Getting back on the horse

okay so i'm 21, and this is to help my dad.

My parents split up a little while back, very friendly split, my mum has someone else, but my dad is very lonely. I'm pretty much all he has (he doesn't even have friends or family to talk to) so he's been laying all of his troubles on me, and I'm running out of options on how to help him.

Basically my dad is 55, doesn't have any friends, and actually prefers 'lonely' sort of hobbies (like golf or orienteering.) He's admitted though that he's lonely and wants a relationship/ is looking for someone he could settle back down with. He's tried online dating, and did meet someone he liked but it didn't work out after the first live meeting, and it devastated him, so he's pretty much decided online dating isn't for him.

So he's asked me for ideas on how to meet people. Well I've been suggesting the usual stuff, like go out more, get new hobbies, find a job (he's retired but wants to do something part time). I think he needs to work in building up friendships first, people he can meet regularly, and to fall back on if a romance doesn't work out.

Problem is, that's where we don't know where to start.

So I was wondering, can someone suggest A/ ways and places he could meet new people for friends. B/ Ways and places to meet new romantic potentials. And C/ New hobbies that might suit a man who is very shy and quiet, enjoys outdoors, nothing too extreme, and acts like a bit of a golden oldie ;P (slippers and pipe type).