It’s Never Too Late to Learn Golf
Greta had never held a golf club in her life. At an age when many people assume their athletic pursuits are behind them, she decided to spend a week at Bird Golf Academy in Arizona. By the end of her five days, she had transformed from someone who didn’t know a driver from a 9 iron into a golfer with real confidence and genuine passion.
“I had never even held a stick before,” Greta said. “It was without question the best vacation of my life. In just five days I’ve gone from someone whose favorite club was the Pink Elephant in Brussels, Belgium to someone whose favorite club is the 9 iron.”
Her story challenges a persistent myth: golf is a young person’s game. The truth? Some of our most rewarding success stories began after 50, 60, or even 70.
Why Adults Actually Have Advantages
When you learn something new as an adult, you bring a completely different mindset than a kid learning for the first time. That’s not a weakness—it’s your secret weapon.
Discipline and patience. Adults understand that improvement takes time. You’re not expecting to transform overnight. This realistic perspective actually accelerates learning because you’re focused on consistent progress rather than unrealistic goals.
Self-awareness. By this point in your life, you know how you learn best. Are you visual? Do you learn by feel, or do you need someone to explain the mechanics? Adults can communicate these preferences clearly, and our instructors listen.
Clear goals. You’re not trying to make the PGA Tour. You want to enjoy the game, play well with friends, and experience that satisfaction of hitting a good shot. This clarity of purpose makes instruction more efficient and more enjoyable.
Focus. When an adult shows up for a golf school, they’re there to work. No distractions, no excuses. Just dedicated learning time.
The “I Wish I’d Done This Years Ago” Students
Then there are the students who played golf for decades without ever getting proper instruction. Their stories reveal something important: how long you’ve played matters far less than the quality of instruction you receive.
Mark played golf for over 40 years. Not casually—seriously played for four decades. Yet he never took a single lesson. “I have never attended a golf school before this week and actually have never had a lesson and I have been playing for over 40 years,” he said. “I had always wanted to do this and it was everything that I had hoped for.”
In just three days of one-on-one instruction with David Chong, Mark fixed fundamentals he’d been missing for 40 years. The result? Immediate, measurable improvement.
Joan’s story follows a similar arc. She’d been playing for 25 years and took plenty of lessons along the way—but nothing stuck. The instruction was scattered, sometimes contradictory, and she never felt like she truly understood the game. Then she worked with Amy Benz at Bird Golf.
“If Amy had to say something 50 different ways for me to catch on, she figured it out,” Joan explained. Finally, after 25 years, she understood the fundamentals in a way that made sense.
The key point: it’s not about how long you’ve played. It’s about finding instruction that actually works for you.
Starting from Absolute Zero (And Thriving)
There’s something liberating about being a complete beginner as an adult. You have no bad habits to undo. Your instructor isn’t fighting against 30 years of incorrect technique. You learn the right way from day one.
Marion was nervous. “I was both excited and apprehensive about enrolling in the Bird Golf Academy,” she recalled. But Mike Ellis quickly put her concerns to rest. “From the first lesson, he demonstrated a deep understanding of the game and a knack for breaking down complex techniques into simple, understandable steps.”
By the end of her time at Bird Golf, Marion wasn’t just learning golf—she was actually enjoying it. That’s the difference between generic instruction and personalized coaching.”
Bird Golf instructors specialize in adult learners. They understand your concerns, your pace, your goals. They don’t rush you. They celebrate small victories. They meet you where you are.
The Body You Have Is the Body That Can Play Golf
One of the most common concerns we hear: “I’m not flexible enough. I’m not strong enough. I have physical limitations.”
Here’s the truth: golf isn’t a young person’s sport that requires a young person’s body. It’s a thinking person’s sport that requires smart instruction.
Our teaching philosophy is simple: there is no “perfect” body for golf. There is your body, with your unique movement dynamics, your physical abilities, and your constraints. Good instruction works with what you have, not against it.
William proved this at age 67. “I didn’t think that I would be able to do as well as I have at the age of 67, but I was wrong,” he said. He’d been shooting in the high 90s and low 100s. By improving his fundamentals—his grip, stance, posture, and alignment—matched to his body type and abilities, he broke 90 and eventually settled into shooting in the low 80s consistently.
“The adjustments that Tim made in all aspects of my game has me hitting the ball with more accuracy than ever before, and my short iron distance is about 10 to 15 yards longer than it had been.”
He’s 67 and playing the best golf of his life after working with Tim Peightal.
It’s Not Just About Golf—It’s About Quality of Life
When you learn golf later in life, you’re gaining far more than a new hobby.
There are the social connections—meeting people, playing with friends, traveling to beautiful courses in stunning locations. There’s the mental challenge of learning something complex and new, which keeps your mind sharp. There’s the physical activity, low-impact and sustainable for a lifetime. There’s the personal satisfaction of getting better at something you’re passionate about. And there’s the stress relief of spending time outdoors, away from the pressures of daily life.
Bianca is a nationally ranked triathlete who has worked with elite coaches throughout her athletic career. When she came to Bird Golf to work with Shirley Furlong, she discovered something unexpected: “She created a workshop for me that felt like a cross between the movies ‘The Horse Whisperer’ and ‘A Field of Dreams.’ Her passion for the sport paired with her deep ability to connect energetically brought out the best in me not just as a golfer but as a person.”
Bianca didn’t just improve her golf game. She reconnected with something essential in herself.
Real Results from “Late Starters”
The pattern is unmistakable:
Greta never held a club, now plays with genuine confidence. William went from shooting in the 90s to breaking 80 at age 67. Joan played for 25 years without understanding fundamentals, now has the tools to improve indefinitely. Mark played for 40 years without a lesson, then experienced immediate transformation.
Notice what’s not happening here: no one is saying “I was too old.” No one is saying “I was too far behind.” They’re all saying the same thing: “I found the right teacher.”
Common Fears (And Why They’re Wrong)
Let’s address what’s actually holding you back.
“I’m too old to start.”
Many of our best students are 60, 70, even older. Golf is genuinely one of the few sports where starting late is not a disadvantage. You have patience, discipline, and life experience. That’s everything.
“I’ll be the worst one there.”
You won’t be “there” with anyone else. Bird Golf offers private instruction. It’s just you and your instructor. No one is judging you. Your instructor has taught beginners and tour players. You’re not competing with anyone but yourself.
“I don’t have time to practice.”
We teach you how to practice efficiently. We give you specific drills that work, not endless range time. Even 15 minutes with the right focus produces real improvement.
“I tried lessons before and they didn’t work.”
Not all instruction is created equal. You may have worked with someone who used a one-size-fits-all approach. Bird Golf’s personalized methodology is fundamentally different. We match the teaching method to how you learn, not the other way around.
“I’ll never be good.”
“Good” is subjective. We don’t measure success by your handicap or your tournament record. We measure it by your improvement and your enjoyment. And that matters more than you might think. The satisfaction of hitting better shots, of understanding your game, of seeing real progress—that’s what good feels like.
The Best Time to Start Was Yesterday. The Second Best Time Is Today.
You’re not too old. You’re not too inexperienced. You’re not too inflexible or too weak or too anything. You’re just one decision away from playing the golf you’ve always wanted to play.
The barrier isn’t age. The barrier isn’t experience. The barrier is waiting for someday.
You can start today. You can work with your schedule, your body, your goals. You can have an instructor who knows your name, who understands how you learn, who is genuinely invested in your improvement.
You’re ready. You’ve been ready. It’s time to take the first step.
Talk to us. Tell us your concerns, your goals, your fears. Let us match you with the perfect instructor for you.
