Category: News

Fresh from her impressive display at the area Final at Hamptworth, which earned her a handicap reduction, Susan should be pleased with her first defence of that rank and her 6 wins from 15 matches record that earned her 10th place over all. Tobi Savage of Ramsgate won the event with only one loss in his 15 games.

Chris Roberts (Phyllis Court) will be boring everyone senseless all winter with the tale of his shock defeat of five time World AC Champion, Robert Fulford, at the English National GC Championships (aka. The Ascot Cup’) at Hurlingham this weeknd. Unfortunately that 10-4 win was one of only two wins all tournament and Roberts left disappointed by his efforts and four ‘Golden Hoop’ defeats (three 9-10s and one 7-6). As the heavy rain puddled on two adjoining courts, Fullford went on to contest the final and was defeated 2-1 by Stephen Mulliner.

Oxfordshire pushed Kent all the way to their victory in the GC Inter-Counties Championship yesterday, but fell just short by one match win. A terrific start on Saturday saw Oxon, as joint leaders overnight along with Kent and Glamorgan which was such a turnaround from the low finishing position of last season. TJ Johansen (1) lead the team of fellow Phyllis Court players Chris Roberts (1), Helena Fensome (2), and county stalwart John Spiers of Surbiton (1). Charlie von Schmeider (1), also of Phyllis Court, bolstered the team on Sunday, which saw Leicestershire come into the fray to finish third just behind Oxon, by dint of one game win achieved in the very last round. The Hampshire team. also from our region with players from Ryde and Winchester fared less well. But in the end Kent emerged as the best team and worthy winners.

Tony Newport of Eynsham won the CA’s ‘Grass Roots’ competition. The CA’s website reports:

Sixteen finalists from no less than eleven clubs from all over the country competed for the Grass Roots trophy (at Northampton CC), a GC competition for high handicap players, (range 9 – 12). All the players had fought their way through club elimination rounds and regional finals to reach this National Final stage of the competition. On a day which saw almost perfect weather for croquet, with warm sunshine throughout, seven rounds of progressive doubles produced four leaders who then went on to a four player knock-out stage. Tony Newport beat David Widdeson from Bishop Monkton CC in the final by 7-2.

Winchester were just too strong for Phyllis Court today and beat them convincingly 5 – 0 (with two rubbers tied). Fielding a formidable line-up of two scratch players (Nigel Hind & Robert Barnacle) and two AC specialists playing off GC handicaps of 2 (James Tuttiett & David Nicholson), Winchester out gunned Phyllis Court on paper and then on grass as well. PCC’s Chris Roberts drew his singles rubber with Tuttiett after failing to seal victory with an appallingly short shot to the 13th, and together with Mike Fensome, the visiting pair managed another draw in the doubles. Barnacle was taken to a third game by Helen Fensome but eventually won that rubber and it was straight games wins in all the other singles ties, with Frances Colman taking Nigel Hynd to the 13th hoop but eventually falling just short.

Winchester will now play in the National Final on 29th Sept. at a venue to be decided, and they will face either Ashby or Dulwich.

Phyllis Court’s first Croquet Association GC ‘B’ Level Tournament for ‘Smokey’s Cup’ proved a huge success and ended with victory for Raymond Wood of the host Club. Holding off a challenge from 15 other players from 9 different clubs, Wood ended the two day event with just 3 defeats, once the all play all format had been completed. This gave him a clear ‘two wins’ margin of victory over his nearest rivals Richard Keighley (Wingrave) & Dan Ellis (Eynsham) and he was all smiles when receiving ‘Smokey’s Cup’ from the man himself, Phyllis Court Croquet President Smokey Eades. Andrea Huxley from (Guildford) blazed a trail on the first day but fell away on the second, whilst ‘surprise packages’ were Ivo Ponting (White Horse) and highest handicapper
Janet Trueman (Hamptworth), who both exceeded their seeding position handsomely.

Blewbury’s Paul Wolff found the fast courts at Hamptworth to his liking once again, as he won this weekend’s AC Tournament ahead of a field of 12. In a close final against hitherto undefeated Keith MacKenzie-Ross from Winchester, Paul pulled clear in the closing stages after spending most of the game with score tied or thereabouts. The tournament was expertly managed by host Richard Stevens, who had attracted competitors from 9 different Clubs; some of whom had travelled a long way to take part. Along with defending cup holder from Watford: Geoff Johnson and Woking’s Michael Hague, if there had been a long distance prize it would surely have gone to Jonathan Toye all the way from Norfolk.

Gary Yates (Winchester) and Sue Bradley (Hamptworth) teamed up to head six pairs at this season’s AC Doubles Tournament. Home pair Keith MacKenzie-Ross and Glynis Hassell stumbled at the last hurdle to finish runners-up.

Rita Nunn 

Home pair won the the SCF’s Annual GC Doubles Tournament today. As near as possible to the longest day, this annual Golf Croquet Doubles competition for 2012 was hosted by the Ryde Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club on 17th June. Unfortunately it was also Fathers’ Day, so there may have been a reluctance to release husbands and dads for a day out on the Isle of Wight, as well as the distance for those in the north of the region in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

The visitors were welcomed by a glorious day, with the courts having received an early morning cut thanks to Philip Kennerley, and the Club looking wonderful. Representatives from Phyllis Court, Henley, were Terje Johanasen and Charlie Von Schmieder, the defending champions, together with Chris Roberts and Frances Colman. Thames Valley Club, Abingdon was represented by Jim and Valerie Pertwee with Norma Rayne and Gerald Mitchell. So with four pairs from Ryde, the field consisted of eight teams with each playing all the other teams in a single block. Games consisted of a single 13 point game with a time limit of 45 minutes.

The defending champions, Phyllis Court 1, started well and won their first three matches, despite being pushed hard by the Ryde 4 pair of Pamela Sim and Joan Grove, who were unable to make the tie break hoop. Terje and Charlie then played the Phyllis Court second team of Chris and Frances, and were held to a 6-6 draw on time. At lunch they were ahead of the field with 3 wins and a draw.

Meanwhile, Ryde 1, Alan Truckel and Roy Tillcock had lost the second game to Norma and Gerald by 6 to 7, and had drawn 4-4 with Ryde 2, Robin Thornton and Dave Willett. The surprise of the morning was Ryde 4, Pamela and Joan, beating Robin and Dave by 7-6. Ryde 3, Richard Harris and John Sim had two wins after a shaky start.

Two more games after lunch left three teams at the top of the leader board. Phyllis Court 1, Ryde 1 and Ryde 2 all had 4 wins and a draw each, with the first two due to play each other. Ryde 1 went ahead taking the first three hoops. Defensive play slowed down the scoring and just before time, Charlie ran hoop 7 with red to make the score 5-2 to Ryde. On time there were 8 more shots allowed and Roy played black to just in front of hoop 8 to give him a scoring chance with his last shot. Alan decided to shoot at hoop from a distance with blue and only succeeded in clearing his partner ball! Even so Ryde 1 had won.

Meanwhile, Robin and Dave were playing Phyllis Court 2 and had been forced to a tie break 13th hoop. After an exchange of positioning and clearances, Robin eventually made the winning run from the middle of a cluster of balls in front of the hoop.

The result was then a tie between Rye 1 and Ryde 2 with 5 wins and a draw each, the draw having been between the two of them in the morning. As previously announced, this meant a count back on hoops with the higher hoop difference being the winners. Ryde 1 had scored + 15 and Ryde 2 were slightly behind with + 11, so Alan and Roy were declared the winners.

The trophy, now renamed the Norma Rayne Solstice Challenge Cup, to honour her long service organising Golf Croquet events in the Southern Federation, was presented by Norma herself.

Richard Harris