Keith Macdonald's sudden death at the age of 53 earlier this week has shocked golf in the south and not just Goodwood where he was professional for 22 years.

When news came of Keith's losing battle for life in the ambulance on the way to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, there was disbelief among friends and brother professionals.

Apparently Keith hadn't felt 100 per cent and when breathing problems began his wife Janet telephoned for help from their home at Middleton-on-Sea. But it was too late.

Only a month before Keith underwent a hip operation and was looking forward to a fourth successive season on the European Seniors Tour. There was not a cloud in the sky.

It was in February that he ended his association with Goodwood and became a full time tournament player attached to Cowdray Park.

The season went well, £55,413 winnings assuring him of 19th spot and a place in next year's starting line-up.

A prolific winner of pro-ams in the South (a rough guess must be well over the 100) Keith cleaned-up with almost monotonous regularity. Great length from the tee wasn't his forte. The secret of his success was an immaculate short game and rock solid temperament.

He was a professional golfter through and through and no wonder when hailing from a golfing family. A club was placed into his chubby fist by father Keith (who survives him) almost as soon as he could walk.

Grandfather had been professional at Royal Ascot, father at The Berkshire and Hankley Common.

Numerous relations at Liphook and Mortonhampstead making up a clan once listed in the Guiness Book of Records as the largest golfing family in the world.

When twin sons Ross and James followed Keith they represented a fourth generation of Macdonalds in professional golf. Of that Keith and Janet were inordinately proud.

While playing the Seniors Tour brought Keith prize money beyond reach as a club professional, some of his happiest moments were battling with great friend and rival Glenn Ralph when Glenn was pro at Bognor. Keith won the Sussex Pro Championship three times, the Sussex Open once and a host of tournaments all testifying to the excellence of his golf.

Southern Region honours came his way and he also chaired both the South and Sussex PGU's for his worth as a committee man stood high in the esteem of fellow guardians of the game. I don't know precisely how many times he won the Sussex Order of Merit but it must have been around six.

He went potty in 1992, setting up seven course records and did a victory roll in the Barrett Golf Mid Kent Classic with a 10 under par 60 when clubheads had not reached the size of pumpkins. Since joining the Seniors Tour, for which Keith couldn't wait, he won the PGA Senior Club Professional championship last year at Coventry and was runner-up in the Scottish Seniors Open.

A dry wit, I remember in 1999 when Keith won the Sussex Professional title aged 49 and oldest of the 35 qualifiers, saying: "I had to do something for the old sods."

Keith was never an, "old sod" in anybody's book. It was a mystery how he devoted so much time to coaching at Goodwood. He brought on the Head twins, Sam and Jo so that they were good enough to play the Tour, guided Chloe Court from childhood to the status of Sussex champion and the England squad and earlier had helped lay the foundations of Jo Galway's game.

Tributes have poured in this week. Cliff Pluck, the Sussex PGU secretary, said: "I still cannot believe it. When somebody that young goes like that it is hard to find the words. What can you say? All I know is that Keith was a great strength in the SPGU and throughout the South Region.

"He did so much for golf, as a player and behind the scenes, that it is not possible to get his life into perspective. Golf will be all the poorer for his passing."

As Cliff said, who could possibly have foretold such an untimely passing?

One thing is for sure. St Mary's Church at Felpham will be packed on December 5 when all will pay their last respects.