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Super senior golfers, rejoice! There has never been a better time for you to play golf.
While golf associations worldwide are excited to see the number of youngsters taking up the game during the pandemic, the seniors and super seniors still drive the majority of course traffic.
According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF) research cited by Golf Digest, the average rounds played per golfer increased to 20.2, the highest ever. Whether it was the pandemic or other contributing factors, golf is on the rise.
Which age group contributed the most golf rounds?
You may be surprised to learn the super seniors are the most active on the golf course.
According to Golf Digest, “Despite being the age groups most at risk during the pandemic, older players still played the most golf. Those aged 60-69 logged an average of 29 rounds in 2020, while those golfers 70 and overplayed an average of 40 times last year.”
Super Senior Golf Age
For clarification purposes, the super senior golf age is for golfers ages 65 years and older.
The Super Senior Golf Championship category was created to allow senior golfers to continue playing competitively against golfers closer to their age.
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Super Senior Golf Tour
There is no PGA super senior golf tour at this point, though many state golf associations that have major tournaments including:
- The Golfweek US Super Senior, Legends, & Super Legends National Championship at The Golf Club of Georgia in July.
- The NCGA Super Senior Championship at Los Altos Golf & Country Club in October.
- The Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championship at the Desert Canyon Golf Resort in Orondo, WA, in September.
Amateur Golf lists the major tournaments for super seniors and their locations. This is a helpful way to locate a tournament or attend as a spectator.
Golf is for All Ages, Especially Super Senior Golf
Golf is a unique game. But we already knew that, didn’t we? It is the one game people can continue to play and enjoy well into their senior years.
Over the years, it’s morphed into new categories to allow seniors to stay active and fairly compete.
The handicap system allows players of different proficiency levels to play together on equal terms. Championship courses also provide multiple tee options based on proficiency and age. As a result, it works well for amateurs and club players—whether you are 13 years old or 52, or 69.
Even though younger players tend to dominate professional golf, with over 75% of championships won by players under 35, the median age for the average American golfer is 54.
In golf, age is truly, just a number. And now that super seniors can fairly compete – we love it even more!
PGA Champions Tour Senior Golf Tour
In recognition of the popularity of golf among older generations and that they could continue playing at high levels of proficiency, a senior tour was established in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour.
The PGA Champions Tour (Senior Golf Tour) is restricted to players above 50 and includes a roster of 5 major championships.
This is one more unique aspects of golf. It is the only sport that offers lucrative competitive playing opportunities for players at that age.
PGA Tour professionals can continue to delight their fans while earning lucrative sums from the game.
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Though open to amateurs, most editions have been won by professional golfers. However, expectedly again, the younger set of players among the 50+ age group has been much more successful.
PGA professionals like Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer, and others are making waves on the PGA Champions Tour.
Their fans continue to follow them and enjoy watching them play competitive golf.
As players move away from the entry point of 50 into the seniors’ category, their ability to compete with younger players diminishes. However, their love for the game and skill does not. Besides, there is a commercial angle too. Many of us would still love to see our favorite players in action on a golf course, competing for a one-stroke lead, whether they are 55 or 85.
Though there is no national tour for super senior golfers yet, many state associations have stepped into the void and launched tournaments. This may well be the beginning, eventually transforming into a super senior tour.
If you are a super senior golfer, you have perhaps already been playing your rounds and contributing to the healthy average rounds per golfer.
If you are a super senior golfer with a competitive streak and interested in testing your skills against others in the age group, the world is gradually opening up more opportunities to compete on a larger stage.
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Super Senior Golf Health Benefits
Evidence is mounting in support of the suspected salutary impact of golf on health.
The Herald in Scotland featured a study carried out by the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute in Minnesota that tracked mortality in a group of nearly 5,900 older adults over a 10-year span in the United States.
The findings of the study concluded that individuals over 65 years old who play golf live longer.
Lead author and professor of neurology, Dr. Adnan Qureshi, has made some interesting studies on golf. He notes that golf should be among the physical activities recommended to older adults.
Here are some of his findings on super senior golf (over 65 golfers):
- “While walking and low-intensity jogging may be comparable exercise, they lack the competitive excitement of golf. Regular exercise, exposure to a less polluted environment, and social interactions provided by golf are all positive for health.
- Another positive is that older adults can continue to play golf, unlike other more strenuous sports such as football, boxing, and tennis.
- Additional positive aspects are stress relief and relaxation, which golf appears better suited for than other sports.”
In 2020, The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, or simply R&A published its Golf and Health report, featuring a scientific study conducted in Sweden that showed golfers lived an average of five years longer than non-golfers.
So, the next time you get questioned about buying more golf clubs or products, you can list these fine examples of why golfing is critical.
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Final Thoughts: Super Senior Golf
Super Senior Golf provides seniors aged 65 and older with an opportunity to compete at the highest level of their ability—regardless of age. If you’re a senior golfer looking to challenge yourself and improve your game, know that the possibilities are endless at any age!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Super Senior in Golf?
For clarification purposes, the super senior golf age is for golfers ages 65 years and older.
Is there a Super Senior Tour?
While there is no tour similar to the PGA Tour Champions, PGA does offer the PGA Super 60’s. Due to its popularity, professional and amateur golfers can both play if they are over 60 years old. PGA Super 60’s is played on a betterball basis over 36 golf course holes.
We are having trouble deciding what tees the super seniors should use . If they use gold they are complaining and If they use red the women are complaining. Any ideas ?
Hi Phil,
Great question. Here’s a simple article that breaks it down with a helpful chart to reference: