MARK Twain famously dismissed golf as a good walk spoiled but that is not a view shared by 93-year-old golfer Bob Good-all.

The sprightly veteran plays 18 holes twice a week at Droit-wich Golf Club and claims the game "keeps him going."

In fact when he teed up for the club's seniors against the ladies recently he was 80 years older than his 13-year-old opponent, Laura Whitehead, and he and his partner managed to pip their younger counterparts on the 18th green.

According to Bob, retirement is like nature -- it abhors a vacuum.

That's why he plays golf twice a week, interspersed with indoor and outdoor bowls.

Dedicated

He didn't pick up a golf club until he was 65 but since then he has lapped up the game like the most dedicated of youngsters.

His fledgling golf career was kicked-started after he retired in 1973 and he joined the Probus (Professional andBusinessmen's Club) in Bromsgrove and someone said 'anyone fancy trying golf?'

The golfing bug subsequently bit and he joined Droitwich and got his handicap down as low as 22 but now plays off 26.

"Some people say golf spoils a good walk but it is good exercise and brings mental and physical powers into play -- it keeps you going," he said.

"It brings into play every part of your body, and your sense of touch.

"The golf swing is possibly the most sophisticated in all sport.

"I think it is a wonderful game which has managed to keep its ethics.

"It keeps up the standards which have been lost in other sports I feel today.

"This is the only game where your opponent doesn't come into it -- it is just between you, the course and the little ball.

"My retirement would be a much lower quality I think without golf.

"There's a great danger when people retire that the more they've been involved in their job then the bigger the vacuum there is likely to be.

"They say nature abhors a vacuum well so does retirement.

"In the old days I used to think golf was a rich man's game and I thought I would never play it.

"But I played football and cricket when I was younger and I do regard golf as a game that is something very special."

With that Bob was off to book lessons with the Droitwich professional on how to improve his length off the tee and bring his handicap down!