A FORMER champion golfer has achieved her last ambition in the sport - days before her 100th birthday.

Marjorie Wycherley will turn 100 tomorrow and is planning to celebrate her birthday with family, friends and staff at The Millings residential and day care home in Bedale, North Yorkshire, where she has lived for the past four years.

On Wednesday, she got an early birthday present when she visited Bedale Golf Club to fulfil her final golfing ambition - to ride in a golf buggy.

Such luxuries did not exist when Mrs Wycherley started her successful golfing career in the 1920s and 1930s.

She played golf for many years at a competitive level, playing off a handicap of four at Hawkstone Park Golf Club, in Shropshire.

She became the first lady member of Hawkstone Park to win the Shropshire County Championship, taking the title under her maiden name of Barnes in 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1933, and again under her married name of Wycherley in 1936. She was also lady captain of the club in 1929 and 1930.

Bedale Golf Club, which was recently named North Yorkshire Sports Club of the Year, heard about her remaining golfing ambition and decided to step in.

On Wednesday, she was driven around the course at Bedale by ladies captain, Jean Harvey, who introduced her to members playing in a competition at the time.

Mrs Wycherley, who has a son, Michael and two grandchildren, also tried out the course's recently redesigned putting green, where she displayed some of her old skills.

Afterwards she enjoyed afternoon tea in the clubhouse and tucked into a special birthday cake provided by the club along with residents and staff of The Millings.

Sandra Anderson, manager of The Millings, said: "She had a really lovely day at the golf club.

"Marjorie is very independent for her years and really lives life to the full. Outside her family, her main interest is golf and she often recalls her glory days."