KAREN STUPPLE likes to spend Christmas in Deal every year for a spot of rest and relaxation at home with the family.

But the Women’s British Open golf champion, who arrived back from her Florida base last week, is being kept pretty busy this time around as a result of her triumph at Sunningdale in the summer.

Karen appeared on the BBC’s Sports Review of the Year programme, during which her spectacular “albatross” in the last round at Sunningdale was replayed.

And Stupples has several more appointments in her diary over the next few days, starting with a function being held in her honour at her local club, Royal Cinque Ports on Friday night.

Among the guests will be the Mayor of Deal, Cllr Sue Delling, who is holding her own reception for Karen at Deal Town Hall on Saturday evening.

Then, on Sunday, Stupples will give a coaching clinic to a group of young girl golfers, some as young as 11, at Chart Hills Golf Club, where Karen finished joint third in the Ladies’ English Open a month before her British Open triumph.

“Chart Hills is a great course and to be able to share the day with such a talented group of young players is a treat,” she said.

“I am looking forward to doing what I can to help with their game. Let’s hope there is a future Open champion waiting there for me and that in the future she will represent Kent as proudly around the world as I do.”

Karen, whose family live in James Hall Gardens, will be at the Biddenden course all day.

She will spend the morning on the driving range with the girls, whose handicaps range from five to 16, before heading out to play on the Nick Faldo-designed course in the afternoon.

Then, on Monday evening, Karen, a former pupil at Walmer School, will be a guest at the school’s annual prize-giving.

She will return to Florida on January 5 to begin preparing for her appearance in the Women’s World Cup in South Africa in February.