The Chester B-Level GC Series Tournament on Saturday, 30 May, attracted 16 players only one of whom is a Chester member. The other fifteen travelled in from all points of the compass, Durham to Devon and Lincolnshire to Somerset. Handicaps were from 3 (he was a 4 at allocation) to 9 but mostly 5 and 6.
The lawns at Chester are in the ‘interesting’ category with their elegant NE to SW modest incline but the turf is fine and dense and fast and provides grip to the balls. Except when it hasn’t rained for a while. And it has not and it was hot – close to 25° by mid-afternoon. So they had progressed into the ‘challenging ‘ category. But were the gallant band of B players intimidated – they were not … much.
Early leaders in the four blocks were Eddie Wilson from Backworth in Block A and Paul Rockall from Gainsborough in Block D both of whom won their three games. Edward Baskerville in Block A led the field in net hoops but dropped a game, 7 – 6 , to Eddie Wilson in a very exciting and extremely close game. Eddie eventually clinched hoop 13 by a seven yard in-off. The blocks were completed by lunchtime. Lunch was, as usual at Chester, provided to all competitors and from comments received could be the reason why some players return every year!
Paul, Eddie, Edward, Ian Longstaff (Pendle) and Roger Booth (Eynsham) were the strong showers at the start of the Cup knockout with Sue I’Anson (Rippon Spa) and Ian Hammond (Southwell) edging in front on net hoops in a fairly even Plate knockout.
In the Cup quarter final, Jill Shaw (Camerton), who was the golden-hoop expert in the blocks, succumbed to Roger Booth and Eddie and Ian scraped through. But the large spectator crowd were more interested in the Clare and Paul Rockall game. Clare beat her husband 7/5. Clare fought her way in to the final to face Ian Longstaff. Ian won the Chester B-Level convincingly.
Over in the Plate there was another family tussle between the Hammonds from Southwell. Linda beat Ian 7/6. It was quietly noted by some that both wives were higher handicappers than their husbands. But two dark horses, Adam Britton (Llanidloeds) and Brenda Duplock from Budleigh Salterton worked their way steadily through the field to the Plate final. Adam prevailed and earned the Plate.
It was a good early summer’s day of croquet, played in good spirit in front of a good crowd.