Author: David Guyton

The Christine Long Cup is a golf croquet handicap competition for Chester Croquet Club members held each year on the last Saturday of the croquet season. And so it was that 16 players, with handicaps of 5 to 12, assembled at 9.30 am on Saturday, 27 September, to compete for this end-of-season trophy. It was decidedly chilly and grey with rain forecast from about 5 pm.

The plan for the day was for four blocks of four players each playing three games in the morning and knock-outs after lunch meant that everyone played a further three games in the afternoon.

Three players, Ian Meadows, Greg Orriell and Lesley Newman, came through the morning with unblemished records winning all their three games. A further five players dropped only one game apiece. Lunch was a BYO affair but strawberries and cream were provided by Sue Kendall who won this competition last year. It was a real pleasure to sit in the warm clubhouse for a while.

The afternoon knock-outs were divided into the Cup and the Plate awards. In the Cup group the first games were all extremely close and no obvious favourite emerged but the three clean sheet morning players, Ian, Greg and Lesley were joined by Rhia Taylor (who had a slow morning start) in the semi-final. The semi was however more decisive with convincing wins by Lesley and Greg who moved into the final. The final was as close as can be in a thrilling game where both players seemed to be on the cusp of victory, but at the very last hoop of the game Greg crept through to win the Cup

Over at the Plate knock-out the progression to the final was clearer with Denise Buchanan and Sue Kendall destined to meet each other to decide the Plate victor. This, like the Cup, was an exciting battle which could have been won by either player until the last hoop which Denise ran to win the Plate.

This competition defied the cold weather to be a great finish to the season. The rain held off and the first drops arrived just as the last of the equipment was being put away.

 

On Sunday, 21 September, Chester played Southport at home in the final match of the NW Federation association croquet 26 point handicap league. After continuous heavy rain the previous day and another downpour a few days earlier, the lawns had made a remarkable recovery from their parched state earlier in the summer. It was bright and sunny all day though with a distinct autumn chill in the air. Altogether, good conditions for a croquet match.

The Chester team were David Guyton (captain), Sally Slater, Brian Walton and Andy Wilson-Chalon.  Sally Slater and Brian Walton managed to win their singles games in the morning with narrow margins of just two hoops and one hoop leads respectively but David Guyton and Andy Wilson-Chalon lost their doubles game giving Chester a 2 – 1 lead by lunchtime.  In the four singles games in the afternoon, Chester won two with good leads of fifteen hoops and seven hoops but lost the other two, in the last game being pipped at the post in the final minutes. The overall result was a 4 – 3 win for Chester with all the games being played in good spirit with a good humoured visiting team.

Chester’s win was just enough to lift it from last position in this year’s league. On the basis of games won and lost, Fylde emerged as this year’s winner ahead of Bowdon Griffins in second place and Bury Caesars in third place with Chester finishing fifth out of eight.

 

Five people who joined the club this season entered the annual new members competition on Friday, 19 September. It was a mild day and the rain and wind held off, so very good conditions for a fun day of gentle competition.

It was an all play all format, with the winner being the person winning the most games. The trophy was presented to Kevin Taylor who won all four of his games. Helen Thomas was the runner up with two wins and a draw, but pleasingly everyone won at least one game.

Chester Croquet Club held its annual association croquet handicap competition for the Mason Cup on Monday, 15 September. After heavy rain  the previous day and more forecast on Monday, the weather was mercifully kind on the day and remained dry though with a grey overcast sky and sometimes a brisk breeze.

Eight members took part in the competition divided into two blocks of four. Games were limited to 14 points with a time limit of 60 minutes and handicaps adjusted accordingly.

David Boyd emerged as overall winner with Helen Brophy as runner-up.

In another busy week nearing the end of the competitive season, Chester fielded teams in four NW Federation leagues, losing one but then winning three in a row. After several spells of unsually hot weather and prolonged periods without rain from the spring through to August, September has been marked by a distinct change in the weather with lower temperatures and intermittent but recurring rain which has been welcomed by parched lawns everywhere.

On Wednesday, 10 September, Chester Centurions played away against Southport in the golf croquet level play league. In a well fought match Southport emerged in the lead winning 11 games against Chester’s 7.

Two days later on Friday, 12 September, Chester played Ellesmere at home in the golf croquet handicap league. The Chester Senators team comprised Arnie Banford (captain), Doreen Curtis, David Mann and Rhia Taylor. Play commenced at 10.00 am and finished by 3.30 pm. Fortunately, the rain held off and the day was largely sunny. Every game was played in good spirits, some being very close-run, and everyone agreed that it was a most enjoyable day with a final score of Chester 13 and Ellesmere 5.

Next day Chester’s short lawn team welcomed the Bowdon Weekenders on Saturday, 13 September. The weather was an interesting mix of sunshine, rain and some windy gusts, and the grass was greener than it has been all summer resulting in slower moving balls and the need to wield the mallet more strongly.

The Chester team for this match was Sarah Clements (captain), Helen Brophy, Ant Fletcher and Andy Wilson-Chalon. Chester emerged ahead in the first rounds of play but Bowdon caught up and had the potential to draw the fixture after lunch. Having a home advantage, Chester eventually won the match 10 games to 6. The Bowdon players helped with refereeing decisions as well as giving some coaching tips, which were gratefully received, and all in all it was a very friendly encounter between the two clubs.

Then on Sunday, 14 September, a Chester team of Robin Tasker (captain), David Boyd and David Guyton travelled to Bury for the club’s final match in the NW Advanced B Level association croquet league. Chester went into this match top of the league and knowing that a 4 – 1 win or better would give them the league title. Any less and if Crake, who were playing away at Bowden, were able to win 5 – 0, they would become this year’s champions.

The lawns at Bury were green and lush after recent rains and it was a pleasure to play on them. In the morning Robin Tasker won a difficult singles game while David Boyd and David Guyton held on to win the doubles by a single point. So 2 – 0 to Chester by lunchtime. Rain was forecast from about 1 pm. It arrived on time and became heavier during the afternoon with strong gusts of wind scattering leaves and twigs across the lawns, enough to be a nuisance but not enough to halt play. Robin Tasker was able to win his game quickly to give Chester a winning lead. The remaining singles games were hard fought with both going Bury’s way although the last game in play with David Guyton going to a golden hoop after a draw when time was called. The result was a 3 – 2 win for Chester.

The overall result for the season came from Bowdon where Crake had won 3 – 2 and, with that result, confirmation that Chester had won the league retaining the title they won in 2024.

 

Ten association croquet players competed in the club’s internal open short lawn competition on Monday, 8 September. A brief rain shower interrupted play in the afternoon but otherwise it was a lovely day weatherwise and played in a great spirit.

The players were split into two groups and all played all in their group, plus an extra game played across both halves.

Lunch was eaten on the hoof to keep the day moving forward and all games were finished by 4.45 pm.

The trophy winner was Sarah Clements who won all 5 of her games, and runner up was Ant Fletcher with 4 wins. Acknowledgement to Rick Davies who has only recently started playing association croquet and came equal third with Roger Brooks, winning 3 of his games.

On the previous day, Sunday, 7 September, Chester Croquet Club were pleased to welcome the annual visit of members of MENSA. The day was disrupted by heavy rain, but nevertheless the 14 players were able to squeeze in one or two games, and enjoyed the tea and cakes provided despite the adverse weather.

Chester Croquet Club held its annual tournament for the Fletton Trophy on Saturday, 30 August. The Fletton Trophy is an advanced association croquet tournament played, this year, as a 14 point competition with five games each of 60 minutes played over the course of a single day. Seven members took part in the tournament with handicaps ranging from – 0.5 to 8.

The day started in bright sunshine but with rain forecast during the afternoon which duly arrived – enough to be a nuisance to the players but not enough to stop play or to repenish the parched lawns which were running fast and somewhat erractically and are craving for some heavy and prolonged downpours.

James Thomas and Robin Tasker emerged in leading positions, winning four games each, with James Thomas edging ahead to finish as overall winner based on hoops run with Robin Tasker as runner-up.

 

 

Friday, 22 August, provided another close, hard-fought match, this time involving the association croquet short lawn teams of Chester and Tattenhall facing each other in another round of the Snowdonia Cup competition, in the lovely setting of the Flacca Field at Tattenhall. The Chester team of Nigel Worthington, Andy Wilson-Chalon and Jayne Taylor fought hard but just lost out by 4 games to 5.

The following day, Saturday, 23 August, brought more success for Chester when a short lawn team of Helen Brophy, Andy Wilson-Chalon, Michael Fletcher and Rick Davies (playing in his first association croquet match) played a team from Bury in a NW Federation league match at Westminster Park. It was neck and neck all the way until the last round of four games when Chester secured three wins against Bury’s one  giving the home team overall victory, Chester 9 Bury 7

Chester Centurions played Crake Valley at home on Wednesday, 20 August, in the NW Federation level play golf croquet league.

The teams assembled on a cloudy, dry, but somewhat chilly morning, and after the usual exchanges of greetings, got on with the match.

The lawns, freshly “mown”, were running exceptionally fast and frustration was etched on the faces of visitors and home team alike as balls rolled on and on and on …………… !  Accordingly, players in both team had to work hard to make skillful adjustments to their shots and some excellent croquet was played throughout despite the erratic and unforgiving lawns.

Luckily – but perhaps unluckily for the lawns – rain held off and by 4 pm the sun broke through the clouds to give a bright finish to the day.

Overall, an enjoyable day was had by all, with Chester winning the day, 13 to 5.

 

On Saturday, 17 August, Chester Croquet Club held the first of what may become an annual One Ball competition with the aim of providing a shared event for both association croquet and golf croquet players. The day started mild but overcast. As the day progressed the sunshine and temperature increased reaching 28° in the afternoon. After several weeks of exceptionally dry weather, the lawns were very dry and unpredictable especially around several hoops.

Fifteen members took part in the competition divided into two blocks. In one block of eight, each competitor played seven games, and in the other block of seven, each competitor played six games. An established formula was applied to generate fair handicaps for both association croquet and golf croquet players.  The format of the game has elements of hoop approaches and hoop running which are well practised by golf croquet players and elements of hitting an opponent’s ball and earning extra shots which are familiar to association croquet players. Club chairman, Tom Grievson, managed the competition and was kept busy throughout the day scheduling a multitude of games and diverse handicaps and keeping track of the results.

David Boyd, one of the club’s relatively few hybrid association and golf croquet players, emerged as overall winner, winning six of his games, and was rewarded with a well-earned bottle of champagne for his achievement. Kevin Taylor and Roger Brookes both won five of their games with Kevin Taylor leading in second place and Roger Brookes in third place based on the number of hoops scored. Jude Wise won four of her games and achieved fourth place.

It was a challenging but enjoyable day and a rare occasion when association and golf croquet players can meet and compete on a level playing field – but, being Chester,  the playing field is never level. A generous supply of strawberries, blueberries and cream kept all the competitors well nourished and sustained  throughout. Thanks to everyone who arranged and took part in the new event.