90-year-old golfer Sofie Kearney retires from Rockingham Golf Club

A 90-year-old golfer has hung up the putter, and the rest of her bag of clubs, after a remarkable 50 years playing at Rockingham Golf Club.

Sofie Kearney didn’t grow up on the golf course but once she picked up a golf club she fell in love with the sport.

She said she took up golfing after her sons joined Rockingham Golf Club.

“My boys played and I had to take them down every time they played,” Mrs Kearney said.

“One day they gave me a bucket of balls and took me to a practice driveway and I hit them and that was the beginning.”

An emotional Mrs Kearney told the Sound Telegraph she would miss her golfing days but was looking forward to visiting the club when she could.

Her daughter Deirdre Milne said “golf was mum’s life” and was thrilled an honorary bench had been donated to the club in honour of Mrs Kearney’s longstanding membership.

“We are thrilled to be able to have this bench here in honour of Mum’s membership with the club,” Mrs Milne said.

Mrs Milne said her mother would play in pennants competitions with other clubs and recalled her lucky hole in one at hole 12 at the Rockingham club a few years ago.

“She would use a five iron for her lucky hole in one shots. She was a good golfer and very competitive,” she said.