LOL! Well, I guess I'm an old fart too. I have 3 machines here right now that have round shank needles, including my quilting frame.
How about scarf opposite the last guide?
When I did the workshop last week, I taught them the way I remember it and not one person asked about the round needles.
Originally, I used to think of it as the scarf toward the hook tip, but then I discovered that many of the people I talk to don't know what the hook is or a scarf for that matter, so I started looking for an easier way to describe it.