I'm sure there are contributors in various life stages, pecuniary positions and personal preference modes, but it'd be interesting to see how much we have in common as regards what our ideal retirement situation will be. In particular, how much influence golf will have on our choice of lifestyle.

I want to be healthy enough to play golf well into a pickled dotage, and ideally would like the retirement shack to have golf views, if not dominant. Some sea (mainly for the wife but also me) and some bush would be great as part of the vista.

In the early retirement, an active role in making the golf club run, in whatever capacity, and spending as much time playing as fitness and family allows. Travelling a few of times a year with sticks in tow will be important too; sometimes to visit relatives and friends, sometimes on mini golf tours.

Lots can change in the 20 plus years before this all happens but my choices would be out of

- Mornington Pen
- Narooma
- Mallacoota
- Bridport (if what you blokes say is true)
- Somewhere near Christchurch NZ (gotta put that one in to satisfy the other half)
- perhaps somewhere I'm not familiar with in Qld

Interested in hearing others' perspectives...

To f...ing cold on the mornington. I would put the Hunter Valley at No. 1 given that there are now a few good quality courses within the area and there are more to come.

As for me I am currently in Melbourne and would retire to my hometown of Horsham for the golf course. they are looking at adding some apartments for on-course for accomodation and I think from what I heard a few retirement apartments as well
If not across the road at my old home would do to, all of 100m walk

somewhere warm like the sunshine coast where i can play golf all year round

"Retired" to Perth, The Vines. Warm winters, lots of golf. Plenty of courses, property half the price...more money to travel and play golf with:)

Peanuts, we have the same thoughts as you - we are 90% sure of where we want to be at retirement (age 55) - a little seaside town outside of Bundaberg - good golf courses - good facilities (airport, shops, hospitals etc).

Add a little tinnie for fishing and life will be grand.

That's the plan we are working to anyway.

Mallacoota??

Good fishing. But a less than half decent track with no other options wouldn't be for me.

Choose a course where one or two nearby others are possibilities too, so you can mix it up without travelling far.

Narooma is heavenly. Whilst I don't feel the need for QLD, I have 35 year old bones now, and at age 65, they might prefer the warmer north. The WA call was a good one. Me? The Bellarine Peninsula might even be a chance one day. Imagine, membership at Barwon Heads. Play there, 13B, Curlewis, Queenscliff, Torquay and the like for occasional variation. Plus whatever the heck is there in 2035 that isn't there now. And proximity to sandbelt and Mornington Peninsula are fine. Not to mention if you have the $$, an annual July-September 1-3 months in your favourite part of QLD.

Golf will be long gone before I ever think about retirement. Specialists have already told me to stop playing because of my back and neck. I'm 37 now and every round involves a celebrex and two panadeine before tee off, two more panadeine at the turn and another celebrex, a panadeine forte and two ice packs after the round. At the moment I am trying to hold out until I'm 40 but it is getting harder every day. I have already missed 3 months playing time this year. My retirement will be somewhere around Broome I reckon. One of the best beaches in the world and hot weather all the time, which is great because my back really hates these cold Perth winters.

V4 that's the saddest story I've heard in a while. You've obviously tried to see if they can be fixed?

Specialists have only given me a 50% chance of improvement if I have surgery. Their recommendation was that I wait until I have no options but surgery, that way it is more likely that the back will be better after the surgery than before, though still in all likelihood worse than it is now.
I'm thinking positive though. If I have surgery now, I am stuck with todays techniques. If I wait a few years, medical science may have improved enough that they may be able to fix me good as new.

Veefore, you are not alone.
A good friend of mine injured his back playing football in his early twenties. He had to stop playing football and golf, and alomost every other sport.
He was also told he could have surgery that may alleviate some problems, but the procedure to fix it did not exists at the time, and his doctor also advised him not to do anything about it as it was too risky.

There is no doubt that the missus and I would retire in

MAGICAL MERIMBULA

We love the place for it's fishing, golf, bush & beach walking.

Have to buy the ole Tatts Ticket today.

**

Good eye!

It's got to be the West Coast, but the prices are even rising over there now.

I still like the idea of retiring to the remotest city in the world though.

QUOTE: suggo7 @ Dec 22 2004, 11:07 AM

I'm sort of semi retired... ...my wife works and I play golf, I'm a modern man 

Suggo-I bet you also pay huge membership fees at a private club ?
"sort of semi retired" can never work this one out
"Do you play alone" ha ha or with other semi- retirees, at the golf course that is

cazandpaul wrote

a little seaside town outside of Bundaberg - good golf courses

are you drunk ?? - would be interested in where you mean ? - cannot think of any good courses up that way !

damo