Not Aging Out
Bob Arnold shoots his age on a regular basis
As golfers approach the senior and super senior level ranks, shooting a score in any round that matches their age becomes a coveted achievement. Almost like making a hole-in-one, the distinction inducts one into a club of sorts, and while shooting one’s age is much more common than an ace, most can hope to do it only a handful of times.
Unless you’re 88-year-old Bob Arnold, who plays out of Moses Lake Golf Club – throughout just the past year or so, he has accomplished the feat more than 70 times.
"Bob is well-known at the club,” says Mike Hickok, Handicap chair at Moses Lake. “He and his group visit the clubhouse after almost every round, where others frequently ask about his latest scores.”
According to Hickok, Bob first shot his age at 78 and has been doing so for over a decade now. He backs up his recreational scorecards with equal skills in competition, having won Moses Lake’s Super Senior club championship three times.
Originally from Richland, and a former member of Meadow Springs Country Club in that Tri-City, golf has been a dominant presence in Bob’s life. Since February 2025, he has clocked 228 rounds, playing four to five days per week at Moses Lake. He gets to socialize plenty on the course, too, as he typically arrives with six to 12 people ready to play with him, who regularly seek the octogenarian's advice.
“Bob is naturally shy and never boasts about his accomplishments,” said Hickok. “He simply enjoys the game. He often speaks fondly of his mother, who taught him how to play.”
Hickok credits a simple swing motion and exceptional short game as the secrets to Mr. Arnold’s game, who regularly plays from the 6,300-yard white tees.
With his plaid red flat cap and star-spangled shirt, Bob Arnold is equipped to sign many more scorecards at or less than 88, and beyond.