club are just similar enough to cause confusion and inconsistency for casual golfers.  Sure, Ken Griffey Jr. may be able to crank it off the tee and out of the park, but bear in mind, he is supremely coordinated professional athlete… you’re probably not.

1. Swing within your control – When there’s danger in front of the green and you need to carry it on a fly, don’t try to muscle up on the club you would normally hit for that distance.  Trying to kill the ball will often cause you to role your wrists or jerk up your body, resulting in either a nasty hook or a sculled line drive.  Instead, let the club do the work.  Go back to your bag and grab a lower numbered club.  It’s less difficult to maintain accuracy and swing consistency when easing up on a club than trying to swing harder.
2. Carry a ball mark – Once you reach the putting surface, a ball mark enables you to easily pick up your ball, wipe it free of any clinging dirt or debris and replace it, allowing it to roll uninhibitedly towards the hole.  This also allows you to align the brand of the ball (i.e. Titleist, conveniently printed in a straight line) with the spot you are aiming for, helping to better line up your put.
3. Arrive early – Would you enter a race without stretching or send a pitcher to the mound before warming up in the bullpen?  Of course not, so why would you expect your opening drive on the first tee to find the middle of the fairway when it’s your first swing in over a week?  Take a few extra minutes at the driving range to make adjustments or else you’ll have to try to correct mid-round, marking each stroke on the scorecard.