It is lucky Bill Graham does not get an extra stroke for every year he is older than Sam Miller.
The 89-year-old has made that suggestion jokingly to youngsters before.
It would make winning the Maniototo Golf Club’s Junior B final very difficult for 29-year-old Miller.
Graham, a 60-year veteran at the club, holds a handicap of 24 — the cut-off to qualify for the ironically named Junior B division.
He still tries to go around the course in under 100.
Not a bad effort, to say the least.
Certainly one that would make a 60-stroke head start far too much to catch.
The Junior B title is one he has claimed three times in recent years.
This year is likely to be his last competing.
The 6km walk around the course was becoming a long way, and this year he would ride a cart around.
However, it was that walk which had kept him going and playing against the young ones.
"I’ve been doing it to try to keep mobile; it’s a good walk every week," he said.
"I endeavour to just keep fit. That’s really why I go out there."
If Graham indeed does win, Miller may hear about it for a while yet, too.
Miller works as an apprentice at the electrical company Graham started in 1954, which is now run by his sons.
Graham has been playing golf for nearly that long.
"It’s just one of those things, you play sport on a Saturday.
"I played football and then I went into golf — it was just a natural thing to do, I thought.
"The wife [Audrey] played golf, she was playing for quite a few years too, she thoroughly enjoyed it."
The club will have finals for its other grades in its championships, too.
