I am 79 years old. I have white hair. I am reasonably fit and in good shape
despite all the insults of old age. I play 18 holes of golf 2-3 times a week. I
travel extensively to play golf and have played well over 600 courses in all 50
states and seven countries. My handicap is 12. Am I atypical? Maybe just a
little. So who sells me golf clubs?
I regularly watch golf tournaments on television, paying particular attention to
not just the golf, but the ads from companies who make golf gear. Taylormade,
PXG, Ping, Callaway, Titleist, Srixon, Nike, Cleveland, Skechers, Footjoy, and
other golf manufacturing companies continuously bombard us with promotions
for their new drivers, irons, wedges, balls, shoes and new everything that will
absolutely add distance to your every shot. Who are the actors in these ads?
I’ve yet to see anyone, male or female in the 60-80 year-old range. I certainly
have never seen anyone who looks like me in a golf ad to promote anything.
Most of the actors are men in the 25-35 year-old range with women averaging
probably five years younger. At the same time, most of the non-golf ads on TV
directly target the older population, selling drugs, insurance and expensive cars.
But who has both the time and the disposable income to spend on golf? Me!
And the millions like me, men and women, who are largely ignored by the
marketing campaigns of almost every golf company. Who does extensively
target our group: golf retirement/active living communities. Billions are spent
every year by those who have the wherewithal to afford living in gated golf
centric communities catering to the rich AND aged. As do the MILLIONS of
older every day public course players who regularly buy new gear to improve
their games. So why don’t these companies promote their products to senior
golfers? Are they afraid that by making their stuff look suitable for geezers they
will lose the appeal they seek to younger golfers? Why don’t they equally seek
the attention of both markets?
Are there any companies that see the massive monetary value in catering to the
older, well-heeled population? I was recently very impressed to learn that PXG,
which has a store in Orlando, sends a team of Master Fitters every weekend for
“demo days” at The Villages, a conglomeration of over 100,000 senior citizens
living in organized communities about 40 miles north of Orlando. The Villages
has about 50 golf courses of one sort or another. That’s A LOT of older golfers
who are interested in getting properly fit for and buying clubs and PXG clubs are
not inexpensive. I asked Megan Munneke, Public Relations Coordinator for PXG
about special clubs for women, since some companies, like PING, Callaway,
Srixon, Taylromade, Wilson, Mizuno and other lesser known brands make sets
specifically for women. “On the women’s side, PXG does not manufacture clubs
based on gender”, says Munneke, “All of our clubs are engineered to be
custom-built to the exact specifications of the individual player, ensuring the
best possible performance and fit.” PXG Master Fitter Jake Holinda says, “PXG
makes such a wide assortment of club heads and maintains such a large
selection of shafts that their clubs can be fit to anyone, either sex, any age,
regardless of their skills or even if they are new to golf.” There’s a lot to be said
for that marketing strategy, one that I am not aware of being duplicated by any
other company. PXG is also unique in that it only sells directly to the consumer,
does not carry any other club head brands and has its own stores and club
fitting centers in major cities across the USA.
From a purely personal perspective and full disclosure, I have used PXG clubs
for several years now. I stumbled onto them in 100 degree weather at a course
that was having a PXG “demo day” near Portland, Oregon. I couldn’t resist
trying out their irons, even if I had just sweated through 18 holes. The rep was
sitting in the shade of a tent, dying from the heat and from boredom, with no
takers. He set me up in front of a Trackman and on my first swing with a 7-iron,
I was hooked. The club had a smooth, flowing feel and the ball came off the
forged head like a rocket launched from butter. Since then there have been a
newer iterations that have made each set smoother, longer and easier to hit.
Transitioning from the Gen 6 models to the Gen 8, I’ve gained 15 yards on my 7-
iron distance, almost taking me back to when I was a young lad. The PXG
Master Club Fitters have done an excellent job of carefully ensuring I get the
best club heads (which have individual weighting options) and shafts for my
swing, providing the most distance and least dispersion.
Bob Parsons, PXG’s founder and CEO, regarding PXG’s marketing to senior
golfers, really says it best. “Our challenge is to maintain and grow excitement
among those who play our products, and we accomplish that by doing exactly
what we’ve done over the past 10 years – creating the best equipment money
can buy, offering the best fitting experience and, while others are moving away
from in-person sales, we’re doubling down on our face-to-face and direct-toconsumer experience.”
Mike Nicollette, PXG Senior Director of Irons Research and Development, says:
“While factors like speed, mobility, and consistency may change over time,
that’s exactly why custom fitting is so important. Our fitters are trained to
evaluate your swing and build equipment tailored specifically to you—so you’re
set up to perform at your personal best. PXG does not specifically target senior
golfers—we focus on engineering equipment for all players. We don’t assume
ability based on age. Whether you’re 25 or 75, the goal is the same: to get you
into the best possible setup so you can enjoy the game even more.”
Several golf equipment brands have prominently featured seniors in their Golf
Channel advertisements, often using legendary players from the PGA
Champions Tour to bridge the gap between high performance and ease of use.
Tour Edge: Their “Bo Knows” and “Make It Easier” campaigns are staples on the
Golf Channel. These ads feature sports icon Bo Jackson alongside senior pros
like Bernhard Langer, Mike Weir, and Scott McCarron to promote the Hot
Launch and Exotics lines as highly forgiving for players with moderate swing
speeds.
XXIO: Known for lightweight design, XXIO frequently runs segments and
commercials specifically targeting seniors. At the 2026 PGA Show, they
showcased how their latest gear is engineered to help senior golfers maintain
distance.
PXG (Parsons Xtreme Golf): PXG’s “Black Ops Irons Challenge” commercials
often feature senior staff members like Mike Nicolette. The ads challenge golfers
to compare their current irons against PXG’s.
Mizuno: While traditionally associated with elite ball-strikers, Mizuno has
expanded its outreach by featuring senior golfers in sponsored content.
Services and Retailers
GOLFTEC: Their commercial campaigns, which air frequently on the Golf
Channel, often feature older “The Guys” segments where senior-aged golfers
work with coaches to find the right equipment to “outperform their friends”.
PGA Tour Superstore: Their “Golf Gear Report” includes testing insights on how
new drivers and irons perform for various player demographics, including
seniors.
BRIDGESTONE advertises balls for golfers with slower swing speeds, obviously
aimed at older golfers and women












