SLIPPERY ROCK - A golfer is never too old to improve his game. Just ask John Patrick.

The Grove City resident signed up for two lessons with club pro Bobby McFeaters last year at Shamrock Golf Course.

Patrick is 97 years old.

"He wanted to work on his swing plane and get more out of his lower body," McFeaters said. "He's always looking for power."

Patrick stands 5-foot-6, weighs around 160 pounds and plays nine holes at least three days a week at Shamrock. He tees off at 9:30 a.m. with a senior citizens group of 12 to 16 players.

He began playing the game at age 30 and has been playing at Shamrock for 15 years. Patrick retired as director of the Pine Township Community Center in Grove City two years ago - at age 95.

He held that position for 28 years. He had retired from an engineering career in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 1970.

"John still drives a car himself and gets here every morning a half hour before everybody else," McFeaters said. "He goes over to the practice green and works on his chipping and putting.

"He's such a humble guy. He asks me every spring if the guys would mind if he played with them again. He's always worried he's going to slow them down."

To the contrary, they can have trouble keeping up.

Patrick's lowest round last year was a 42. He carded a 46 May 6 and sank a 30-foot putt for birdie.

"He's my idol," said Leo Bloomburg, the next oldest player in the group at 87. "That's what I'm playing for. I want to be like him."

Patrick doesn't worry about his score until after the round.

"I'm just happy to be out here playing and that I have these guys willing to help me out here," Patrick said. "I have trouble seeing where my ball went at times.

"My goal is always to break 50. For my age, that's pretty good."

Patrick was married for 50 years before his wife died in 1988. His son, James, is 64 and lives in Florida. One of his nephews, David Arrigo, is team photographer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Patrick can't hit long drives like he once could, but he remains an effective player.

"On a good, warm day, I can drive it maybe 160, 170 yards," he said. "I'm always looking for pointers to get the most out of my swing."

Mack Porter of Slippery Rock often plays in the same foursome with Patrick.

"He's very competitive," Porter said. "It's surprising how good an athlete he is. You give him some advice one time, he'll think it through, then he'll do it.

"I told him once about rocking his legs back and forth before he starts his back-swing, that he can build momentum in his swing that way. Now he'll step up to his ball, get in his stance, say to himself 'do the dance' and rock his legs.

"Then he'll hit the ball right down the middle. His shots are usually accurate," Porter added.

Patrick's popularity with the group is obvious.

"Besides being as competitive as he is on a golf course, John's a fine gentleman," Porter said. "And I bet there's not a 97-year-old in the country who can beat him."

The group keeps a jug in the clubhouse at Shamrock. Every time one of them has to three-putt, that golfer puts a dime in the jug.

When the golf season's over, they take the money out and donate it to a charity.

"They gave close to $300 to the food bank last year," McFeaters said.

Patrick has no plans on retiring from golf soon. He still helps out with bingo at the senior center in Grove City.

"He's into a number of activities," McFeaters said. "It's amazing how active he is."

"I'll play for as long as I can," Patrick said. "I think I'll know when it's time to quit - if I'm holding people up or can't see the ball anymore … That'd be a clue.

"When the weather warms up, I'll be out here five or six days a week. If someone wants to play golf with me, I'm up for it."