TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular Greenock golfer and much-loved husband and dad who has died suddenly at the age of 76.

Duncan Robb, a past captain of Whinhill Golf Club, passed away unexpectedly while visiting his wife's family in Canada.

His sudden loss has devastated his close-knit family and saddened his many friends and everyone who knew him.

He and his devoted wife Liz, 69, have two sons, Ally, 43, and Callum, 40.

Callum, who works for Inverclyde Leisure at Battery Park and coaches with the Morton youth academy, says he has lost his best friend.

He told the Tele: "I'm very lucky to have had a dad like him.

"I still can't find the words to truly describe how proud I am to be his son.

"I've not just lost my dad, I've also lost a best mate.

"Family always came first for dad, and I know it meant everything to him to get my mum back out to visit her family in Canada after a few years of ill health.

"That's the way he was, always looking out for others."

Mr & Mrs Robb's first-born Ally also praised his dad as a family man and said he was his hero.

Ally, who is a plasterer and works for K Systems as a technical consultant, said: "Growing up I always looked up to my dad.

"It wasn't until I started work and settled down myself that I realised how hard he must have worked for us.

"My dad was my friend but also my hero, I base my work ethic and family life on the example he set me.

"If I can give my family half of what he did for us I'll be doing well."

Duncan, who lived in Overton, was a lifetime member of Whinhill and his family say he was immensely proud when he was made captain.

Callum added: "One of his proudest moments was winning the Whinhill Open."

Duncan was born in Antigua Street in 1943 to James and Ellen and was one of five, the late George, Jim, Mary and Ellen.

He attended Ardgowan Primary and Mount Secondary.

As a boy he was a member of the 4th Greenock Boys' Brigade Company and went on to join the BB Pipe Band and the IBM Band,

Duncan enjoyed the outdoors, cycling and climbing, and he once hitch-hiked through France and the Pyrenees.

When his sons came along he continued his love of hillwalking with them up north.

He served his time as an engineer at Scott Lithgow’s and after completing his apprenticeship he joined the Merchant Navy, which took him all over the world, including the Pacific, Australia, America and Japan.

After five years of service he returned home and went back to Lithgow's, then he worked at British Aerospace for nine years and briefly Compaq and IBM.

Duncan met his wife Liz at a dance at Rankin Park while she was on holiday from Canada in 1972.

They married the next year on December 21 at the church in Lochgair in Argyll and Bute.

Their happiness was complete with the birth of Ally and Callum and they later welcomed their wives Gwen and Alison and grandchildren Thomas and Olivia.

The Robbs enjoyed family trips to Canada every summer and, closer to home, a trip to Millport and Kirton Caravan Park.

In retirement Duncan and Liz enjoyed cruising with a trip from Vancouver to Alaska and to the Mediterranean.

Duncan was also a stalwart of his golf club and both he and Liz enjoyed attending dances and social functions and many good friendships were forged throughout the years.

Duncan loved playing was the oldest winner of the Open Championship at the club.

Members of Whinhill were swift to pay tribute to Duncan.

A club official said: "All at Whinhill Golf Club were deeply saddened to hear of the recent death of our long serving member and past captain Duncan Robb while on holiday in Canada.

"'Dunky', as he was affectionately known, was one of our biggest characters and will be sadly missed by many at the club especially his squad.

"Dunky served as club captain in the years 2009 and 2010 and served as past captain in the club’s centenary year in 2011.

"He served the committee with great distinction for many years and put endless hours of his time into our club especially given the years he served as captain were some of the busiest in the club’s history.

"One of the highlights of the past few seasons at the club was Dunky’s victory in the Whinhill Open in August 2017 at the age 74 – a tremendous achievement with all at the club delighted for him.

"He will be sorely missed.

"Our thoughts go out to Dunky’s wife Liz and sons Alasdair and Callum and the whole Robb family."