Port Fairy golfer Kevin Garton breaks his age with stunning round

The 93-year-old isn't there to win it all by any means, though he was able to celebrate a certain success of his own recently, having 88 off the stick to 'beat his age' by five shots.

Garton said that kind of round for him was "like a flash in the pan" and in the past hadn't given much thought to the idea of beating ones age.

"I never thought of it (beating your age) until the last year or two," Garton said. "It's just something that has come into golf.

"A lot reckon it's better than a hole in one, to break your age, I don't know, it probably is. I'm probably one of the oldest ones playing golf here, there isn't too many of us in our 90s still around."

Garton said he had also broken his age about six months ago, though couldn't remember if it was about 90 or 91. He said he was much happier to see his most recent score crack into the 80s.

"This one was the best I'd had, I broke my handicap (21) and everything," he said.

Garton, who operated his own dairy farm near the small town of Merino before moving to Port Fairy some 32 years ago, has been playing the game of golf for close to 70 years.

"My parents and a few of my cousins played, and there was a little nine-hole course in Merino, open in the winter," Garton said.

"I'd milk the cows, played golf, then milked the cows after."

Garton said along with golf, cricket, tennis and table tennis were his chosen sports as a young man.

"My dad was a good tennis player," he said. "In those days out in the country, every place had two or three tennis courts.

"It was a real social afternoon; the ladies would make cream cakes."

Speaking about the decision that would eventually lead his family to a sea change in Port Fairy and its links: "My wife wanted to leave, so I said 'you choose what town, as long as it's got a good golf course'," Garton said.

"We chose Port Fairy, we didn't know a soul, but we never regretted coming down here."

Garton said he enjoyed his time spent at the Port Fairy Golf Club.

"I'm only a blow-in, so they'd say," Garton said with a laugh. "My next-door neighbour played and introduced me to the club. I've played here ever since.

"They're all really friendly, it's a great club."

As for why Garton stays so involved in the sport, playing on both Monday and Wednesdays, he said it was a great way to fill in some time.

"I like to keep active, and so far I've succeeded," he said, adding he also bowled and spent time in his big garden.

Traversing the course with the same group of golfers, Garton said there was always a bit of banter between the players, though some made sure to add a bit "more than others".

Garton said he liked to play his shots straight down the middle, but had lost at least 40 to 50 metres off his drive in recent years.

Asked how long he could see himself remaining a key figure on the greens, Garton said he wouldn't be retiring the golf clubs anytime soon.

"My daughter said 'you'll live to 100 Dad' but I don't know if that's a bit ambitious," he said. "No-one knows what's around the corner, but I'll play as long as I can swing at the ball."

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