Any 50 y.o use 12oz+ racquet ?

[slice bh compliment]

"Seems like (in here at least)... if you're past 40, you don't have the stamina to wield heavy stick."
That's more of a myth than the truth.

Yeah, that's just not my experience either.
For me, as I've aged, I haven't lost anything other than a half-step here and there. And maybe I'm sliightly slower to recover from a long day of tennis.

Equipment? Heck a stick with good specs only helps.

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

Thank you guys.
My point of asking this question are because it's a key factor whether i will stock yonex rdis 100 mid.
Here (in asia), it's very rarely i see people playing with heavy frame. Especially with the old people. All of them are using oversized head-heavy and light-weight stick. I've played with lots and lots of players. And what surprises me are, i am the only one who use heaviest racquet. Only 4 players use 320gr+ stick, 2 Asian blx 6.1, head prestige mp, and k blade tour.

Seems like (in here at least)... if you're past 40, you don't have the stamina to wield heavy stick.

This seems a very broad generalization. And in real life I find the opposite true. Most all my 5.0+, 40 year old and above friends prefer heavier frames w/ higher SW's. The kids I hit/play with on the local DI team tend to favor lighter, lower SW options (on the whole). I think it has more to do with the respective technique used, as opposed to age/fitness. If you are a serious competitive tennis player, you are certainly fit enough to swing a 12 oz frame! Best, BHBH

 

[movdqa]

From a strictly business perspective, I'd drop the 12+ oz frames from inventory with the caveat that you could get them if a customer really wanted them. Wilson already dropped the KPS88 and I have a feeling that the replacement will be bigger and lighter. They have a nice following on TW but my guess is that actual sales were disappointing to Wilson and Pete.

 

[Don S]

Exactly right! I played with wood racquets for many years but never knew how much they actually weighed nor did I care. I just played with it. We weren't obsessed with racquet specs as people are today.

Exactly right. We didn't 'spec out' the racquets. We picked up one or two and took them to the courts any played for HOURS. Lots of times we didn't even know what strings we were using in them. It didn't matter- we just played tennis.

The two best posts of the thread. All of us "Old Farts" were using 12+ oz racquets when we were 12 years old. I played with a T2000 for years. We never obsessed over things like how a dampener affects the racquet, I never heard any of the kids I played with say things like, "I just have to cut my strings out after 12 hours or the racquet doesn't feel right." or I just can't get used to Volkl's rectangular handle.

IMHO, there's WAY too much B.S. and A.D.D. going on. Too many headcases with micrometers, balance boards, and lead tape. If a 50 year old (or 60 year old) can't swing around a racquet that weighs 12 oz, it's time to think about taking up Canasta.

 

[slice bh compliment]

...never knew how much they actually weighed nor did I care. I just played with it. We weren't obsessed with racquet specs as people are today.

... It didn't matter- we just played tennis.

You people are craycray. This must have been before Al Gore invented the world wide internet.

Kidding. That was a golden era, man. Goils were goils and men were men. Sports was sports. Tennis was tennis.

 

[Ronaldo]

You people are craycray. This must have been before Al Gore invented the world wide internet.

Kidding. That was a golden era, man. Goils were goils and men were men. Sports was sports. Tennis was tennis.

Don't be fooled. Saw the Wilson Pro Staff and Kramer Auto Selects. Measured in grams and individually balanced and posted on the racquet to allow matching.

 

[drakulie]

Seems like (in here at least)... if you're past 40, you don't have the stamina to wield heavy stick.

I've been stringing at the national usta 45's clay court championships for a few years and nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[blackfrido]

Very good point blackfrido. I almost forgot that they were that heavy. We didn't worry about 'weight' we just played with them. They all weighed that much.

exactly we just play, there were no choices. No light, medium or heavy sticks. No mids, mid plus or over size. No polys, no synthetics, no, no, no....just nylon.
No overgrips. Mo more square or more rounded grips.

The only think about in tennis was just to hit the bloody ball

 

[BreakPoint]

Kidding. That was a golden era, man. Goils were goils and men were men. Sports was sports. Tennis was tennis.

Yup, that was back when we didn't even have overgrips. Just bare leather over wood, baby! ;-)

I'd like to see the kids today play with only bare leather grips.

Oh, and super-six racquet bags with backpack straps didn't exist. We just walked on the court with those heavy wooden presses clamped on the heads of our wood racquets!

 

[blackfrido]

Yup, that was back when we didn't even have overgrips. Just bare leather over wood, baby! ;-)

I'd like to see the kids today play with only bare leather grips.

Oh, and super-six racquet bags with backpack straps didn't exist. We just walked on the court with those heavy wooden presses clamped on the heads of our wood racquets!

^^^ you are wrong....we had "Tennis Gauze Grip Tape Overgrip"

 

[blackfrido]

 

[BreakPoint]

^^^ you are wrong....we had "Tennis Gauze Grip Tape Overgrip"

Oh yeah, that stuff ripped up your hands and you had to change it like every other game. The feel was also terrible. I avoided it like the plague and just stuck with bare leather, like most people did. Much better feel.

BTW, you also brought up "no overgrips".

exactly we just play, there were no choices. No light, medium or heavy sticks. No mids, mid plus or over size. No polys, no synthetics, no, no, no....just nylon.
No overgrips. Mo more square or more rounded grips.

The only think about in tennis was just to hit the bloody ball :smile:

 

[slice bh compliment]

Yup, that was back when we didn't even have overgrips. Just bare leather over wood, baby! ;-)

I'd like to see the kids today play with only bare leather grips.

...

Yeah man. I still do. So does my daughter. She prefers the feel, especially on her one-handers and her volleys.

Frames: wood.
Grips: leather.
Strings: gut.
Shirts: cotton pique.
Surfaces: clay or grass.
Style of play: high percentage attacking tennis.
Water jug: a tennis ball can.
Contents: water from a water fountain or a tap.
Tennis bag: none. Just a towel wrapped around two or three frames.....maybe a wristband around the shafts and an extra shirt sandwiched between sticks.
Number of hands on the grip during a backhand: one if you were male aged 6 +.

We all had slightly different strokes. We came to the net. We used sawdust. We made friends from all over the country. We played doubles with our friends. We got housing. We knew eachothers' families.

We did not look like little pansies with a 12 pack backpack and an igloo cooler. Are these kids backpacking through Europe or going to tennis practice?

We did not need an iPod or a Walkman in between and on the way to matches. We played chess, checkers, cards, wall ball or four square. We hit volleys in the parking lot. We rode our bikes to the tennis center with a couple of racquets under an armpit.
Teaching pros were cool, unshaven satellite players, not academy dorks.
There was not an app for that.

 

[Maui19]

I'm 56 and play a racquet over 12oz.

 

[tennytive]

All my rackets weigh over 12 oz. One was 11.8 so I added 8 grams of lead at 3 and 9 and now it's 12.2, but still the lightest I have.

If you can't play with a 12 oz racket, how can you pick up a 12 oz can of beer?

 

[Povl Carstensen]

I am 51 and have about 15 rackets. Hardly one of them is under 12 oz.
I would like to get the same feeling from one of my 345-350 g. rackets as I do from my 362 g. K90. But then I seem to lack a bit of plowthrough, control, power, feel, something...

 

[esgee48]

60 plus and playing with Instinct Tour XL's weighing 12 oz with OG and lead.

Slice: I remember those days! Sure was a LONG time ago. Wood, t-shirt, cutoffs, 'just hit the d... ball'

 

[Rabbit]

I guess I'm going to buck the trend. I'll be 53 in August and I've stair stepped down from a 12.5 ounce (C10) last year to an 11 ounce (EXO3 Tour Team) this year with an 11.5 ounce (Babolat Aerostorm) in the middle.

There were some bumps along the way, the Aerostorm is a great frame but in the end just didn't suit my style of play. The EXO3 and I took a little getting used to with regard to serve, but now everything is coming up daisies.

To me, the benefit of a lighter frame (and one more evenly balanced) at 52 is it makes up for my timing. I had a pretty long bout last year with Achilles tenodonitis which kept me off the court for 4 months.

I love the EXO3 and don't miss the ounce and a half that I've lost in the move. In the end, I think it depends on the racquet and the player.

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

I guess I'm going to buck the trend. I'll be 53 in August and I've stair stepped down from a 12.5 ounce (C10) last year to an 11 ounce (EXO3 Tour Team) this year with an 11.5 ounce (Babolat Aerostorm) in the middle.

There were some bumps along the way, the Aerostorm is a great frame but in the end just didn't suit my style of play. The EXO3 and I took a little getting used to with regard to serve, but now everything is coming up daisies.

To me, the benefit of a lighter frame (and one more evenly balanced) at 52 is it makes up for my timing. I had a pretty long bout last year with Achilles tenodonitis which kept me off the court for 4 months.

I love the EXO3 and don't miss the ounce and a half that I've lost in the move. In the end, I think it depends on the racquet and the player.

I shall purchase a used EXO 3 and have a go. I intend to play it at your specs. You always get me going man! Best, BHBH

 

[blackfrido]

Hi guys,
it seems to be that we "over 50+" are not afraid to handle a 12oz racquet
I believe the first poster should be surprised about what old man like us are capable to do

 

[roundiesee]

I guess I'm going to buck the trend. I'll be 53 in August and I've stair stepped down from a 12.5 ounce (C10) last year to an 11 ounce (EXO3 Tour Team) this year with an 11.5 ounce (Babolat Aerostorm) in the middle.

There were some bumps along the way, the Aerostorm is a great frame but in the end just didn't suit my style of play. The EXO3 and I took a little getting used to with regard to serve, but now everything is coming up daisies.

To me, the benefit of a lighter frame (and one more evenly balanced) at 52 is it makes up for my timing. I had a pretty long bout last year with Achilles tenodonitis which kept me off the court for 4 months.

I love the EXO3 and don't miss the ounce and a half that I've lost in the move. In the end, I think it depends on the racquet and the player.

Rabbit, I'll bet my bottom dollar that you'll soon be back with yet another "player's" racket soon!

 

[max]

Age 47, swinging in at 349 g/ 12.2 oz.

I have a hard time getting good results from light fluff.

 

[basil J]

50 and I have tried to go down to the 11 oz range and I just find that my comfort zone is 12.2-12.6 oz range range. More mass makes it easier to produce a heavy ball. I think the strings are more of an issue. I have to stay away from stiff poly's or it bugs my shoulder. I recently went back to a k6.1 95 18 x 20 and have been playing very well with it. Mulit or gut in the mains only. Poly in the crosses does not bother me but it will in the mains. I can uses a very relaxed swing and let the mass of the frame do the work. Light frames end up bugging my elbow so I stay away from them.

 

[kaiser]

I'm 55, used to play on grass in Oz with the SRD Tour 95 and HPS 6.1, am now playing on clay with two 4D 200 Tours weighed up in the handle to 13 oz... I take full cuts at the ball with a modern wsw forhand and a 1hbh. When I came back to the game last year I went through a demoing spree starting with the modern Babolat-style rackets, thinking I needed something to compensate for my age. How wrong can you be...

 

[Rabbit]

Rabbit, I'll bet my bottom dollar that you'll soon be back with yet another "player's" racket soon!

If the last two weeks are any indication of my future with this frame.....you'd lose.

The heat has been just brutal here. Two weeks ago, I played Thursday, Friday, twice Saturday, and Sunday. I had to quit my 2nd match Saturday (1st time ever) because I was beginning to brown out. But, even considering that, we were even at that point.

Last weekend, I played Friday, 2 matches Saturday (won both and felt fine!), and then played a celebrity death match in senior mixed on Sunday that ran 2 1/2 hours. My new partner had knee replacement 3 months ago and we won 13 - 11 in the 3rd set tiebreak. The last two points, i poached like I was 20-something and hit some really nicely stuck volleys.

The Prince EXO3 Tour Team has been like the fountain of youth to me. I am still going to fiddle with tension a little, I like the loosely strung stringbed (48m/50c), but may up it a little for a tad more control. The ball pocketing however is incredible with this frame. After a brief spat on serve, we're in complete agreement now and serving is a joy.

What is a C10?

 

[Rabbit]

I shall purchase a used EXO 3 and have a go. I intend to play it at your specs. You always get me going man! Best, BHBH

Thanks BHBH. I think you should probably steer clear of the Tour Team and go Tour though.

I tell ya, this frame is just well...groovy. It's the 1st frame I've played with since using poly that I get the poly mains moving to and fro in the first 30 minutes. I take that to mean that I'm getting some extra oomph on the ball in the vertical plane which is a good thing!

Thanks bud, best to you and yours...stay cool my brother!

 

[blackfrido]

^^ Rabbit;
How does Lux Ace maintain tension? and how does the combo Lux Ace and NRG work in your racquet?
I bought couple of weeks ago [3] Prince Ozone Tour (because of price and curiosity), I strung them with Signum Poly Plasma at 52 but did not like it at all.
thanks

 

[Rabbit]

^^ Rabbit;
How does Lux Ace maintain tension? and how does the combo Lux Ace and NRG work in your racquet?
I bought couple of weeks ago a Prince Ozone Tour, I strung it with Signum Poly Plasma at 52 but did not like it at all.
thanks

I tell ya, I couldn't be happier. The Lux Ace does a good job at maintaining tension, but I am stringing on the low side, so percentage-wise, I wouldn't think it'd lose as much as someone like BHBH who strings tighter.

The NRG does a great job of softening up the stringbed and it does start to get a 5 o'clock shadow after 3 - 4 hours, but that doesn't bother me. I restring when the wraps are pretty much shot and we're down to the core strings in the NRG, 8 - 10 hours. I have yet to break a cross with this set up, but feel that a fresh stringjob is always better than playing til it breaks.

The control and ball pocketing with this setup is really nice. It has great feel and best of all, zero stress on the arm. I highly reccomend it. My reel is almost gone, and when it is I've got two reels of Pacific XForce 18 that I'm going to try. I hope it plays as well in this configuration as the Ace does.

Hope this helps.

 

[fuzz nation]

My thanks to our pal slice bh compliment for that trip down amnesia lane... Good stuff - hopefully your book deal is waiting.

I'm 45 and I promise to use a 12+ oz. racquet beyond the next five years, but hey, whatever thrills you. :shock:

 

[blackfrido]

I tell ya, I couldn't be happier. The Lux Ace does a good job at maintaining tension, but I am stringing on the low side, so percentage-wise, I wouldn't think it'd lose as much as someone like BHBH who strings tighter.

The NRG does a great job of softening up the stringbed and it does start to get a 5 o'clock shadow after 3 - 4 hours, but that doesn't bother me. I restring when the wraps are pretty much shot and we're down to the core strings in the NRG, 8 - 10 hours. I have yet to break a cross with this set up, but feel that a fresh stringjob is always better than playing til it breaks.

The control and ball pocketing with this setup is really nice. It has great feel and best of all, zero stress on the arm. I highly reccomend it. My reel is almost gone, and when it is I've got two reels of Pacific XForce 18 that I'm going to try. I hope it plays as well in this configuration as the Ace does.

Hope this helps.

Of course that helps to narrow my search!

 

[TimothyO]

45 this summer and I dislike frames less than 12oz. My two current sticks are both a shade over 12oz: PB10 Mid and PSLGT. However, they are both 10+ pts HL. Full western grip with lots of top spin.

 

[joeellis]

Of course that helps to narrow my search!

I don't have a great deal of experience with poly string, but I use the Lux BB Ace as my mains and I have found they hold tension fairly well. I strung a Donnay Borg Pro with Ace/Nat Gut in 2008 and the tension is still very good. I don't hit with it very often, but when I do, I don't feel a noticeable difference.

I also feel that the BB Ace can be strung a little tighter than many poly's because of the relative softness. This may cause it to lose tension faster however, I don't know. I normally string it at 52 to 54. I really like it because of the additional feel, softness, and pocketing (for a poly).

 

[North]

IMHO, there's WAY too much B.S. and A.D.D. going on. Too many headcases with micrometers, balance boards, and lead tape. If a 50 year old (or 60 year old) can't swing around a racquet that weighs 12 oz, it's time to think about taking up Canasta.

Lol. I'm 55 and I use a 12 oz racquet (Slazenger Pro X1) and don't just chip or block the ball back all the time. I am a woman - 5'2" and weigh 115lbs. Canasta is boring.

 

[BreakPoint]

If the last two weeks are any indication of my future with this frame.....you'd lose.

The heat has been just brutal here. Two weeks ago, I played Thursday, Friday, twice Saturday, and Sunday. I had to quit my 2nd match Saturday (1st time ever) because I was beginning to brown out. But, even considering that, we were even at that point.

Last weekend, I played Friday, 2 matches Saturday (won both and felt fine!), and then played a celebrity death match in senior mixed on Sunday that ran 2 1/2 hours. My new partner had knee replacement 3 months ago and we won 13 - 11 in the 3rd set tiebreak. The last two points, i poached like I was 20-something and hit some really nicely stuck volleys.

The Prince EXO3 Tour Team has been like the fountain of youth to me. I am still going to fiddle with tension a little, I like the loosely strung stringbed (48m/50c), but may up it a little for a tad more control. The ball pocketing however is incredible with this frame. After a brief spat on serve, we're in complete agreement now and serving is a joy.

What is a C10?

Hmmm.....I don't know, Rabbit. I seem to have heard this same story about the last 5 or 6 frames that you've used. :wink:

Let's put it this way, I wouldn't bet my life savings that you'd be still using the Prince EXO3 Tour Team a year from now. :wink:

 

[Rabbit]

Hmmm.....I don't know, Rabbit. I seem to have heard this same story about the last 5 or 6 frames that you've used. :wink:

Let's put it this way, I wouldn't bet my life savings that you'd be still using the Prince EXO3 Tour Team a year from now. :wink:

Fickleness in one rabbit duly noted and friendly amendment accepted.

(I really really really think this is the one.... )

 

[Tennis Man]

I have just reached my adulthood but I think I never seriously played with anything lighter than 12 oz except maybe a ping pong paddle.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Lol. I'm 55 and I use a 12 oz racquet (Slazenger Pro X1) and don't just chip or block the ball back all the time. I am a woman - 5'2" and weigh 115lbs. Canasta is boring.

Mom, is that you?

 

[North]

Mom, is that you?

Rofl! No, but I'd be proud to have you as a son as long as you play an aggressive net game

 

[Sentinel]

Mom, is that you?

LMAO, Mademoiselle North is only slightly older than you, dear Slice, only about a decade at most.

Father's Day was great, no ?

 

[jorel]

Fickleness in one rabbit duly noted and friendly amendment accepted.

(I really really really think this is the one.... )

memento

creating problems just to solve them

Even tho he finds his answer… he creates the problem for the simple fact of having something to do

Memento 2 should be about finding THE tennis racquet... it should also be backwards

 

[jorel]

kimiko date krumm. female, 40 years old, 5"4

she plays with a racket which is 13,58oz! and she has success shes still playing competitive in the top 100 of womens wta tour.

so if she can handle a 13,6oz u can handle a 12oz stick

.

doesnt she also use two hands on both sides?

 

[movdqa]

No she doesn't. But her strokes are a bit unorthodox. You can see highlights of her match from yesterday at Wimbledon in their multimedia section. She draws the racquet straight back and brings it straight forward and hits with quite a bit of pace - a lot of it no doubt from the racquet weight. Definitely not your heavy topspin-type player.

 

[runningmann]

My dad is in his 50s, 5'6 asian guy, former college player, used a donnay allwood in school. He kicks my ass from time to time with a blx tour, or a kps 88. No issues with him.

 

[Jim Hendricks]

59 and using a 12.2 oz. racquet. Though after a couple of comebacks in the last couple of years, have become more concerned with a lower swing weight, 312 instead of the 330-340 range.

 

[Rabbit]

memento

creating problems just to solve them

Even tho he finds his answer… he creates the problem for the simple fact of having something to do

Memento 2 should be about finding THE tennis racquet... it should also be backwards

Backwards? Yep, I'm left-handed.

 

[Viking_Golfer]

Nope, never have and never will.

IMHO topspin sucks - hate playing against it, hate using it ( but do so when hitting with a topspin player) and hate even more watching boring short guys hit boring topspin on TV ( topspin ruins tennis in my view, while younger shorter players think it saved tennis)

You can tell I'm no fan of Nadal, Verdasco and the other Spanish players, except Lopez

 

[slice bh compliment]

LMAO, Mademoiselle North is only slightly older than you, dear Slice, only about a decade at most.

Father's Day was great, no ?

True, just about 13 yrs difference, so yeah, north is not my mom, but it would have been fun.

Of course my mom is 6ft2, 210 and runs a 4.5 40! Kidding....Dazed and Confused reference there.

Seriously, though, my mom really did use a Slaz x-1 for about 7 years. She just switched to a Dunlop 300 tour (the chrome and red one). She liked Verdasco until she found out he uses the wuss (lighter, non-tour) version of her frame.

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

I tell ya, I couldn't be happier. The Lux Ace does a good job at maintaining tension, but I am stringing on the low side, so percentage-wise, I wouldn't think it'd lose as much as someone like BHBH who strings tighter.

The NRG does a great job of softening up the stringbed and it does start to get a 5 o'clock shadow after 3 - 4 hours, but that doesn't bother me. I restring when the wraps are pretty much shot and we're down to the core strings in the NRG, 8 - 10 hours. I have yet to break a cross with this set up, but feel that a fresh stringjob is always better than playing til it breaks.

The control and ball pocketing with this setup is really nice. It has great feel and best of all, zero stress on the arm. I highly reccomend it. My reel is almost gone, and when it is I've got two reels of Pacific XForce 18 that I'm going to try. I hope it plays as well in this configuration as the Ace does.

Hope this helps.

I love BB Ace 18 but it drops tension like crazy. Geoff strings my frames at 63# and after 10-15 mins of hitting they measure 47#, which is perfect for me. BHBH

 

[jimanuel12]

No offense, but i just want to know if 12oz+ stick is still suitable for 50y.o+ player.

Thanks

none taken - 62 years young and use only rackets that are 12 oz or more.
tried the lighter "modern" rackets a couple of years ago and hurt my arm really bad.
still play and beat younger players sometimes with my old prince (POG) and wilson Pro Staff heavy rackets.
wish i never tried the lighter rackets.
so heavy for me forever!!!!

 

[jimanuel12]

Exactly right. We didn't 'spec out' the racquets. We picked up one or two and took them to the courts any played for HOURS. Lots of times we didn't even know what strings we were using in them. It didn't matter- we just played tennis.

very good point - my first "good" racquet was a jack kramer pro model - must have weighted a ton - but did not care. all of the old wood racquets weighted about 10 lbs but we did not care - did not know any better and just played like mad men.
i loved it and still do - but now i do look at the weight and flex rating before i buy.