Les Tamashiro didn't realize today was a holiday — King Kamehameha Day. That's what happens to guys who are retired. The days seem seamless so that every day is like a holiday. And nobody deserves pau hana time more than Hawai'i's "Mr. Titleist" for the past 25 years.

Tamashiro, 59, retired as the state's Titleist representative and more than 100 friends, associates in the golf industry and family members gave him a rowdy sendoff Monday night at the Pearl Country Club. It's not often a proclamation by the city stating June 8, 2009, to be "Les Tamashiro Day" is presented by the proclaimer himself. Yes, even Mayor Mufi Hannemann showed up.

That's how esteemed the humble guy from Lana'i City is viewed by those who have met him. And it's not because they wanted Pro V1 golf balls, a Scott Cameron putter or a Vokey wedge. But ask Les and you'll probably get them.

If there was a theme to his retirement party, it was that of giving, and no one was more generous than Tamashiro. Just ask anyone from junior golf to the high school, college and professional levels. And Tamashiro said he received much more in return.

"If it wasn't for golf, I wouldn't have a job," Tamashiro said. But it was more than just a job to him. He mentioned that he had quite a learning example from one of the golfers who progressed through the local ranks — Parker McLachlin.

Tamashiro remembered when McLachlin, then a Punahou School junior and now on the PGA Tour, asked if he could get a Scotty Cameron putter. It was in great demand because it's the putter Tiger Woods uses. Finish in the top three in the state tournament and I'll get you one, Tamashiro told McLachlin.

"No, I only want it if I win," replied McLachlin, who went on to win the state title.

Tamashiro said McLachlin taught him to always aim higher, never settle for being second or third best. It's a principle he uses in his business practice, he says. And in the competitive golf equipment market, Tamashiro did just that as his colleagues Jay Hinazumi (Nike), Del-Marc Fujita (Bridgestone Golf), Wendell Tom (adidas) and Joey Castillo (Ping) can attest. They were all in attendance.

Flying in from California was Fletcher Pavin, Acushnet regional director, who has known Tamashiro for 25 years as co-workers with the company that produces the Titleist line. If our company had a hall of fame, Tamashiro would be in it, said Pavin, whose brother, Corey, is a back-to-back Hawaiian Open winner, 1995 U.S. Open champion and 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup team captain.

As someone who was born on April Fool's Day, Tamashiro can be quite a practical joker. "Thank God for caller-ID," says Pavin. The folks at Kapalua Bay Resort probably wished they had it. Tamashiro reportedly called Kapalua, saying he was Dan Quayle — plausible because the former vice president is a good friend of Mark Rolfing — and asked for a starting time. That sent the folks there scurrying around until they found out it was a joke.

It was give-and-take even when it came to pulling pranks. Some of Tamashiro's buddies got even.

KHNL's Howard Dashefsky put together a video, interviewing people if they knew Tamashiro. Sure, said one guy, who mistook him for the owner of Tamashiro Market. In the clip, even Hannemann got into the act, commending the fish market for its support of local golf, then adding, "Whodaguy?" when told it wasn't that Tamashiro. "Dash" asked store owner Guy Tamashiro if he heard of Les Tamashiro. "Sure," he said, "my wife — Leslie Tamashiro."

It took Hinazumi a long time but he got even with Tamashiro as well, hiring a belly dancer for the occasion. Tamashiro did the same for Hinazumi's birthday party 25 years ago. "I'm going to get him back," Hinazumi swore at the time.

Dashefsky asked Mike Lochotzki, Honolulu Country Club greenskeeper, if Tamashiro, who once held the same job and also was food-and-beverage manager there, had left a legacy. "Not much," Lochotzki said.

But Tamashiro certainly has left a legacy. He leaves Titleist in good hands with Neal Takara, who says he owes everything to his former boss and long-time mentor.

Keith Kodani, who handles Footjoys by Acushnet and is another Tamashiro protege, looks forward to working with Takara — with only one misgiving. He's well aware of Tamashiro's practical jokes befitting one born on April Fool's Day. Kodani just wonders how it'll be at the work place with Takara: "He was born on Halloween."

Tamashiro will remain active in golf. Only now he will be spending more time with Gail, his wife of 35 years, surfing with Dashefsky and fishing with Allan Yamamoto, who was his golf guru. Tamashiro says he'll be back on the links after he gets the surfing bug out of his system.

"I'm on the 14th hole of my life in golf," he said.

Always a competitor in growing up to be as good, if not better, than his older brother, Neal, you can bet on Les Tamashiro completing all 18 holes of his golfing life the only way he knows how — going out at the top of his game.

Join us as we travel on the PGA Tour with Parker McLachlin, a former Punahou athlete. McLachlin and Castle alum Dean Wilson are the only Hawai'i golfers on the PGA Tour. McLachlin, Waikoloa's touring pro, will write his impressions on events that he has just completed and tournaments that are coming up on his calendar.