In August 1964, Benka reached the final of the inaugural English girls championship at Wollaton Park, losing 2 and 1 to Shirley Ward.

[2] Two weeks later, she won the Girls Amateur Championship at Camberley Heath, having beaten Ward at the 19th hole in the semi-finals and Kathleen Cumming 2 and 1 in the final.

[4] In October, she reached the semi-finals of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship, losing to Brigitte Varangot, a match delayed a day by rain.

[5][6] In 1967, she won the 72-hole Astor Prince's Trophy by three strokes from Angela Bonallack, while in 1968, playing with Isa Goldschmid, she was runner-up in the Avia Foursomes.

[17] Mary was a golfer and had reached the semi-finals of the 1933 English Women's Amateur Championship at Royal North Devon.