Author: David Guyton

Ladies Day at Chester

Not at the racecourse but at Chester Croquet Club where ten players from Fylde, Bury, Bowdon, Southport, Craig-y-don and Chester gathered on a beautiful May morning. Five gentlemen and five ladies (handicaps 3-9) all set for the NW Millennium association croquet short lawn competition. The first two rounds were closely contested but by lunch the ladies were on top with Barbara Young (Bury), Gail Moors (Southport) and Sally Slater (Chester) all having won two matches.

After lunch in the first semi final Gail held her nerve in her concluding break to beat Barbara whilst Sally needed a Rover peel (her first ever) to beat Jack Pattenden in the other semi-final. The final was a bit scrappy with both players affected by tiredness or nerves. Gail used most of her bisques making a 5 hoop break with only 3 balls on the lawn. Sally responded by taking her first ball round using only 3 bisques and after some further skirmishing Sally took her second ball round to make a nervy but effective peg out to win the title. Barbara secured the third place to make it a clean sweep for the ladies.

Overall an excellent day with some very good play on the slick lawns. The benefits of the full bisque format (ie no base as in previous years) were evident in that two thirds of the games finished in peg outs.

Thanks go to David Boyd for managing the event and to Pat Clare and her catering team for providing an excellent lunch and tea.

 

Following a succesful visit by Carrickmines Croquet Club, near Dublin, to Chester last year, Chester were pleased to make a return visit last weekend, 6 – 7 May. A total of seventeen games were played over the two days in splendid spring weather. Both clubs thoroughly enjoyed the friendly competition and Chester emerged as recipients for the second time of the trophy first awarded last year by winning 11 games to 6.

 

 

We are always pleased to welcome new members from absolute beginners to more experienced players. In 2017 we are holding a taster session for newcomers to the game on Saturday, 8 April, from 10 am to 1 pm. Click here for more information or contact our Membership Secretary.

At the NW Federation AGM at Culcheth on Saturday, 19 November, David Boyd received the trophy on behalf of Chester’s winning team in the NW Federation full lawn weekend handicap league. He is pictured here with the recipients of the other trophies in the NW Federation leagues.

Chester Croquet Club’s 2016 season came to an end last Wednesday with the end of season dinner and trophy presentations. Nine trophies were presented by chair, Sarah Andrew, at the end of the evening.

The trophy winners were Jerry Guest (Fletton trophy); Robin Tasker (Mason Cup and most improved player AC); Brian Walton (Hasting Wang short lawn bowl); Paul Taylor (Rabbits trophy); Janet Jackson (Mollie McBride trophy); Mel Hagan (Peter Bingham award); Judith Hawkins (most improved player GC); Chris and Sally Slater (Hermitage doubles trophy).

The club had some good results at Federation level, winning the weekend handicap AC league and coming second in the midweek handicap AC and the Level Play golf croquet competitions.

Chester Croquet Club competed in three matches this week unfortunately without much success.

In the North West Federation midweek handicap league played on Monday, Bowdon Griffins played Chester at Bowdon. The Chester team was David Boyd (captain), John Dawson, David Guyton and Michael Miller but they lost 5-2.

In the beautiful Lakeland setting of Crake Valley Croquet Club the Chester team had a narrow defeat by 3 games to 4. The Chester team was Sarah Andrew as Captain, with Helen Brophy, Robin Tasker and Paul Watson.

In the short croquet league against Bowdon held at Chester, the Chester team of Sarah Andrew (captain), Jayne Taylor, Sally Slater and Barbara Jones held the league leaders Bowdon to an 8-8 draw in a very close match played in great spirit.

Congratulations and thanks go to all the players who contributed to Chester’s win of the North West Federation weekend handicap league.

There was a cliffhanging match against Pendle which Chester won 4-3 to clinch the title.

The winning of the trophy means that next season Chester can enter and compete in the national competition The Secretary’s Shield.

Well done everyone!

The annual Hibiscus Tournament was played on Saturday 17th September at Chester Croquet Club for association players with a high handicap. It was an excellent day played in glorious sunshine and the eventual trophy winner with 4 wins was Robert Jones, who only started playing association croquet this season, second was Doreen Leece and third place went to Elaine Walton.

The Chester team of Elmyr Hughes (captain), Paul Watson, David Boyd and Michael Miller played away on Saturday 17th against a strong Bury team on their very tricky lawns. At lunch Chester led by 2 -1 having lost the doubles, but with Elmyr and Michael both winning their singles. The afternoon session saw a spirited fight back by Bury, but Michael Miller came from 6 hoops adrift with some brilliant croquet to finish 3 hoops ahead! David Boyd also won so Chester were the victors 4 games to 3.

The Christine Long competition had been rescheduled due to rain, and on Thursday was played in sunshine with 12 members playing in two groups. The two group winners went on to contest the trophy. The winner was Roger Haigh and the runner up was new member Robert Jones.

Sunday 11th September provided an enjoyable match against a very friendly team from Bury in the North West Federation Short Lawn League. The Chester team of Jayne Taylor, Mike Falla, Paul Taylor and Sarah Andrew gained an overall victory of 9 games to 6 with many close games being decided on the golden hoop.