Yorkshire golf: Donald Haywood, 75 years a member at Huddersfield GC and still playing three times a week

Haywood, who joined the club in 1940, has generously donated a seat, which has been situated on a stone base adjacent to the first tee.

He was 13 when he became a member, but in his teens rugby, cricket, squash and tennis all took priority over golf.

As the years passed he played more golf, initially from a handicap of 22, which he reduced to six, winning a number of club trophies along the way - Dyson Bowl (1968), Club Challenge Bowl (1968), President’s Day Trophy (1990), Holliday Shield (1993), George Walker Cup (1993, 2001 and 2004), as well as the Lawrence Batley Over-80’s Golf Tournament at Moortown in 2009.

In April 1989 Haywood was elected captain of the Club, which he followed in 1991 by taking on the role of Director of Administration.

He chose to donate the seat and base to complement the imposing new first tee, and to highlight that it is possible to survive 75 years as a full member of Fixby and still be playing 18 holes three times a week.

"In my early days there was much tinkering with the course, but the most recent changes occurred in the late Sixties, when the old 11th, 15th, 16th and 17th holes were replaced with the present 11th, 12th, 13th and 17th holes," he said.

"To some of my generation these are still referred to as the ‘new' holes.

"In 1990 radical reconstruction of the clubhouse was undertaken resulting in the present Centenary Hall, the professional’s shop and new entrance hall, which replaced an unwelcoming drafty passage.

"To provide additional space the men’s locker room was moved upstairs to unused rooms. In 2002 it was announced that the greens were to be ‘dug up’ and replaced by the new procedure of ‘sand based greens’.

"All the above changes were eventually acknowledged to be decisions well taken, which have benefited the membership. Long may they be appreciated by members and visitors."