Where does Arnold Palmer (Stats | Bio) go from here?

If it were up to players, fans and Masters Tournament officials, the answer would be: directly to the first tee for next year's tournament as the honorary starter.

But it's not up to any of them; it's Palmer's decision, and he was noncommittal after he concluded a historic 50-year Masters career Friday at Augusta National Golf Club.

There hasn't been an honorary starter since Byron Nelson (Stats | Bio) gave it up because of health reasons after the 2001 tournament.

The tradition started in 1963, and only six golfers have done it: Jock Hutchison, Fred McLeod, Nelson, Gene Sarazen, Ken Venturi and Sam Snead. Nelson, Sarazen and Snead are the only Masters champions of the group.

When Palmer announced his first "retirement" from the tournament, in 2002, club and tournament Chairman Hootie Johnson said he'd be leaving the honorary spot open for Palmer, a four-time Masters champion.

Before this year's tournament, the 74-year-old Palmer brushed aside talk of being the honorary starter in 2005, saying, "I don't know. When I get a couple of years older, maybe. I'm not that old yet."

''He has to let it go; he still hadn't finished playing when he said that," said Doc Giffin, Palmer's longtime personal assistant. "My guess is he'll do it."

Indeed, Palmer softened his position after he shot 84-84 to end his illustrious Masters career.

''Hootie has talked to me about it, and I'm going to give it some serious consideration," Palmer said Friday. "That's something in my mind.

''It would be empty for me not to be here for part of the week," said Palmer, who plans to attend the Tuesday night Champions Dinner each year.

Palmer is about the only person who hasn't embraced a move to the honorary starter role.

''It's his choice completely," said Tim Janiga, a spectator from West Palm Beach, Fla., who was sitting at the first tee Saturday. "I'd love to see him out here. It would be so exciting. I remember the first tournament I came to was in 1996, and Gene Sarazen led off. It was so unique to the Masters. I hope he chooses to do it."

So do Masters participants.

''Obviously, he'd be the first guy you'd think of," said Tim Petrovic (Stats | Bio) , one of the players who came back and watched Palmer end his Masters career on the 18th green Friday. "I think that would be a good way to go out. He's a great man and a great player, and he's done a lot of great things for golf.

"He knows better than anybody else when it's time. When he feels like he's ready to go, he'll step up."

''It's his call," Larry Mize (Stats | Bio) said. "If that's what he wants to do, how could the tournament get started off much better now that Mr. Sarazen, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Snead don't do it? Because of who he is and what's he's meant for golf and that tournament, I think it would be a great fit. But it's his call."

If he does become the honorary starter, Palmer has the option of playing 18 holes, nine holes or just a few holes. Some honorary starters have done all three, though it hasn't happened since the early 1980s. Since then, they've just hit the opening tee shot.

''I'd just like to see him hit the first ball," Janiga said. "It makes Thursday such a unique thing. It starts the tournament. What he wants to do after that is fine."

All Palmer has said is he'll "probably" play the Wednesday Par-3 Contest each year.

In the end, Palmer might be on the first tee next year because that's what his beloved fans want.

''When I looked at the gallery Friday, wishing me good luck, I think about how much I owe them," Palmer said.

He also might feel an obligation to the club, of which Palmer is a member.

''I'll be part of Augusta as long as they allow me to," Palmer said. "I like it, I enjoy it. I enjoy the fact I'm a member. I can go there and play golf, take friends and family and play. That's one of the highlights of my life."

It's not a question of whether Palmer will be an honorary starter, but when. It's also possible that one day he'll be joined on the first tee by Jack Nicklaus (Stats | Bio) and Gary Player (Stats | Bio) , reuniting the famed "Big Three" of the Masters.

''That would be an awesome threesome," golfer Billy Andrade said. "They have done so much for the tournament, for professional golf, and for all the players out here today."

Reach David Westin at 724-0851 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.