Author: Trish Ellis

March

Sat 16th: AGM Whiteway Centre (10. 00 am)

April

Court will open for 2024 season

Sat 13th April: Court Opens (Provisional date)

Tuesday 16th: Beginners Introduction (2 – 4pm)

Wednesday 17th: Beginners Introduction (2-4pm)

Sat 27th:GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

May

Tuesday 7th: GC Friendly Match v Rother Valley CC ( Away)

Monday 20th: Short Croquet AC Jamboree (Southwick)

Sat 25th: GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

JUNE

Thursday 6th: AC Leech Plate Short Croquet ( new competition)

Wed 12th: GC Friendly Match V Hove CC (Home)

Wed 12th: SECF AC Ladies Day ( Southwick)

Friday 14th: GC Friendly v Littlehampton CC (Away)

Wednesday 19th June: 10/10 GC Competition : Doubles (evening)

Sat 29th: GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

JULY

Wed 10th: SECF GC Ladies Day (Southwick)

Saturday 13th: Southern Challenge GC: Southwick

Sunday 14th: Southern Challenge GC: Southwick

Wednesday 17th: Short Croquet AC Jamboree ( Southwick:

Sat 27th: GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

Wednesday 31st: AC High Bisque Tournament (Southwick)

AUGUST

Thursday 1st: GC Friendly Match RCC v Hove Lawns CC ( Away)

Wed 7th: GC Friendly Match RCC v Littlehampton CC (Home)

Thursday 8th: AC Leech Cup Final 1.00pm

Wednesday 28th: AC Lees Salver Doubles

Sat 31st: GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

SEPTEMBER

Sat 28th: GC Home: END OF MONTH COMPETITION (whites)

October:

Court closes for winter in October 2024

The month of August began with the Club’s hugely successful participation in the Rottingdean Village Fair on August 3^rd. The Club’s involvement in the Annual Fair is something that had occurred in the past but, after a few years’ gap, it was decided to revisit this and invite the public to come and ‘have a go’ at playing croquet under the guidance of Club members.

A rota of volunteer members was arranged and approximately 100 visitors of many different nationalities called in and had short taster sessions of GC. Applications forms for membership were given out in large numbers and questions of all varieties were fielded and answered by the members who were there.

The date coincided with Brighton and Hove’s Gay Pride week-end and hence many businesses and organisations in the city were displaying the rainbow symbol in the form of banners, flags etc.

This became relevant when one of the visitors asked about the significance of the peg in the centre of the court showing the colours of the croquet balls in their correct order. After listening attentively to the explanation provided, they remarked that they had originally thought that it had been placed there as our way of showing support to the Gay Pride Event. On reflection, one can quite understand their reasoning!

Thanks must go to Derek who suggested the idea to the Committee and who worked hard to make the event such a great success. Congratulations to him for raising the profile of the Club within the village and for being instrumental in providing an extra dimension to its Fair. Additional thanks go to all members who volunteered their time to help on the day.

Visitors enjoying playing on the lawn of RCC

on what was an incredibly successful event

On Monday 5^th August Ivan, Trevor, Avril and I travelled to Canterbury to play the third of our matches in the GC Restricted Level Play League. It was a long way to go to lose 5-2! Although by no means definitive, this defeat burst our bubble of optimism of winning this league at the third time of asking after coming so close on both previous attempts. However, all is not lost and a win in our final match later in the month might give us an outside chance of being in the frame. Thanks to Avril for captaining the team and for making all the necessary associated arrangements.

Another friendly match followed on 7th August when we were hosts to West Chiltington. On this occasion RCC’s team was Denis, Janet, John and Sue E who were beaten 4-2 by the opposition. Thanks go to them for volunteering to represent us in this match.

On Sunday 11^th August a number of members took part in the one day GC Handicap Tournament at Southwick called Teams Day. RCC entered two teams in the event. RCC 1 – Avril, Derek, Richard and Trish RCC 2 – Isobel, Roger, Sally and Elaine. Unexpectedly, RCC 2 finished above RCC 1 in the final league table with Elaine performing particularly well on the day. There was additional involvement of the Club in the tournament with Mike acting as Referee.

Thank you to Ivan and the two team captains, Avril and Isobel, for all the administration work involved in the day. Thank you also to all players who represented our Club.

Smiling RCC Participants in Teams Day at Southwick

The following day, 12^th August, should have seen the playing of the Club’s new GC handicap tournament, The August Challenge, to be played on the lawns of Sussex County CC, Southwick with the semi-finals and final being played in Kipling Gardens on the following Saturday. However, inclement weather conditions forced its postponement to the beginning of next month.

Our fourth GC Restricted Level Play League match was played on 20^th August and involved another long journey; this time to Woking Tennis and Croquet Club. Woking was the team who dented our chances of winning this league in 2017 with a crushing 6-1 defeat, so we were determined that history would not be repeated. On the first sunny, warm day, following a two week period of unsettled weather, we managed to turn the tables and came out winners 5-2. This, the final of our fixtures in this league, gave us three wins out of the four matches played and we now wait to see how that compares with the other teams involved. The team members from Woking were most hospitable and everybody enjoyed a cordial day’s croquet on their excellent lawns.

A mention here to Avril who, after Trevor’s stepping down as Captain for this year, stepped into the breach and took on this role with efficiency and enthusiasm for which we are all most grateful.

Members of the teams from RCC and Woking at the end of a day’s croquet at their very scenic and hospitable club

An Association Croquet competition was included in the August Calendar with the Lees Salver being played for on Monday 26^th August.

A short report by Ann follows:

The Lees Salver an Association Doubles Competition took a different format this year with teams including players new to Association as well as more experienced ones.
The Salver presented by Margery Lees was won by Audrey Hay and Denis Murphy, who was a winner for the second year running.  Congratulations to them both.
Eight players had entered the Competition this year including long standing Members John and Frances Low, John Stephens, Richard and Trish Ellis and Isobel George who had organised the Competition so efficiently.
The weather was fine and sunny and everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch at the side of our croquet lawn.
It was kind of Margery to once again present the Salver as she has done for many years.

Margery presents the Lees Salver to the 2019 winners Denis and Audrey

The weather continued to be warm and sunny and the very next day we held our second Away Day of the season at Horsted Place, a venue to which we had made several previous successful visits.

This year’s visit, although excessively warm, did not disappoint with 34 members making the journey to this magnificent hotel. Play took place on two lawns within the gardens of the hotel which provided a stunning backdrop to the event.

A delicious lunch was taken in their large dining room and players had the opportunity to get to know other members of the Club with whom they were perhaps not quite so familiar.

After four rounds of enjoyable play the eventual winners were Alan and Sally who were presented with their prizes on court. Congratulations to them both.

Huge thanks must be given to Sheila and Sue for organising everything so thoroughly and to Trevor and Margery for their help with scheduling and scoring. Days like these help to bring Club members together in an informal and cordial social setting and what follows are few pictures to give you a flavour of the day.

What a spectacular venue!

Shirley and Trish seek the shade

Frances and Sheila keep our scorer, Margery, company

“Was that a Crush?” asks Jean

Barry takes position in what looks like a very crowded hoop

Stunning scenery whichever way you look

Lunch is served

One of our organisers, Sheila, looks pleased with her day and rightly so, as everything was meticulously organised

Sally and Alan on course for victory while Avril stalks her ball in the background………….

………and with victory come those winning smiles

Congratulations!

The very next day saw yet even more croquet action as RCC took on West Worthing in Kipling Gardens in the penultimate of our friendly GC matches.

Representing RCC were Sally, Derek, Denise and Trevor who played very well and, despite dodging one or two showers, won the match 7-1. Congratulations to the team and many thanks, to Wray and Jackie, as ever, for arranging the match and hosting our visitors.

This photograph taken during the match against West Worthing looks like one of those from a ‘Spot the Ball’ competition!

The final day of the month coincided with a Saturday which meant that the August End of Month Competition was ‘exactly what it says on the tin’.

At the beginning of the afternoon the weather was set fair and members arrived wearing summer clothes in the sunshine. However, as the afternoon progressed, the temperature began to drop and clouds began to appear as if some superior being knew that tomorrow was to be the 1^st September and would herald the start of the Meteorological Autumn.

Such was the contrast in temperature that the presentation to the winners, Isobel and Denise, was made in a crowded pavilion before members made their way home to warmth and shelter.

Thank you, Denis, for running this month’s competition and to Alan S for his overall organisation of these enjoyable monthly events.

How many smiling members can you fit into RCC’s pavilion?

Congratulations to our winners of the August 2019 End of Month Competition Denise and Isobel

Rottingdean Croquet Club

August Newsletter 2019

The month of August began with the Club’s hugely successful participation in the Rottingdean Village Fair on August 3^rd. The Club’s involvement in the Annual Fair is something that had occurred in the past but, after a few years’ gap, it was decided to revisit this and invite the public to come and ‘have a go’ at playing croquet under the guidance of Club members.

A rota of volunteer members was arranged and approximately 100 visitors of many different nationalities called in and had short taster sessions of GC. Applications forms for membership were given out in large numbers and questions of all varieties were fielded and answered by the members who were there.

The date coincided with Brighton and Hove’s Gay Pride week-end and hence many businesses and organisations in the city were displaying the rainbow symbol in the form of banners, flags etc.

This became relevant when one of the visitors asked about the significance of the peg in the centre of the court showing the colours of the croquet balls in their correct order. After listening attentively to the explanation provided, they remarked that they had originally thought that it had been placed there as our way of showing support to the Gay Pride Event. On reflection, one can quite understand their reasoning!

Thanks must go to Derek who suggested the idea to the Committee and who worked hard to make the event such a great success. Congratulations to him for raising the profile of the Club within the village and for being instrumental in providing an extra dimension to its Fair. Additional thanks go to all members who volunteered their time to help on the day.

Visitors enjoying playing on the lawn of RCC

on what was an incredibly successful event

On Monday 5^th August Ivan, Trevor, Avril and I travelled to Canterbury to play the third of our matches in the GC Restricted Level Play League. It was a long way to go to lose 5-2! Although by no means definitive, this defeat burst our bubble of optimism of winning this league at the third time of asking after coming so close on both previous attempts. However, all is not lost and a win in our final match later in the month might give us an outside chance of being in the frame. Thanks to Avril for captaining the team and for making all the necessary associated arrangements.

Another friendly match followed on 7th August when we were hosts to West Chiltington. On this occasion RCC’s team was Denis, Janet, John and Sue E who were beaten 4-2 by the opposition. Thanks go to them for volunteering to represent us in this match.

On Sunday 11^th August a number of members took part in the one day GC Handicap Tournament at Southwick called Teams Day. RCC entered two teams in the event. RCC 1 – Avril, Derek, Richard and Trish RCC 2 – Isobel, Roger, Sally and Elaine. Unexpectedly, RCC 2 finished above RCC 1 in the final league table with Elaine performing particularly well on the day. There was additional involvement of the Club in the tournament with Mike acting as Referee.

Thank you to Ivan and the two team captains, Avril and Isobel, for all the administration work involved in the day. Thank you also to all players who represented our Club.

Smiling RCC Participants in Teams Day at Southwick

The following day, 12^th August, should have seen the playing of the Club’s new GC handicap tournament, The August Challenge, to be played on the lawns of Sussex County CC, Southwick with the semi-finals and final being played in Kipling Gardens on the following Saturday. However, inclement weather conditions forced its postponement to the beginning of next month.

Our fourth GC Restricted Level Play League match was played on 20^th August and involved another long journey; this time to Woking Tennis and Croquet Club. Woking was the team who dented our chances of winning this league in 2017 with a crushing 6-1 defeat, so we were determined that history would not be repeated. On the first sunny, warm day, following a two week period of unsettled weather, we managed to turn the tables and came out winners 5-2. This, the final of our fixtures in this league, gave us three wins out of the four matches played and we now wait to see how that compares with the other teams involved. The team members from Woking were most hospitable and everybody enjoyed a cordial day’s croquet on their excellent lawns.

A mention here to Avril who, after Trevor’s stepping down as Captain for this year, stepped into the breach and took on this role with efficiency and enthusiasm for which we are all most grateful.

Members of the teams from RCC and Woking at the end of a day’s croquet at their very scenic and hospitable club

An Association Croquet competition was included in the August Calendar with the Lees Salver being played for on Monday 26^th August.

A short report by Ann follows:

The Lees Salver an Association Doubles Competition took a different format this year with teams including players new to Association as well as more experienced ones.
The Salver presented by Margery Lees was won by Audrey Hay and Denis Murphy, who was a winner for the second year running.  Congratulations to them both.
Eight players had entered the Competition this year including long standing Members John and Frances Low, John Stephens, Richard and Trish Ellis and Isobel George who had organised the Competition so efficiently.
The weather was fine and sunny and everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch at the side of our croquet lawn.
It was kind of Margery to once again present the Salver as she has done for many years.

Margery presents the Lees Salver to the 2019 winners Denis and Audrey

The weather continued to be warm and sunny and the very next day we held our second Away Day of the season at Horsted Place, a venue to which we had made several previous successful visits.

This year’s visit, although excessively warm, did not disappoint with 34 members making the journey to this magnificent hotel. Play took place on two lawns within the gardens of the hotel which provided a stunning backdrop to the event.

A delicious lunch was taken in their large dining room and players had the opportunity to get to know other members of the Club with whom they were perhaps not quite so familiar.

After four rounds of enjoyable play the eventual winners were Alan and Sally who were presented with their prizes on court. Congratulations to them both.

Huge thanks must be given to Sheila and Sue for organising everything so thoroughly and to Trevor and Margery for their help with scheduling and scoring. Days like these help to bring Club members together in an informal and cordial social setting and what follows are few pictures to give you a flavour of the day.

What a spectacular venue!

Shirley and Trish seek the shade

Frances and Sheila keep our scorer, Margery, company

“Was that a Crush?” asks Jean

Barry takes position in what looks like a very crowded hoop

Stunning scenery whichever way you look

Lunch is served

One of our organisers, Sheila, looks pleased with her day and rightly so, as everything was meticulously organised

Sally and Alan on course for victory while Avril stalks her ball in the background………….

………and with victory come those winning smiles

Congratulations!

The very next day saw yet even more croquet action as RCC took on West Worthing in Kipling Gardens in the penultimate of our friendly GC matches.

Representing RCC were Sally, Derek, Denise and Trevor who played very well and, despite dodging one or two showers, won the match 7-1. Congratulations to the team and many thanks, to Wray and Jackie, as ever, for arranging the match and hosting our visitors.

This photograph taken during the match against West Worthing looks like one of those from a ‘Spot the Ball’ competition!

The final day of the month coincided with a Saturday which meant that the August End of Month Competition was ‘exactly what it says on the tin’.

At the beginning of the afternoon the weather was set fair and members arrived wearing summer clothes in the sunshine. However, as the afternoon progressed, the temperature began to drop and clouds began to appear as if some superior being knew that tomorrow was to be the 1^st September and would herald the start of the Meteorological Autumn.

Such was the contrast in temperature that the presentation to the winners, Isobel and Denise, was made in a crowded pavilion before members made their way home to warmth and shelter.

Thank you, Denis, for running this month’s competition and to Alan S for his overall organisation of these enjoyable monthly events.

How many smiling members can you fit into RCC’s pavilion?

Congratulations to our winners of the August 2019 End of Month Competition Denise and Isobel

2019

The month of August began with the Club’s hugely successful participation in the Rottingdean Village Fair on August 3^rd. The Club’s involvement in the Annual Fair is something that had occurred in the past but, after a few years’ gap, it was decided to revisit this and invite the public to come and ‘have a go’ at playing croquet under the guidance of Club members.

A rota of volunteer members was arranged and approximately 100 visitors of many different nationalities called in and had short taster sessions of GC. Applications forms for membership were given out in large numbers and questions of all varieties were fielded and answered by the members who were there.

The date coincided with Brighton and Hove’s Gay Pride week-end and hence many businesses and organisations in the city were displaying the rainbow symbol in the form of banners, flags etc.

This became relevant when one of the visitors asked about the significance of the peg in the centre of the court showing the colours of the croquet balls in their correct order. After listening attentively to the explanation provided, they remarked that they had originally thought that it had been placed there as our way of showing support to the Gay Pride Event. On reflection, one can quite understand their reasoning!

Thanks must go to Derek who suggested the idea to the Committee and who worked hard to make the event such a great success. Congratulations to him for raising the profile of the Club within the village and for being instrumental in providing an extra dimension to its Fair. Additional thanks go to all members who volunteered their time to help on the day.

Visitors enjoying playing on the lawn of RCC

on what was an incredibly successful event

On Monday 5^th August Ivan, Trevor, Avril and I travelled to Canterbury to play the third of our matches in the GC Restricted Level Play League. It was a long way to go to lose 5-2! Although by no means definitive, this defeat burst our bubble of optimism of winning this league at the third time of asking after coming so close on both previous attempts. However, all is not lost and a win in our final match later in the month might give us an outside chance of being in the frame. Thanks to Avril for captaining the team and for making all the necessary associated arrangements.

Another friendly match followed on 7th August when we were hosts to West Chiltington. On this occasion RCC’s team was Denis, Janet, John and Sue E who were beaten 4-2 by the opposition. Thanks go to them for volunteering to represent us in this match.

On Sunday 11^th August a number of members took part in the one day GC Handicap Tournament at Southwick called Teams Day. RCC entered two teams in the event. RCC 1 – Avril, Derek, Richard and Trish RCC 2 – Isobel, Roger, Sally and Elaine. Unexpectedly, RCC 2 finished above RCC 1 in the final league table with Elaine performing particularly well on the day. There was additional involvement of the Club in the tournament with Mike acting as Referee.

Thank you to Ivan and the two team captains, Avril and Isobel, for all the administration work involved in the day. Thank you also to all players who represented our Club.

Smiling RCC Participants in Teams Day at Southwick

The following day, 12^th August, should have seen the playing of the Club’s new GC handicap tournament, The August Challenge, to be played on the lawns of Sussex County CC, Southwick with the semi-finals and final being played in Kipling Gardens on the following Saturday. However, inclement weather conditions forced its postponement to the beginning of next month.

Our fourth GC Restricted Level Play League match was played on 20^th August and involved another long journey; this time to Woking Tennis and Croquet Club. Woking was the team who dented our chances of winning this league in 2017 with a crushing 6-1 defeat, so we were determined that history would not be repeated. On the first sunny, warm day, following a two week period of unsettled weather, we managed to turn the tables and came out winners 5-2. This, the final of our fixtures in this league, gave us three wins out of the four matches played and we now wait to see how that compares with the other teams involved. The team members from Woking were most hospitable and everybody enjoyed a cordial day’s croquet on their excellent lawns.

A mention here to Avril who, after Trevor’s stepping down as Captain for this year, stepped into the breach and took on this role with efficiency and enthusiasm for which we are all most grateful.

Members of the teams from RCC and Woking at the end of a day’s croquet at their very scenic and hospitable club

An Association Croquet competition was included in the August Calendar with the Lees Salver being played for on Monday 26^th August.

A short report by Ann follows:

The Lees Salver an Association Doubles Competition took a different format this year with teams including players new to Association as well as more experienced ones.
The Salver presented by Margery Lees was won by Audrey Hay and Denis Murphy, who was a winner for the second year running.  Congratulations to them both.
Eight players had entered the Competition this year including long standing Members John and Frances Low, John Stephens, Richard and Trish Ellis and Isobel George who had organised the Competition so efficiently.
The weather was fine and sunny and everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch at the side of our croquet lawn.
It was kind of Margery to once again present the Salver as she has done for many years.

Margery presents the Lees Salver to the 2019 winners Denis and Audrey

The weather continued to be warm and sunny and the very next day we held our second Away Day of the season at Horsted Place, a venue to which we had made several previous successful visits.

This year’s visit, although excessively warm, did not disappoint with 34 members making the journey to this magnificent hotel. Play took place on two lawns within the gardens of the hotel which provided a stunning backdrop to the event.

A delicious lunch was taken in their large dining room and players had the opportunity to get to know other members of the Club with whom they were perhaps not quite so familiar.

After four rounds of enjoyable play the eventual winners were Alan and Sally who were presented with their prizes on court. Congratulations to them both.

Huge thanks must be given to Sheila and Sue for organising everything so thoroughly and to Trevor and Margery for their help with scheduling and scoring. Days like these help to bring Club members together in an informal and cordial social setting and what follows are few pictures to give you a flavour of the day.

What a spectacular venue!

Shirley and Trish seek the shade

Frances and Sheila keep our scorer, Margery, company

“Was that a Crush?” asks Jean

Barry takes position in what looks like a very crowded hoop

Stunning scenery whichever way you look

Lunch is served

One of our organisers, Sheila, looks pleased with her day and rightly so, as everything was meticulously organised

Sally and Alan on course for victory while Avril stalks her ball in the background………….

………and with victory come those winning smiles

Congratulations!

The very next day saw yet even more croquet action as RCC took on West Worthing in Kipling Gardens in the penultimate of our friendly GC matches.

Representing RCC were Sally, Derek, Denise and Trevor who played very well and, despite dodging one or two showers, won the match 7-1. Congratulations to the team and many thanks, to Wray and Jackie, as ever, for arranging the match and hosting our visitors.

This photograph taken during the match against West Worthing looks like one of those from a ‘Spot the Ball’ competition!

The final day of the month coincided with a Saturday which meant that the August End of Month Competition was ‘exactly what it says on the tin’.

At the beginning of the afternoon the weather was set fair and members arrived wearing summer clothes in the sunshine. However, as the afternoon progressed, the temperature began to drop and clouds began to appear as if some superior being knew that tomorrow was to be the 1^st September and would herald the start of the Meteorological Autumn.

Such was the contrast in temperature that the presentation to the winners, Isobel and Denise, was made in a crowded pavilion before members made their way home to warmth and shelter.

Thank you, Denis, for running this month’s competition and to Alan S for his overall organisation of these enjoyable monthly events.

How many smiling members can you fit into RCC’s pavilion?

Congratulations to our winners of the August 2019 End of Month Competition Denise and Isobel

 

Chairman’s Newsletter June 2018

I am writing this on the very day that our court is closed for the maintenance of the boundaries by Evan who takes great pride in ensuring, within the limits of the Council budget, that the court is in the best possible condition.

He worked hard in the closed season to undertake all the necessary work on the lawn and when we opened in late April his efforts were clearly evident. However, it wouldn’t be Rottingdean Croquet Club if the court didn’t prove attractive to wildlife and, sure enough, within two weeks a fox decided to scratch around in a couple of places in search of some tasty morsel. Luckily his or her appetite was sated quickly and the damage was minimal. Derek attended to the damage asap and there have been no subsequent visits.

Please keep replacing the eight wire cages around the hoop holes and any visible damaged areas as this is really paying dividends.

Evan’s next challenge is to treat the patches of clover that seem to appear every season and he has told me that he has ordered the necessary product from Brighton and Hove Council.

We are now seven weeks into our 2018 croquet season and, following a delayed start due to the persistent rain in early April, the weather has generally been kind to us enabling many of us to make frequent visits to the Club.

We have held two End of Month Tournaments and thanks to Paul and Judy Hilton and Derek and Sally Mepham for running these.

Denise and I won the April Tournament and, rather embarrassingly for me, were featured in the June/July issue of Rottingdean Village news. The magazine has strict deadlines, so I had written the article before the tournament took place leaving a space for the photograph of the winners and look what happened!

The photograph of May’s winners is far more interesting as it looks as though Brenda and Nick H have just won the End of Month Tournament at The Sahara Desert Croquet Club.

Unfortunately, the camera taking the picture was set on video mode, making it necessary for a whole lot of processes to be undertaken in order for a still to be made from the available 1.9 second long action packed video. Hence the parched appearance of the court and the somewhat contradictory caption ‘Perfect Pic’!

April End of Month Tournament Winners

May End of Month Tournament Winners

We have five new full members who have been undertaking coaching on Friday afternoons. Four full members decided not to rejoin the Club in 2018 for a variety of reasons. Hence we have a full membership of 54 compared with last season’s 53.

Isobel, Mike O, Ivan and Margery continue to undertake their coaching duties on a regular basis. We have coaching programmes at various levels for both Golf and Association Croquet and thanks go to all who help run these sessions.

On 28^th May several Association Croquet players met up and, with some coaching tips from Frances, had a fun morning introducing the game to one of our existing members who is embarking on learning how to play the game.

Forthcoming Association Croquet events include a friendly match at Rother Valley on 26^th June and Ladies’ Day at Southwick on 4^th July.

We have played two friendly Golf Croquet matches. The first was against West Chiltington (away) where we were soundly beaten on courts very different from our own. The grass was so long it was a real achievement for some members to get their ball all the way to the next hoop! Local knowledge was a real advantage.

Thanks to Denise, Trevor, John and Sue E for representing us.

We fared much better against Littlehampton (home) winning the match 4-2. Well done Wray, Alan, John S and Mike H.

As ever, we must thank Wray for organising these matches on our behalf and Jackie for helping Wray in hosting all our home matches.

We have played the first of our four Golf Croquet Restricted Level Play League matches against Sussex County CC (Southwick) on 22^nd May.

The match consists of a doubles and two singles matches in the morning and four singles matches in the afternoon.

In the morning session Ivan and I lost our doubles match and Trevor and Wray both lost their singles matches. Therefore, with a 3-0 score to Sussex County CC, things were looking rather glum for Rottingdean CC at the lunch table.

I’m not sure what it was that Sussex County actually served up for lunch but, whatever it was, it energised our team who promptly went out and won all the afternoon singles matches finishing up 3-4 winners!

The Hilda Clements Golf Croquet Tournament is now underway and one or two matches have been played already. In order to avoid a last minute rush, please try to arrange your matches sooner rather than later.

All matches must be played by Friday 13^th July and thanks to Derek for organising the tournament so efficiently.

If anyone is in need of help with the online court booking system please do not hesitate to contact me and I’ll be happy to help. I know that opinions are divided on this change to the court booking system, but I would ask members to give it a try and persevere as, like anything new, it’s easy when you know how.

We are looking forward to our forthcoming Away Day ay Gyll Manor on 20^th June. This is a new venue for the Club and we must thank Denise for her careful research and negotiation on our behalf. Here’s hoping for a fine day.

A reminder that Kipling Gardens are unlocked on a Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays (Evan unlocks during the working week) and locked up every day by a group of local volunteers. The gates are locked from 7:00pm to 9:00am to help with not only the security of the gardens themselves, but also of our Club.

If you are locked in after 7:00pm there is key to the padlock on the south gate available in the toilet area. Please unlock the padlock and replace the key in the toilet before snapping shut the padlock on your departure.

Understandably, the organiser of the volunteers is reluctant to give out keys to a large number of people, so we are unable to provide a key for every member. With the exception of coaches who unlock for early morning coaching sessions, it is unlikely that there will be a need for members to have access to the Club before 9:00am.

The system works very well and we are grateful to the volunteers who make time to fulfil their duties. Please thank them if you get the opportunity.

Meanwhile keep on enjoying your croquet and I leave you with a quote from Rose Macaulay (early 20^th Century novelist) who was clearly not a previous member of Rottingdean CC “….so they left the subject and played croquet, which is a very good game for people who are annoyed with one another, giving many opportunities for venting rancor.”

 

May Newsletter 2019

On 13^th September members gathered for the tournament marking the first day of our 2019 season. I think that the number 13 was an indicator of how things would go as, after two rounds, the Heavens opened and play was abandoned! Thanks to Paul and Judy for organising things so well only to be thwarted by the weather.

However, the court was looking superb thanks to the efforts of Derek and his small team of volunteers who, in addition to liaising with Brighton and Hove Parks and Gardens in the absence of Evan, had made sure that everything was marked out and installed as it should have been.

Derek and Wray measuring up and hammering in the hoops

– mind those fingers!

Evan’s absence could mean that the upkeep of the gardens may not be done to the standard to which he aspired, but the signs are, after four weeks into the season, that you should notice little difference in the standard of the playing surface of the court. Trevor has agreed to undertake watering duties which is a huge help and we are all very grateful to him for doing this on our behalf.

At the moment welcome repairs are being undertaken to some of the flint wall constructions on the approach to the Club and also to the crazy paving pathway which has long needed some attention. These works, being undertaken by Brighton and Hove City Council, are quite extensive and may go on for a while which means that, temporarily, we must all take the scenic route to the Club in order to skirt around the working area. Please do not try to cut through the area marked with the red barriers.

While on the general subject of Kipling Gardens, I can update you on the situation regarding the bees which caused some concern last Tuesday when they swarmed around the court causing some members to stop play and leave the area. The bees are owned by Rottingdean Preservation Society who have had no success in finding an experienced bee keeper to look after them following the leaving of Bob Curtis, former Chair of the local Beekeepers Association. Hence, they have written to Brighton and Hove Parks Department requesting that the bee colonies be removed from Kipling Gardens even if only on a temporary basis until the problem is solved.

Various coaching groups for both Golf Croquet and Association Croquet have been formed and the full coaching programme has begun.

The Coach says to one of the GC Improvers’ Group, “Try to put the ball here.”

……………and, when taking a jump shot, “This is where you are aiming to strike the ball.”

………….and Jill tries to do just that!

Thank you to all our coaches for giving up their time to help to improve the overall standard of play in RCC. It is very much appreciated.

On 12^th May we joined many other clubs in the country by celebrating National Croquet Day. From 1pm until 4pm the court was open to any members of the public to play croquet alongside members. We had several visitors of all age ranges who came along for a taster session which helped raise the profile of croquet as a game and may well lead to future applications to RCC. Thanks go to Derek for organising the afternoon and all members who came along to help guide and coach our visitors around the court. Although I was there to help meet and greet our visitors and play a little croquet, I omitted to take any photographs of what was a very successful afternoon. Apologies, as it was an excellent opportunity to showcase our contribution to the Rottingdean community.

The last Saturday in April was another less than inviting day in terms of the weather which happened to coincide with our End of Month Tournament. However, twelve members and Alan Stiles, our EOM organiser, braved the elements and six pairs took part in the competition which was narrowly won by new member, David and The Chair. Thanks to Alan for officiating in person for April’s tournament and for scheduling all the volunteers for the remaining EOM Tournaments this season.

Sally, Lydia and David find spectating a little chilly!

Isobel and Trish out on the court – woollen hats ‘de rigeur’

April EOM Winners (in co-ordinating matching waterproofs) pose with their prizes with Alan, while Trish gathers in the hoops in the background

May’s EOM Tournament was well attended in warm sunshine and Richard did a fine job in terms of organisation. The only pair to win all three of their matches, resulting in them being crowned the winners, was Brenda and Alan. Congratulations to them both.

Proud May EOM Winners – Brenda and Alan

Richard’s Debut as a Tournament Organiser Was a Very Successful One

and

……………..and the May Sunshine Brought Out the Crowds

The first Friendly GC Match of season was played away at West Chiltington. Wray, Jackie, Alison and I travelled over to their beautiful location on Tuesday 21^st May which was a warm sunny day. We played two doubles matches and won them both followed by four singles matches of which we won two, making the overall result a 4 – 2 victory to Rottingdean.

We thought we were merely playing in a friendly GC match but, as you can see from the photo taken by one of the opposition, we found ourselves in what looks like an episode from what was a very popular Sunday evening television programme!

Wray and Jackie pursuing their part time career as extras in

‘The Durrells Play Croquet’

Thanks must go to Trish for taking on the role of managing the Club’s website following Simon’s leaving of the Club. This newsletter and other information can also be found on the Club’s website together with the online court booking system.

On Wednesday 12^th June we are planning to go on our first Away Day of the season to Michelham Priory. Thanks to Alison and Jill for organising this in the absence of a Social Secretary. Also, we are grateful to Sheila and Sue who have taken on the responsibility of organising our Away Day to Horsted Place later in the season, arranged for Tuesday August 22^nd. Ann and Elaine are organising our Christmas Lunch, the date and venue for which have yet to be decided and Wray Judy and I are getting together to be responsible for the organisation of the Quiz Night sometime towards the end of October.

It looks as though we have all our usual social events covered despite having no Social Secretary for this season which is testimony to Denise’s successful programme in previous years. Our thanks go to her for her help and advice to this season’s team of volunteers.

Some rule changes have been introduced to Golf Croquet from March of this year and we are starting to get to grips with them thanks to some members who have been on explanatory courses. Coaches and other members who are au fait with the changes will, where appropriate, point them out to fellow Club members if and when the need presents itself in play.

Lastly a photograph taken by Richard of our newest recruit, Robin, who is checking to see that the standard of cleaning of the pavilion has been maintained to the expected levels.

‘Did I just see a few biscuit crumbs or is that just dust from members opening up their mallet covers for the first time?’

Enjoy your croquet everyone.

Brian