Is 39 too late to start fishing?

First time beach fishing! :)

Yesterday, I went fishing for the first time with a friend and his son at Brighton Marina/West Sea Wall.

I'd never done it before and honestly those four hours in the late afternoon learning how to cast & just watching the sea/sky was the best feeling in the world. Perfect golden hour sun, warm but not scorching, good breeze :)

HOWEVER, as I was looking around at all the other people on the marina walls with impressive/complex setups (5/6 rods balancing on the wall, lighting rigs, weird cables and stuff), all I could see was mostly young lads (teens) really confidently pulling in fish and handling their business well.

I guess what I'm asking is:

• Is fishing a 'young man's game' in the sense that it would have been better to have started earlier to see any real (reel, ha!) success?
• Anyone on this sub started fishing later in life and become competent / confident quickly?
• Is watching Youtube videos and just getting out there and doing it the best way to get good, or should I pay for formal lessons to make up for lost time?

I know, in principle, that you can start at any time, but I was just struck by how lost I would be (if my friend wasn't there) amongst all these very competent young people!