Vinny Giles, 76, Happily Retires From Competition

Close your eyes, picture this: Vinny Giles is taking it easy. He is sitting peacefully in a rocking chair on his front porch holding a sign that says, “Gone golfin” except that “golfin” is crossed out and replaced by “fishin” and a few other Southern proverbs.

Vinny Giles Photo: Copyright USGA

Believe it or not, Giles is talking vigorously about retirement. In effect, the colorful 76-year-old announced his retirement from competitive golf during the recent 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, which concluded Thursday at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C.

“I’ve had a lot of fun,” he said, looking back. “I don’t enjoy playing golf four, five or six days in a row anymore. I don’t enjoy getting up at 5 in the morning so I can stretch and try to loosen up enough to play golf, like I did twice this week.

“I love to compete. I’ve really had enough to be honest with you. I’ve been doing this for 60 years. That’s long enough. It’s absolutely enough. I can still hit a golf ball 250 or 260 yards with a driver, and I credit flexi...