KEY POINTS:
Sir Bob Charles inaugurated a new golf tour yesterday and then revealed that he is winding down his own professional playing career.
The 72-year-old, who was still playing well enough to be four under and in 23rd place in last year's 72-hole New Zealand Open, was on hand at Titirangi as New Zealand Golf and the New Zealand PGA relaunched the fledgling local professional tour as the Charles Tour.
"I'm proud to be associated with it," he said. "It gives the young golfers of New Zealand a great opportunity to compete in 72-hole events and that's what competition is all about.
"The true test of a golfer's skills is over four days of medal play. I recall the first 72-hole event I played in. I was about 17 or 18. I shot 300, which is even 75s. I finished 10th and I was very excited because the guy that I tied with was Guy Horne, who at that stage was one of the leading amateurs in New Zealand."
Charles said he would try to get to as many of the Charles Tour events as he could though he might be overseas when the Tauranga, New Plymouth and Wairakei tournaments were played. The best chance for him to play would be the Shirley Open in Christchurch.
He leaves next month to play in the Legends of Golf at Savannah, Georgia, and two other tournaments in the US. Then he heads for Europe to play 10 senior events.
"This could be my swansong year," he said. "I'm seriously thinking of giving up competitive golf. But I hate the thought of not being able to compete in the Legends of Golf and also the Senior British Open.
"I've played in all 21 Senior British Opens. This year it's at Troon. Next year it's at Sunningdale and I would like to keep playing those two events, the Legends and the Senior British Open, for the foreseeable future.
"As long as I can swing a club and walk 18 holes of golf, I'll continue to compete in those two events."
Could he be seen at the New Zealand Open again? "It's an outside possibility. It depends on how I feel. I feel very comfortable with the golf course. I love The Hills. I find it suits my game. It's not a definite yes but it's a good possibility. I've got to get an invite first!"
Charles was clearly delighted to add his name to the local tour that will offer opportunities to fledgling professionals and leading amateurs. There will be four events this year and probably seven in 2009.
He noted the equivalent tours in the US and Australia had been named for Ben Hogan and Norman Von Nida and he recalled a special link with the Aussie legend Von Nida.
"I was given a set of Slazenger Von Nida irons for my 18th birthday and those were the clubs I used to win the 1954 New Zealand Open as an amateur.
"They were probably made at the Slazenger factory in the Hutt. I used them until I went overseas with Ian Cromb in 1958 and I've still got the blade putter."
