Winter GC Doubles

The grey and drizzly start to the day didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the 36 players gathered for the first GC Doubles tournament of 2024 and it was good to see familiar faces from other SECF clubs for the first time this year.

By the end of the first round the drizzle had cleared and play continued at pace with all 3 blocks finishing their first three games in good time for a welcome lunch of burgers, fries and salad provided by Rachel and Richard Pointon.

Two more rounds after lunch resulted in an outright win for Liz Farrow and Jonathan Isaacs who won all 5 of their games in Block A. Richard Brooks and David King won 3 games as did Robyn and Bob Clark. They were level on +1 hoop but Richard and David took second place as they had beaten Robyn and Bob.

David Dickins and Paul Brown won Block B with 4 wins. Bridget Goodman and Jane Powell took second place with 3 wins and + 3 hoops, closely followed by Sue and Tony Nicholas who also had 3 wins but -1 hoop.

Hilary Bird and Peter Adams took Block C with 4 wins. Jim Mander and Sheona McArthur came second with 3 wins and +9 net hoops. Joanne Crosby and Nira Scutt took third place with 3 wins and 0 net hoops. Rosemary and Pete Wyld were hot on their heels as they also had 3 wins but finished with -2 net hoops.

Report by Linda Gavigan

Thanks to Linda Gavigan for managing the event.

Full results

Opportunity to take part in the Annual AC Charity On-Ball Competition.

This event is in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

Sussex County is hosting a local heat of this national charity competition.
It is open to all players, both from the club and from neighbouring clubs which do not run their own heats.

Date: Friday 19th April, play starting promptly at 10am

Last year 40 heats were arranged around the country and over £7000 was raised was the sponsored charity of the year.

GC players - you can play as well. Your handicap for the event will be calculated from your GC handicap so you don't need a separate AC handicap.

Come along, it's good fun. Wear something red!

Entry on-line on club website Fee: £10

Queries to Robin Wootton

GC Singles Competition 2nd February 2024

Four divisions took part. Division A was won by Tony Jolly; Division B by Chrissie Merrington; Division C by Paul Green and Division D by Rosemary Faulkner. Congratulations to them all.

Division B winner Chrissie Merrington

Division D winner Rosemary Faulkner

Division A winner Tony Jolly

Division C winner Paul Green

Thanks to Rachel Pointon for the lunch and to Linda for managing so expertly (and providing cake!)

Full results

Minor changes to club open competition entry system

A number of small changes have been made to the entry system. Your entry will now be accepted immediately if a place is available and the entry is not one of the last two places, or last four for doubles competition. In the latter two cases your entry will be maked Pending and will be accepted once a further entry (or 3 entries for doubles) is made. This will mean the competition Manager is not left with an odd number of players.

You should note that there are almost always withdrawals so you are very likely to get a place in the event. 

Christmas GC Doubles

We were lucky to have chosen the best day over the holiday period, weather wise for the Christmas Doubles. Having struggleD with people dropping out I was able to start the tournament having found replacements with a perfect number of 32 players - 16 teams. My thanks to Tony Jolly and Richard Stewart for stepping in at the last minute.

I split the tournament into two groupings. Blocks 1 & 2 came together in a knockout, the winners being Martin Daniels (Bromley) partnering Paul Green, and  Liz Farrow and Linda Gavigan as runners up. Block 1 & 2 Plate was won by Bob and Robyn Clark.

Block 1/2 winners Martin Daniels & Paul Green

Runners Up Bob & Robyn Clark

Blocks 3 & 4 were won by Jo Crosby and Nira Scutt who beat Tony Jolly and Rosemary Wyld in the final. Block 3 & 4 Plate was won by Shona McArthur (Preston) and Jim Mander.

Blocks 3/4 winners Jo Crosby & Nira Scutt

Runners up Sheona McArthur & Jim Mander

All results are below or on Croquet Scores.

My thanks to Angela Avis for putting on a lunch although it was disappointing to note the numbers who took advantage of this.

A happy New year to all.

Roger

Thanks to Roger Sutton for managing the event.

Full results

Block 1 & 2 Knockout

3rd and 4th place: Nigel Belllingham & Michael Jay beat Brian Aikens & Ivan Segal 7-6

Block 1 & 2 Plate

Block 1 & 2 Plate 3rd and 4th place: Richard Stewart & Roger Sutton beat Andrew Stweart & Konstantin Yudintsev

Block 3 & 4 Knockout

3rd and 4th place:  Simon Ancell & Susan Kilby beat Di Langridge & Sue Rice 7-2

Block 3 & 4 Plate

Block 3 & 4 Plate 3rd and 4th place: Kathy McColgan & Peter Cave beat Elizabeth Bell & Susan Gale 7-3

Christmas Lunch a lovely occasion for all

Thanks so much to everyone who helped make today's Christmas lunch such an enjoyable event: in the kitchen preparing and serving an excellent lunch behind the bar and all those who prepared the canteen beforehand. A lot of work and very much appreciated.

Great to see some old friends like Gene and Don Mears and Brian Kitching.

And well done Roger for finding a new use for Monopoly!

Plaudits for Gabrielle Higgins and Liz Drury in this year's Croquet England Awards for Most Improved Player. Gabrielle won the Steel Memorial Bowl and Liz won the Colman Trophy

Congratulations to them both.

Two other club members received nominations: Paul Green and Konstantin Yudintsev.

Wintry day for GC competition

 Twenty hardy souls gathered for a 9.30 start on a fine but chilly day. The sun finally broke through in the afternoon but the north westerly wind reminded us that Winter is almost upon us.

Block A, with 8 competitors, managed 6 rounds at the end of which Tony Jolly and Liz Farrow were level pegging with 5 wins and +9 net hoops each. However, Tony had beaten Liz just before lunch so he was declared the winner.

In Block B, with 6 entrants, John Low won all his games, four 7-5 and one 7-6, so all very close but clearly ahead of Paul Green and David Dickins with 3 wins each.

Block C, also with 6 players, saw everyone win at least 2 games. Jill Richardson won the Block with 4 wins, just ahead of Sue Nicholas with 3.

Despite the heavy rain earlier in the month the lawns played well and many thanks are due to Steve & Ray for cutting and marking them before the tournament.

Grateful thanks as well to Rachel Pointon for preparing a welcome & warming soup plus a ploughman's for lunch.

Finally, it was nice to see Martin Daniels back at Sussex County after his recent problems.

Vincent L'Estrange
(Thanks to Vincent for managing the event)

Full Results

Club competitions final results in

Presentations of the last few club competition trophies were made by Clive Hayton at the club on November 11

Phil Dunk being presented with the Sussex Gold Cup

Paul Green, Victor Ludorum for Golf Croquet

He also won the Golf Croquet Doubles Competition with Simon Fenn-Tye

Dominic Nunns being presented with the Moore Cup, the sixth occasion on which he has won it, an equal record with Rutger Biejderwellen for the cup in its current incarnation. It was previously the Bryan Challenge Cup from 1904 - 1927 and then the Simeon Challenge Cup until 1976. As the Simeon Challenge Cup it was won 6 times also by W E Moore, after whom it is now named, but 11 times by Leslie Kirk Greene, so a challenge to Dominic between now and 2029!

Paul reports "Mark Fawcett and l managed to play the Shield final and despite pegging myself off in attempting a cross pegged leave and thanks to Mark approaching and running hoop six as if it was penult, I became victorious plus 8, plus 7!"

Congratulations to all the winners this year. The full list is here and the report on the end of season dinner and main trophy presentation is here.

A chance for new GC players and those with higher handicaps to get into more competitive play

On a rare sunny day, 12 members with 7+ handicaps gathered for a half-day level play GC tournament on Tuesday 7th October. Postponed from October, the competition was intended to encourage high-handicappers with little or no experience of competitions to enter.

Three blocks of 4 played three games each with impressive speed to complete their games by 12.30.  Nerves soon settled and there were several very close fought games.

Block A was won by Kathy McColgan with 2 wins and + 6 hoops, closely followed by Gail Dowd who also had 2 wins with -2 hoops.

In Block B, Karen Hayton won all 3 of her games with +5 hoops, with Linda Davies in second place with 2 wins and +3 hoops.

Alan Innes was the winner in Block C having also won all 3 games and an impressive +9 hoops.  Martin Avis took 2nd place with 2 wins and +6 hoops.

Well done to all 12 players, I think some of those handicaps will soon be much lower!   We look forward to seeing you at future competitions.

Linda Gavigan 

Thanks to Linda for organising and managing this event