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He may well be 95 years old, but veteran golfer Ron Fage has proved he is on par with - if not better than - his younger counterparts.
Mr Fage, who has been a member of the Westgate and Birchington Golf Club for more than 50 years, thrashed his fellow 44 competitors at the Epple Bay Open, with four points separating him and his closest rival.
It was on weekend visits from London to Thanet, beginning back in 1960, that saw Mr Fage pick up the sport.
Almost 60 years down the line and he remains a keen golfer with more competitions lined up.
“I was a total football fan but started playing golf on weekend visits to Thanet before moving here in 1987,” said Mr Fage, who lives in Queen Bertha’s Avenue in Birchington, a stone’s throw from the course."
Despite his years of practice hitting long balls, Mr Fage puts his win down simply to luck.
“I don’t know how I won,” he added. “It was a little bit of luck!”
Although finding a passion for golf, Mr Fage has never given up on his beloved football club.
He said: “I’m still a complete football fan and support Arsenal.
“All my competitors down here are Spurs fans, so it gives me an even bigger reason to want to beat them.”
The Epple Bay Open, held on Tuesday, September 3 this year, is a competition run annually for those aged 55 and above.
Ian Thrumble, Evergreens Match Secretary, has hailed Mr Fage’s win as “remarkable”.
He said: “Ron is a remarkable man who is highly respected by all members at the golf club.
“The Epple Bay Trophy is the most prestigious trophy for the senior section. The competition is based on Stableford scores. The idea is that if a golfer has a couple of bad holes he can still win a competition.
“The handicap system is recognised all over the world and is designed to give every golfer a equal chance of winning.
“In the case of Westgate and Birchington GC the par score is 64. Ron has an handicap of 27 so would be expected to score 64 plus his handicap of 27, making a par score of 91. By scoring 44 points Ron’s score would equate to 83. A remarkable achievement for someone aged 95.”
