The Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club bestowed a rare honour on one its longtime members last week – making Barbara Ahluwalia a lifetime member of the club.

Ahluwalia, even at age 87, remains one of the most consistent players at the club, male or female, and is the first woman to be given a lifetime membership, owner John Wiens noted.

The honour recognizes Ahluwalia’s “decades of dedication, achievement with winning three senior ladies championships, four super senior ladies championships and many various 18-hole ladies league cups since the 1980s,” Wiens said in a letter.

He added that the tireless Ahulwalia, who has been active with numerous community organizations for many years, including the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre and Newark Neighbours, “has been instrumental in creating and sustaining a culture of friendship” at the golf club.

The lifetime membership, previously granted to only Al Derbyshire and Doug Garrett, means Ahluwalia will never have to pay annual golf fees.