Yesterday I had the honour of golf with Stan Cox; an elder statesman at my home course of Osprey Links. I have known Stan for years and he is a fantastic gentleman to chat with because he has lived history and is willing to share his experiences. Oh year, did I mention that Stan was 89 years young and turns 90 is less than two weeks!
It is important to note that Stan shot his age from the red tees, but could easily have shot lower. Yup, Stan shot an easy 89 yesterday.
Stan was a straight shooting player who was only in trouble on 4 holes. He usually hit his ball 150 to 175 yards off the tee and was in the short grass 14 of 18 holes. On a side note, he out drove us on half the holes and was close behind on the rest.
Stan’s short game was as smooth as silk. He hit most chips from 30 yards or closer to within 15 feet and most of those were within 10 feet. His putting stroke was smooth and consistent. Overall, Stan’s short game was easily as strong as his play off the tee.
Stan did struggle a bit down the stretch, but managed to keep it together to shoot his age. He suggests he was getting a bit tired, but at 89 I was not surprised. He did grind it out on the last 4 holes, but he demonstrated that it was important to never stop playing because anything can happen.
It was awesome watching Stan play steady, rock solid golf. Yet, I think that Stan’s play was overshadowed by his gentlemanly demeanour and his stories. He told us about his travels, businesses, and other golf games. He had a story per hole and I listened to everyone. He told about how he missed WWII by one year (he was 16 at the end) and regretted not serving. He mentioned that he has a patent and trademark for a roof truss system used around the world. He also mentioned playing golf with a tour professional many years back, but unfortunately, I forgot his name. I was enthralled listening to Stan tell me about the past and how golf was a part of every step.
Playing golf with elder statesman is an amazing experience. Stan entertained us with stories for four hours, plus played awesome golf. Playing golf with Stan just made my round that much better. I hope we have a chance to play again in the future, but for now, I will lock this round in my memory back for a long time to come.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
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Jim, did Stan pass along any secrets for keeping his game in shape for so long? Awesome that you had an opportunity to play with this super senior. Would love to be able to shoot my age at 89 much less even play!
Thanks,
Brian
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Brian,
He did not pass on anything specific, but through out conversations, he remained active on and off the golf course for his entire life. He plays 3 times a week now and enjoys getting out talking to everyone. That was my key takeaway, stay active on and off the course.
Cheers Jim
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When I first started playing golf I played with an “elder statesman” from Canada. A friend of my dads. That man would get us laughing so hard he beat the pants off us all regularly even though he could barely reach 150 with his driver and us kids were pushing double that with dad right behind. I’ll also give him credit for my general ease in the sand. He was the one who taught me to open the face and glide under the ball. And his play taught me the importance of the short game. He was absolutely deadly inside of 100 yards. You’ve brought back nice memories. 👍
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Kevin,
Most of the elder statesman I have played with have an awesome short game. I can see how that would be a great hint for you players to focus their practice efforts on. I am glad my article brought back some nice memories.
Cheers Jim
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