By the fact that you have a manual choke, indicates that the motor is a 2003 or older.
Besides pulling out the choke, do you advance the throttle as far as you can? It may look like you are advancing past the "start" mark on the handle. If you do not advance it all the way, it will not get enough air and will flood, as you are surmising.
If it starts ok once it is warmed up, then the coils and stator are probably ok. Also, bad fuel lines, would cause more of an issue running all the time, not just at start.
The key is to squeeze the fuel bulb until it is hard, pull out the choke all the way, advance the throttle alhe way until it stops and pull like hell. Of course, you know about the last part.
I know what you mean about getting older, I'm 71 and that is why I make sure they start the first time.
Mike