This article originally appeared in our newsletter in 2019.
Last evening we witnessed a moment of greatness in the game of golf.
Doubtful the knucklehead talking heads on TV will pay too much attention to it, but I will as it’s very inspirational.
The US Senior Open is on at the moment.
The old fellas are battling it out tooth and nail to be the national champion of America and take major honours.
I switched on last night and watched for half an hour or so where I witnessed the moment of greatness and inspiration.
Tom Watson, the legend that he is made the cut and is inside the top twenty, four shots off the lead.
The blokes 69 years old.
Unreal.
And to top it all off, his swing looks a syrupy as it did when he was 28.
I watched him play up the last and rip four iron from 197 yards to ten feet, he missed the putt but who cares.
4 iron from 197 yards at age 69!!
What a legend and what a player.
Mind you, I can remember when the bloke nearly won the open at the age of 59, what a story that would have been. He comes up the last needing a par 4 to win the open and create the sporting story of the century, only for his ball to land five yards to far and trickle over the back of the green into a tricky position where he didn’t get it up and down.
Just shows you age is no boundary, after all that golf ball doesn’t know how old you are.
So whatever the ambition, to break 100, to break 80 to get in the scratch side, to shoot under your age, to get to single digits handicap, to play on a real course for the first time, to take that first lesson, go get it done.
Uncle Bob commands you.
And as for Tom, well let’s just take out hats off to him and acknowledge what a gem he really is and how lucky we are to have people like that in our sport.
We salute you Tom.
P.S. One of the secrets to Tom’s longevity in his game has been his silky, syrupy smooth swing, something that propels the ball more than far enough in order for him to be competitive at the top level. That swing and the makeup of it is a far cry from what most amateurs are being taught, as a result they are being robbed of game changing yardage.
So if you think you could do with a few extra yards off the tee, or even worse think that your capable of hitting it further but just can’t seem to hit it anywhere then get yourself over here and get this little report in your mittens.
Bob James PGA