Keith Macdonald is quitting as Goodwood professional to spend more time playing the European Seniors Tour.

By the time Macdonald's resignation from the job he has held for 22 years takes effect, Goodwood will have changed from a members' to a proprietory club.

He will still be attached to Goodwood but from March will concentrate on a successful career among the over-50s.

In his first two years on the circuit, Macdonald won £133,376 and won the PGA Senior Club Professional Championship in May.

This brought him just under £5,000, a modest sum compared to the £207,339 Seiji Ebihara trousered for leading this year's golden oldie Order of Merit from 12 appearances.

Keith, 13th in the listings, earned £62,736 from 19 starts and his decision to leave Goodwood is fuelled by a desire to finish next year in the six-figure bracket.

Without doubt, he has the ability and, like many seniors, Keith, has discovered golfing riches have come in a gladsome shower since passing his 50th birthday.

He said: "I am going to play the Tour full time but I shall be sorry to leave Goodwood. The members were a little surprised and disappointed when they heard the news.

"I hope to be still attached to the club and have enjoyed a very happy association. But it is going to be a commercial concern in future rather than a non-profit making members' club and some of the atmosphere will be lost, but that is the way of the world."

After 110 years of being run by the members, Goodwood is changing tack. Under the terms of a new lease, Goodwood's status is being changed by the Earl of March, the club's landlord.

The Goodwood Group of companies is to invest £1m in the club which will be operated by Golf Resorts International, the parent company of Japanese giant Kosaido, owners of 25 courses world wide.

They have six in Europe and two in the UK - Old Thorns at Liphook and the Jubilee at St Andrews.

The takeover at Goodwood is scheduled for January 1 and the annual meeting of members follows a fortnight later.

But it is already a done deal following a presentation by Lord March who said he wanted golf at Goodwood to become a "world class operation."

He hopes members will feel privileged and protected with the new plans and assured them the traditions of the club will be preserved.

Macdonald is a former Southern PGA champion and captain, twice Sussex champion, captain and chairman. He must have won close on 100 pro-ams and has created, at the very least, a dozen course records.

The last two Senior campaigns have seen Keith develop and edge to his short game and last year he narrowly lost out to America's David Oakley in the Scottish Seniors.

To maintain such a high standard, Keith has no alternative but to end his days as a club pro.