Walt Martin can move it off the tee. The St. Augustine, Florida, resident turned 80 in September. This month, he fended off 14 other players in the super legends division of the Golfweek Super Senor, Legends and Super Legends National Championship to win that title by three shots on Sunday.
“Driving is my strength,” said Martin, who, when asked a follow-up about working with an instructor, admitted he hasn’t had a golf lesson in 30 years – back when he was still on active duty in the Navy.
What Martin lacks in instruction he makes up for in sheer tournament experience. He estimates he has played over 350 or 400 events since he started competing in national seniors events in 2004 in his mid-60s. He has been named player of the year in the super senior division and the legends division.
“So this year my goal is to be player of the year for super legend,” he said.
Leaderboard: Golfweek U.S. Super Senior, Legends, & Super Legends National Championship
The kind of play Martin displayed at the Falls Club in Lake Worth, Florida, over the past three days will get it done. Rounds of 71-77-78 left him three ahead of Tom Toombs in the super legends division. He had seven birdies in 54 holes.
Martin spent his career in the Navy. Standing on steel decks for much of his working life contributed to the back pain he feels now.
“The ability to hit ball after ball is not what I do anymore,” Martin said of pain that leads to limited practice.
Instead, he plays three times a week and often takes a handful of clubs out on the golf course at night to walk a few holes with his wife. The Martins have a condo right on the King and Bear course at World Golf Village.
Super senior winner Dan Parkinson also had a career in service. The retired orthopedic surgeon spent 17 years in the Army.
Parkinson, of Lehi, Utah, had rounds of 68-70-76 to clip Kevin Macy by three shots in the super senior division.
“The harder the course is, the more advantage I have just because I play a lot of golf,” said Parkinson, who transitioned easily from the mountain elevation back home to sea-level conditions in Lake Worth.
Charley Yandell of Cashiers, North Carolina, was the winner in the legends division. Yandell had rounds of 70-74-73 to finish three shots ahead of John Blank, who is currently the No. 2-ranked player in the legend division of the Golfweek Senior Rankings.