Keith Maplesden, who describes himself as the secretary who took the Hampshire Golf Union from "quill pen to Internet", is stepping down at the end of next year.

One of the county's finest administrators wants to spend more time with his wife Sue and to enjoy private pursuits, but he won't be lost to Hampshire for good.

The Hampshire Golf Union (HGU) conferred on him the honour of a vice presidency at last week's annual meeting and Maplesden, pictured, joked: "I'm honoured but it means they won't be getting rid of me that easily."

Hampshire have moved on by leaps and bounds since the former IBM finance and planning officer moved into the secretary's seat early in 1994.

Junior and seniors golf has developed dramatically, fine players have emerged to grace the European Tour, the county team have been successful at national level and Maplesden's expertise as an organiser and in finance matters, has made Hampshire one of the strongest of all the county unions.

They embrace the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands and Maplesden says: "It's a job which has taken up a great deal of my time. I'm 60 early in 2006 and it was always my intention to retire then. Besides, there's a need for new blood.

"We'll advertise the secretary's job in the middle of next year, and hopefully I will have two or three months to work with my successor, showing him or her the ropes before I step down at the turn of next year."

Maplesden was 25 years with IBM and ran their golf society in the Portsmouth region before leaving and moving into golfing administration as secretary of the Burghill Park then Basingstoke golf clubs.

He lives in Liphook with Sue and is a Chelsea season ticket holder.

"Looking back on my time as secretary, there have been so many highlights," he says.

"The development of junior golf under Tommy Flinn and the establishment of the junior tour, the way the seniors have moved on, but watching us win the English County Championship at Woodhall Spa in 1996 topped it all off.

"Watching players like Justin Rose come all the way through the county ranks to the highest level of the game has been fantastic. And many more have followed him like Richard Bland, Matt Blackey, Martin Le Mesurier and Alan Mew, who is on the Seniors Tour.

"It underlines our strength as a county and I'll be sad to step down but I certainly will stay involved in some way."