It was very sad to learn this morning (France time) that Tom Ramsey passed away.

Of course, Tom had been ill for some time so at this time my thoughts also go out to his wife, Carmel and son Andrew.

Tom Ramsey with a young Greg Norman. Their relationship was not always this friendly. (Photo – Daily Telegraph)

Tom’s death comes all too soon after Dougie Lowe.

When I began attending golf tournaments in the mid-80s, Tom was one of those larger than life figures.

He would be seated in the very front row of the media centre looking akin to a CEO or board chairman with much of the goings on in the centre revolving around Tom.

It was Tom who set the boundary posts for reporting on golf in Australia.

He’d travel the world to attend tournaments while his articles appearing in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph were always ‘must read’ for any budding golf journalist.  He pulled no punches and certainly asked no favours.

I remember one occasion in talking with Rodger Davis.  Davis ended the conversation by remarking:  “Well, I better go and phone Ramsey and see what I’ve said in the paper tomorrow.”

Such was the trust many of Australia’s leading players had in Tom … well, nearly all of them.

Tom was present at 141 Major Championships which reflects the stature he enjoyed among his colleagues.

He leaves me trailing about 80 Majors behind.

And when it came to reporting, Tom was fearless and it seemed he didn’t matter whose feathers he ruffled as Greg Norman will certainly attest.

When I attended the British Open for the first occasion at Royal Troon in 1989, it was Tom who put in a good word for me when David Begg, the then Open Championship Media Officer, queried Tom as who’s this fellow Bernie McGuire.

I will always be grateful for Tom’s support and his encouragement.

I also had occasion to play golf alongside Tom and he remains one of the fiercest competitors I’ve ever played a round of golf alongside.

He was a sticker for the rules and if he thought for a minute you would get any sort of advantage from a ruling, Tom made sure you didn’t.

And don’t ever lose a match to Tom if you didn’t have your wallet with you because he’d give you both barrels.

Indeed Tom was a very accomplished golfer winning the Australian Golf Writers annual championship many times.

He was a member of the panel judging golf courses and would travel the world living the lifestyle of a movie star, staying in luxury hotels, being wined and dined and then getting to play the golf course.

Tom was co-founder of the Australian Golf Writers Association but it was a firey relationship with Tom severing all ties when the Association sought to throw its doors open to women.

Tom was also a very respected member of the Association of Golf Writers and the American Golf Writers Association.

But in all my years of reporting on golf, I’ve never come across a person with a such a temper as Tom’s.   He could bite your head off just as look at you.    That was his Northern Irish background coming to the fore.

On the other hand, once he befriended you Tom was one of the nicest fellows and would go into bat for you in any situation.

I’ve read Tom wanted his ashes spread over his favourite golf course, Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.

It’s a fitting venue for a truly unique individual.

Tom Ramsey – May 5, 1936 to June 29, 2011