Cherry (67), a retired office worker, won three medals in golf croquet at this week's New Zealand Masters Games.
She won a gold medal in the singles, silver in the doubles and a bronze medal in the ricochet.
At Palmerston North she will be pitted against the best golf croquet players in the country.
Cherry started competing in golf croquet only three years ago and has made rapid progress through the ranks.
Her handicap came down from 12 to five last season and she was narrowly beaten for the New Zealand Croquet Council's most improved player award.
"I'm very nervous about the prospects at Palmerston North," she said. "I don't know what to expect but it will be a good experience for me."
She tried her hand at golf and found "I was absolutely useless at the game".
She was invited to try golf croquet and just got hooked.
Cherry enjoys golf croquet because it is a quick game.
This is her first season at the long game of association croquet and she has already brought her handicap down from 24 to 16.
Cherry (nee Boyles) grew up on a sheep farm near Sutton and has adopted a practical approach to croquet.
She has not been carried away by the intricacies of the game that put it out of reach for the average person.
"You just need to get into a good position, be able to roquet and put the ball through the hoops," Cherry said.
She did not win any medals in her first Masters Games two years ago but made up for it by collecting the complete set this year.
