GOLF legend Catriona Matthew has reflected on a busy 12 months which saw the county star become an Olympian.

Matthew, of North Berwick, joined Team GB with England’s Charley Hull as golf returned to the Olympics in Rio.

The 47-year-old told Courier Sport that being part of the squad in Brazil was “a great experience”.

She said: “Obviously the Olympics are only every four years, and I’ll not be there in three years time, so it was great. It was always going to be my only shot at it.”

Matthew, whose husband Graeme was her caddy for the event, also managed to take in a number of other sports. 

“We got to see some of the athletics, and we watched Andy Murray as well,” she said.

“The whole experience was great but things were quite spread out, so it was difficult to get along to other events.”

Matthew was speaking at a badminton event at Meadowmill, where she was named as an ambassador for this summer’s BWF World Championships in Glasgow.

Before turning her hand to golf, Matthew won international honours for badminton while at North Berwick High School.

More than 100 youngsters from Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School joined her at the event last Wednesday morning, and Matthew was delighted to see so many youngsters taking part in a Big Hit Festival to promote badminton.

She said: “I think it’s really important for kids, especially girls, to get into sport.

“Both my daughters are at Law Primary School and we’re trying to encourage them to try as many different sports as possible. There’s obviously a bit of pressure on them to play golf because I’m quite good.”

Matthew, the first woman to be included in Scottish Golf’s Hall of Fame, is joined by Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon and rugby star Finn Russell as the tournament’s ambassadors.

Anne Smillie, chief executive of badmintonscotland, said she was “thrilled to have Catriona on board”.

Turning her attentions back to golf, Matthew is back in training after taking time off during the festive period, and is raring to go for the season ahead.

She told Courier Sport: “It’s quite a full year for me – I’m in Thailand at the beginning of February and then I’ll head over to the States.”

The former Women’s British Open winner will also be part of the Europe team for the Solheim Cup in Iowa later this year.

The mum-of-two admits travelling from her home in North Berwick can be tough but it is “part of it all.”

She added: “The travelling is difficult at times. 

“I try to be away for a few weeks and then come home for three or four weeks.

“There are a lot more long haul flights than there used to be, so it can be tough.”

The Badminton World Championships 2017 will be staged at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena from August 21 to 27.