Not many people can say they've played 100 games of golf scoring under their age, but Ray Pittams can.

The 82-year-old has either equalled his age, or done under it, more than 100 times in the last 11 years.

The first time was in 2006, when he was 71. Naturally, it gets easier as you get older – but then, the golfing's supposed to get harder, too.

Ray puts his decent tally down to ability and keeping in good health.

'I have started playing in a cart this year, but before that I was walking.”

He still plays three days a week at the Tauranga Golf Club, as well as bowls, bridge, and laps in the pool to keep himself fit.

His early life was spent in the King Country, which is where he taught himself to play golf at the age of 28.

'A friend of mine and I decided to go out to a little country course on a farm. A lot of us farmers learnt to play golf together. The courses were pretty rough and pretty hilly.”

In the 1960s he was a member of the Mapiu Golf Club, whose president was World War Two dambuster Les Munro. For Ray, the highlight was being part of the team that won the Prebble Cup in 1965, beating all rivals in the district and wider Waikato area.

In 1977 he and his wife Rose moved to Tauranga and farmed in Welcome Bay, before retiring and moving into Althorp Retirement Village.

Rose used to play golf herself, and this week they're down playing nine different courses on a road trip from New Plymouth to Wellington, where Ray will no doubt shoot under his age once more.