On a slightly overcast and cool day nine players, including new recruit Denise Thirtle who shaped up well, contested six games of golf croquet.
Performances of the day included:
Jean Phillips who figured in doubles and singles wins; and
Len Favier, playing solo and holding off a strong challenge from Helen Stannard
and Louise Starkie – who scored a one-shot hoop; with Len then pairing with
Janet Jones to squeak a win against Ken Cole and first-timer Denise Thirtle.
Full results were:- Jean Phillips &; Delma Taylor 7 def Denise Thirtle & Janet Jones 5
Ken Cole 7 def Pearl Hanson 5
Len Favier 7 def Helen Stannard & Louise Starkie 6
Jean Phillips 7 def Delma Taylor 5
Len Favier & Janet Jones 7 def Ken Cole & Denise Thirtle 5
Pearl Hanson & Helen Stannard 7 def Louise Starkie 5
Association Croquet Saturday 24 August 2019: In two games of association croquet Janet
Jones (26) and Pauline Wilcock (17) were winners respectively over Kathy Hoyer (10)
and Pearl Hanson (8).
Association Croquet Saturday 31 August 2019:
In a nail-biting finish to a game of ‘association croquet’, with three clips on the final peg, Janet Jones scored 26 points to just win from Pearl Hanson on 21 points.
Golf Croquet Thursday 5 September 2019:
In five games of ‘golf croquet’ it was a day for scoring one-shot hoops, with Denise Thirtle (novice beginner) scoring a one-shot hoop, and Len Favier scoring three one-shot hoops over two games. Of the nine competing players Ken Cole (former state and national table-tennis champion), Fay O’Connor and Pearl Hanson each figured in two wins. Full results were:-
Jean Phillips & Fay O’Connor 7 def Sally McGourty 1
Ken Cole & Pearl Hanson 7 def Louise Starkie & Len Favier 6
Christine Stent & Denise Thirtle 7 def Sally McGourty & Jean Phillips 5
Fay O’Connor & Ken Cole 7 def Denise Thirtle & Jean Phillips 4
Len Favier & Pearl Hanson 7 def Louise Starkie and Sally McGourty 2
Louise Starkie & Pearl Hanson Ponder the Shot Options
‘Golf Croquet’ is played with a mallet over a course of 6 repeated hoops, using 4 coloured balls, one point being scored for the first ball through each hoop, circulating the hoops until one team (doubles, one ball per player) or one player (singles, two balls per player) scores 7 points.
Tactics of the game involve getting close enough to the hoop to score, playing a ball to block your opponent’s ball, and knocking an opponent’s ball out of a scoring position. So it is more complex than making a putt in golf and is more like the tactics used in billiards. Or, another way of looking at it is, that, croquet can be described as a cross between snooker and chess played on grass.
It is a challenging and exciting sport for people of all ages. Tactical ability, timing and judgement are involved rather than strength and fast reflexes. New players and visitors to the Eurobodalla nature coast are invited to try out the game of croquet.
Just turn up on Thursdays at 9:00 am at the Dalmeny Club green and you will be loaned a mallet and included in the draw for the games of the day by the tournament director, learning as you play. In ‘Association Croquet’, the game is played between two sides using 4 balls – red and yellow against black and blue (or green and brown against pink and white).
The aim is to hit the two balls of your side in two circuits of six hoops in a set order and then hit the peg in the centre. Two points are scored for each of 12 hoops and the final centre peg, totaling a maximum possible 26 points, the highest scoring player or team being the winner.
Coloured clips are placed on the hoops to show where each ball has progressed. A game can be played as either singles or doubles. In singles each player plays both balls of his/her side. In doubles each player of the side plays only one of the team’s balls In tournament championships handicaps are applied.
As the bard might have said,
‘The ball is round And anything can happen, Especially if the green Surface is misshapen; You can soar on high Or a missed hoop can make you cry, But there’s no telling What’s in store for you In the game of croquet compelling.’
