Evergreen Mount Lawley golfer Dot Crackel has been celebrated at her home club after reaching 50 years of membership in March.
Dot, aged 94, signed up for membership at Mount Lawley on March 19, 1973 – the same month that the US pulled its troops out of Vietnam; Marlon Brando refused to accept his Oscar for The Godfather in protest at Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in film; and Pink Floyd released iconic rock album The Dark Side of the Moon.
In the ensuing decades, Dot has remained a constant and inspiring presence at Mount Lawley, with her longevity recognised at a special presentation in her honour at the club’s annual Opening Day in early March.
Despite a spot of arthritis, Dot continues to live her best life with her busy social calendar including two rounds of golf at Mount Lawley each week and often a further 18 at Hamersley. She walks the course, too, only opting for a buggy during inclement weather.
Amongst her career highlights, Dot fired a hole-in-one on Mount Lawley’s 13th hole back in 1987 and another at Hamersley’s 16th some years later. She represented Mount Lawley in Women’s Pennants for many years, captaining the side and earning a reputation as a tigerish competitor whose will to win often gave her the edge over more naturally gifted players.
Although she claims that the slow erosion of her golfing abilities have dulled her competitive edge, Dot still loves teeing it up in competitions even though winning isn’t everything to her anymore.
“Golf to me now is a pleasant day out, getting good exercise with nice people,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what my score is nowadays – although I do always want to beat the person whose card I’m marking!”
Dot Crackel with Mount Lawley President Greg Forbes at her special presentation
Dot attributes her longevity to good genes, healthy eating, a drop of booze (in moderation) and plenty of exercise, and she admits that she is considered a bit of a role model to her fellow members in the ladies section. “They all tell me I’m an inspiration and they all want to be like me when they’re 94,” she laughs. “I tell them they’ve got to get there first!”
Having barely swung a club prior to taking up golf at the age of 44, Dot is now a great advocate for women giving it a go. “If anyone shows the slightest interest, I try to encourage them,” she says. “Playing golf has brought me a lot of joy, but now companionship is the most important thing – especially as you grow older.”
Even if she is slowing down just a little, Dot has no intentions of packing away her clubs quite yet and when she does she still plans to remain a social member at Mount Lawley. There’s also the matter of her 95th birthday to consider. Quite how Dot will mark the occasion she’s not sure, but she’s looking to outdo her own 90th birthday celebrations when she took a skydive for the first time.
No wonder she’s such a popular figure at the club. As Michelle Miller, Mount Lawley’s Membership and Communications Manager, succinctly put it: “We think she’s remarkable.”
