As president of Blind Golf NZ, he travels up to Christchurch frequently with his partner Paulette and guide dog Harris for meetings and once for three week's professional coaching at Ascot links. Keith has also been around New Zealand playing in bowls tournaments.

Now I just go to the local indoor bowls on Monday nights, he says. There's only 3,000 people where we live. It's all good fun. I played blind cricket for a while too.

Keith has had glaucoma for 26 years. It limits his vision to light perception only, and he's now partially deaf too, using hearing aids to communicate with others.

Keith's blindness hasn't stopped him participating fully in life. One of his favourite weekend sports is four-wheel driving with his son-in-law through the gorse and lupins on nearby beaches.

Although sometimes it's better not to see what's coming, he chuckles.

He also goes tramping and camping, taking Harris with him. Harris, a German Shepherd, is his second guide dog. Vinnie, his first, is now retired but is still part of the family. He and Vinnie walked the Abel Tasman track three years ago.

Keith cooks the evening meals, splits the firewood, and is building a tunnel house to grow delicate vegetables such as tomatoes and courgettes.

Keith's low vision and hearing has not stopped him from being an active sportsman or managing a household.