DOROTHY WILKS: 1935 - 2010

The diminutive dynamo from Vancouver Island, affectionately nicknamed "the Whiz Kid", accumulated 21 victories over 42 years, including a record of winning at least once in five consecutive decades, despite quitting the sport for a number of years to work and to raise four children.

Dorothy Wilks' interest in golf began at age 14 when she, her brother and a childhood pal, Shirley Naysmith, used to climb over the fence along the 11th fairway at Victoria's Gorge Vale Golf Club. Her career began in earnest in 1948 when the Manager, tired of chasing these persistent juniors off the course, suggested to their parents that they invest in a Junior Membership. Two years later Dorothy won the Mid-Island women's title.

At age 19, after winning her second B.C. junior title, winning her first B.C. Amateur women's crown, finishing second at the Nationals and being named to a Canadian team that played a prestigious match against the British in Montreal, Gorge Vale club members thought so highly of their champion that they honoured her with a lifetime club membership.

In all Dorothy Wilks collected an amazing 12 B.C. amateur titles and was the first lady to win in all three divisions -- two as a junior, four women's amateur titles and then six seniors crowns during a dominating eight-year stretch from 1987 to 1994. Wilks was also a runner-up in the 1980 PNGA. A 4-time BC Ladies Champion and 6-time BC Senior Ladies winner. Wilks captured eight Victoria City & District championships, including five in a row, and was selected to be on five BC Interprovincial Teams, seven BC Senior Teams and the 1954 Canadian Ladies Team. She won Victoria City & District titles 16 times in the women's and senior women's divisions, taking her last one in 1997.

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In 2003 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, Dorothy Wilks was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame of British Columbia together with Dave Barr, Gayle Hitchens Borthwick, Bill Mawhinnery and Doug Roxburgh

In 1988, the City of Victoria recognized Dorothy as "Master Athlete of the Year".