You’re on the range.
You make a swing.
And you think:
“That didn’t used to feel this hard.”
Not painful.
Not broken.
Just… harder.
6 minutes read time
The backswing feels shorter.
The follow-through feels restricted.
Your balance feels slightly off.
And the swing that once felt automatic now feels like something you have to work at.
So you do what we all do.
You look for a swing tip.
You watch a video.
You read an article.
You try to “fix” something.
Maybe you try to turn more.
Maybe you try to clear your hips faster.
Maybe you try to create more lag.
And instead of feeling better…
Your swing feels more confused.
Here’s the part nobody really tells senior golfers:
Most swing problems after 60 are not mechanical.
They’re physical.
They’re mobility-related.
They’re range of motion.
And until you understand what your body can (and can’t) do today, no swing tip in the world is going to stick.
Before you change your swing, you need to test something first.
You need to test your range of motion.
When you were 40, you could copy a swing tip and your body could usually figure it out.
Your hips turned.
Your shoulders rotated.
Your balance held up.
Your spine moved freely.
Now?
Your body has different rules.
So when an instructor says:
“Just turn more.”
Your body quietly replies:
“We don’t do that anymore.”
That’s when frustration starts.
That’s when golfers think:
“I’m getting worse.”
You’re not getting worse.
You’re trying to swing like a younger version of yourself.
And that’s the real problem.
No gym.
No stretching routine.
No equipment.
Just you and a little honesty.
These two tests alone will tell you more about your swing than most lessons.
How to do it:
What you’re looking for:
Can you turn your shoulders at least 70–80 degrees without strain?
If you can’t turn, you physically cannot make a full backswing — no matter how many videos tell you to.
This directly affects:
If this feels tight, that’s not a swing flaw.
That’s a mobility limitation.
And this is where many seniors realize:
“I’ve been trying to fix the wrong thing.”
This one surprises almost everyone.
How to do it:
If you need to grab something, score it low.
Poor balance leads to:
You cannot make a repeatable golf swing without balance.
And most seniors don’t realize this is the hidden issue.
After trying just these two, golfers usually say:
“Well… that explains a lot.”
Because for the first time, it’s clear:
This isn’t a technique problem.
It’s a body problem.
And that’s actually very good news.
Because you stop trying to force movements your body can’t make.
These two are just the beginning.
There are five total tests that check:
When you score all five together, the picture becomes very clear.
You see exactly why certain swing tips feel impossible.
I put together a simple, visual guide that includes:
👉 Download the Senior Golfer ROM Self-Rating Guide here
It takes about five minutes to go through, and it might change how you think about your swing this season.
If your mobility is limited, the problem isn’t:
It’s that you’re trying to swing like a younger version of yourself.
And once you understand that, something powerful happens.
You stop chasing swing tips.
You start playing the swing you have now.
That’s when golf starts to feel easier again.
Senior Insight
Most golfers over 60 don’t need more instruction.
They need more understanding of their own mobility.
Once you see that clearly, frustration fades and confidence starts to come back.
And that’s a very good place to play golf from.
Continue the article below
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No. In fact, don’t. You want to see your natural range of motion, not a warmed-up version.
That’s the point. This shows where your mobility limitations are. Stop if there’s pain.
Yes. Mobility and balance directly affect your ability to make a consistent swing far more than swing thoughts.
For many senior golfers, yes. Lessons make more sense when your body can support the movements.
Because most instruction is designed for younger, more mobile bodies.
Once a month is enough to see progress and understand changes.
Very likely. Limited shoulder and upper back mobility are common after 60.
Absolutely. Balance is one of the biggest hidden causes of inconsistent contact for seniors.
Before you try another swing tip this season, try these tests.
You may discover the issue was never your swing at all.
Link to past post about club fitting from Senior-Golfers.com
Enter your email below, and I’ll send you the ROM Test.
Senior Insight
The right clubs don’t make you swing harder — they help you swing freer.
Comments
[…] In fact, this is often less about technique and more about mobility. You can see this clearly in the simple ROM tests every senior golfer should try before changing their swing. […]