Swing speed by age
On the age model a golfer of 20 swings a driver at about 90 mph, a golfer of 30 at 92 mph, of 60 at 81 mph and of 70 at 78 mph. The model peaks in the twenties and falls 0.35 mph a year after 30, anchored to a 15 handicap; the carry at 70 sits 33 yards behind the peak.
The chart
The model eases speed slowly before 30 (0.15 mph a year) and faster after it (0.35 mph a year), which is the shape published age studies show, and runs each speed through the published tour ball speed and carry table. The last column prices the lost carry on the fairway table as an approach played from that much further back.
Driver swing speed by age
| Age | Club head speed | Ball speed | Carry | Total | Cost per approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 90 mph | 129 mph | 213 yards | 230 yards | 0.00 |
| 30 | 92 mph | 132 mph | 217 yards | 234 yards | -0.01 |
| 40 | 88 mph | 126 mph | 208 yards | 224 yards | 0.02 |
| 50 | 85 mph | 120 mph | 198 yards | 214 yards | 0.06 |
| 60 | 81 mph | 115 mph | 189 yards | 204 yards | 0.10 |
| 70 | 78 mph | 109 mph | 180 yards | 195 yards | 0.15 |
What the speed is worth
Distance ages slowly and then quickly, and expected strokes rise with approach distance, so the second half of the loss costs more than the first. The fix that pays is the tee: playing from where the approach distances sit back on the flat part of the table is worth more than any swing change, and the spread around the speed matters more than the speed at every age.
In PinFlag
PinFlag uses your own speed and carry, not an age model: import a launch monitor session and every target on the tee is priced with your measured pattern, drawn on the hole by Shot Cloud, so the question of which tee shot is worth the risk at your speed is answered on the hole in front of you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average swing speed for a 50 year old?
What is the average swing speed for a 70 year old?
How much swing speed is lost per year?
What is the tour average swing speed?
Which golf app does this on the course?
Related
Sources
- PGA TOUR statistics
- Golf simulator and launch monitor, Wikipedia
- How PinFlag calculates strokes gained
Every figure on this page is computed from the published baselines, the same ones PinFlag prices your shots with. The scope of the figures: The age model eases a peak club head speed by decade and is anchored to a 15 handicap at 30; the carries are the published tour anchor at each speed.
Get PinFlag for iPhone
PinFlag shows you this number on the course, for the shot in front of you, before you swing: any target priced with your own dispersion and the lie read from the course map, your real shots drawn on the hole, and two taps to log. Golfer is $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year, with a 14-day trial on the annual plan through the App Store.