MEMBERS of Southfield Golf Club paid tribute to "absolute gentleman" Ralph Woodward who died after an accident on the course at the weekend.

Mr Woodward, who was in his 90s, was killed after his buggy drove into a bunker, overturned and crushed him.

Firefighters and paramedics tried to resuscitate him on the East Oxford course after the accident on Friday, but he died in the John Radcliffe Hospital 24 hours later.

Mr Woodward's playing companion, Neil Kitchen - believed to be in his mid-80s - suffered minor injuries in the incident, and is recovering at home.

Fifteen firefighters with specialist cutting equipment took two hours to free Mr Woodward, who suffered a heart attack, before paramedics took him to hospital.

Mr Woodward, who was president of the Hill Top Road club in the mid-1990s, had been an active member at Southfield for 42 years.

Course director David Jones, 60, who was club captain under Mr Woodward's presidency in 1996, said: "We are all very saddened by Ralph's death.

"He was an absolute gentleman. If anyone who knew him described him as anything else, they would not be telling the truth.

"He was a gentleman of the old school and had many friends at the club.

"He was extremely fit and active and he would still have been playing much more regularly if he had not had problems with his legs."

Mr Woodward had been head of finance at Unipart for many years and would often socialise at the club.

He remained active in promoting the club's senior section for members over 60.

Mr Jones added: "He would come up for Sunday lunch with his wife Jean. He loved his golf and this club was very much part of his life.

"He was very involved with the seniors and helped make it what it is today.

Current club president Terry Strange, 75, said: "He was a gentleman and everyone who knew him at the club would say the same."

Mr Strange said he remembered playing cricket against Mr Woodward's YMCA side in the 1970s and praised his remarkable fitness.

He added: "Everybody used to say Ralph had one of the best swings in the club.

"Even though he was in his 90s, it was always smooth and very sweet.

"He was very sociable and came to the social functions and played quite regularly.

"He was a great fellow and I think everyone who knew him will miss him very much.

"Everyone is talking about what happened and we are all still trying to work out what happened - it was quite a shock."

Last night, the club said its members would get together at a later date to decide on a memorial to Mr Woodward.