Roger Fidler is confident a last-minute change of partner for the PGA Super 60s tournament at Forest Pines later this month will not prevent him putting in a good performance.
The 69-year-old, who will turn 70 the day before the competition starts on August 27, is without long-time partner Terry Halliday, who has recently had a foot amputated.
Fidler, the 2000 champion when the event was at Rudding Park, is now set to play with Les Nurse and is sure he will enjoy it just as much.
"Unfortunately Terry is in hospital after having his foot cut off so he won't be playing," he said.
"It's such a shame because he has been a patron of the PGA south region and we've played together for years and always done well in this tournament.
"It's a great couple of days and it's great to see old friends. It's like a big reunion.
"Everybody up there is absolutely lovely.
"Of couse you always like to win it but it's not just me playing against other pros, you have an amateur with you and it depends an awful lot on how they play.
"But I'm looking forward to it and hopefully we'll do well."
Fidler jokingly added: "It gets harder the nearer you get to 70, you know. Suddenly you're playing against youngsters of 60!"
Another representative of the south region is Joseph Hardwick.
He may have played golf all over the world throughout his career but he hopes to do well closer to home in this country.
The 76-year-old from Kingston upon Thames now says he is just glad to be able to hit the ball still, although he would still like to do well on the Lincolnshire course.
"It's nice to play at the age of 76," said Hardwick.
"I played in the Super 60s two years ago and I'm playing with the same partner - Harry Murdoch - this time too. We go back a long way.
"He is an ex-captain of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club where I played for several years, and I was also a former captain at Calcutta.
"I set up the PGA in Hong Kong. When it first began we had five members and now there are more than 80.
"I've had many fantastic years in the sport and it's lovely to still keep playing."
Hardwick is relishing meeting up with old friends and ex-colleagues at the two day event, which begins on August 27.
"It's a very nice two days of golf," he added. "You see so many people from years gone by who you have played with and against and worked with.
"It's lovely to catch up with all the news. There's no pressure that you must do well, it's all about enjoying the occasion.
"Having said that, I think we finished about 25th last time and it would be nice to do a bit better this year."