October 2024 Golf Croquet Tournament

After a very wet winter and the delay of the annual July tournament due to the unplayable greens, the annual East Coast Tournament will now be held on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th October 2024 continuing our tradition in St Helens. Once again, our focus will be on ensuring everyone has a fun weekend of light-hearted competition and informative instruction, all designed to enhance your Golf Croquet skills.

 The cost is $25 per head which includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and the playing fee. On Saturday, Registration begins at 9.30am and Play commences at 10.00am. Play concludes at approximately 4pm or earlier for those who may wish to relax a little before dinner.

As usual, all players, partners and guests are invited to dinner on Saturday evening at Parkside Bar & Grill commencing at approximately 5.45pm for 6.00pm. Please advise the President if you wish to join us for dinner (including any dietary requirements) so that the booking can be made by mid-October.

Sundays’ activities commence at 10.00am and include tuition and games conducted by Patsy Paine. Morning tea and a light lunch will be provided. Players can continue games until they are exhausted! We look forward to welcoming you.

Contact details: Email: sthelenscroquet@gmail.com

Margaret Williams: 0407 492 765 (President) or

Bruce Knight: 0429 033 392 (Secretary)

Croquet Tasmania has agreed to run the international event The Openshaw Shield from the 17 to 23 February 2025 at the Northern Croquet Centre at St. Leonards.

The best eight, Tier 1 Golf Croquet teams in the world will be competing in what should be an exciting and skilful week of croquet.

Unfortunately, these events are expensive to organise and run and some fund-raising measures are being implemented to defray the costs which are expected to be around $40,000.

Whilst sponsorship and other revenues are expected, Graham and Jane Hyland, members of the Kingston and Sandy Bay clubs, have generously offered to organise and run a Silent Auction to assist in fund-raising.

Details of the auction are on the Croquet Tasmania website croquettas.com/fundraiser-silent-auction-2024/ where you can see the items donated by members and bidding details.

Whilst there is already a very impressive array of items to auction, local Clubs and members to requested to further contribute to the auction. It is still not too late to do so and anything that you could offer would be most appreciated, plus obviously your bids on current items would be great.

Email the TCA Treasurer, Jane Hyland on treasurercroquettas@gmail.com with details of donations (including photos).

Please help Croquet Tasmania successfully run this event.

Graham Keating

President

Croquet Tasmania

Calling all volunteers. We need your help in February 2025.

The World Croquet Federation GC Teams Championship will be held in Launceston between 17-23 February 2025.

Teams from Spain, USA, New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Egypt and South Africa will be playing for the coveted Openshaw Trophy.

This is your chance to see 32 world-class GC players in action.

Volunteers will be needed for the many tasks that make a GC competition successful.  Please register your interest ASAP on the form available on the Croquet Tas Website. Details of the various tasks are also detailed on the Website. Training will be provided and rosters drawn up well in advance.

A highly successful Tasmanian Hi-Lo Doubles event was held at the Sandy Bay Croquet Club over the weekend 9 – 11 August 2024. A total of 12 teams competed which necessitated dividing the field into two blocks of six teams with the winner of each block contesting a Final. 

The winner of Block A was John Hutchison and Sue Downer and the winner of Block B was Graham Hyland and Carol Hanigan.

In an enthralling and at times high standard final, the team of John Hutchison and Sue Downer from the Eastern Shore Croquet Club, came out on top, winning 14 to 9.

Congratulations to the winners and well done to all competitors. It would seem that some of the newer players really enjoyed the format over the three days and it is hoped they will continue with AC in the future.

Competitors in the 2024 Tasmanian Hi - Lo Event
Competitors in the 2024 Tasmanian Hi - Lo Event at Sandy Bay
The winner of Block A was John Hutchison and Sue Downer of Eastern Shore
The winners were John Hutchison and Sue Downer of Eastern Shore Croquet Club

A big thank you to Jane Hyland for efficiently managing the event and to the Sandy Bay Club for providing wonderful playing conditions and the many volunteers for their great hospitality.

Croquet Australia are excited to announce the Australian Team selected to play in the 2025 Golf Croquet World Team Championship Tier 1, Openshaw Shield.

Congratulations to Robert Fletcher, Greg Fletcher, Malcolm Fletcher and Edward Wilson.

The Openshaw Shield will be held between Monday, 17 to Sunday 23 February 2025 at the Northern Tasmanian Croquet Centre, St Leonards, Tasmania.

8 full-sized courts will be available to host the 8 teams of 4 players who will compete.

The competing teams are:

🇳🇿 New Zealand (Holders)

🇦🇺 Australia

🇪🇬 Egypt

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

🇮🇪 Ireland

🇿🇦 South Africa

A red and yellow flag

Description automatically generated Spain

🇺🇸 USA

Format:
The format will be block play followed by a knock-out Championship.
Full details of the format will be published in the specific Event
Regulations prior to the event.

Schedule
Block Play: Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th February 2025.
Championship Knockout and Plate: Thursday 20th February to Sunday 23rd February.

Key Personnel

Event Lead: Graeme Roberts
Tournament Director: TBA
Tournament Manager: Paul Godard
DTM/Plate Manager: Sylvia Wing
Tournament Referee: Lizzie Bassett (Tasmania Director of Refereeing)
Secretary: Jane Hyland (current Secretary of CT)
Treasurer: Peter Tracey (current Treasurer of CT)

Livestreaming: It is anticipated that live streaming will be provided for the
event. This will be confirmed closer to the event.

Here are the general playing times and lawn allocations.

Mornings 9.30am – 12:30pm Afternoons 1:00pm – 4.00pm

NORMAL PLAYING SCHEDULE            

DayMorningAfternoon
 Lawn 1Lawn 2Lawn 1Lawn 2
MondayAssociation *AssociationGolfGolf
TuesdayAssociationAssociationGolfGolf
WednesdayGolfGolfAssociation #Association
ThursdayAssociationAssociationGolfGolf
FridayAssociation *GolfGolfGolf
SaturdayNo Set PlayNo Set PlayNo Set PlayNo Set Play
SundayNo Set PlayNo Set PlayNo Set PlayNo Set Play

# Coaching both Association and Golf

*Modified Rules are often used in this session

Grass Clippings

We produce a fair volume of very fine and normal grass clippings from our mowing activities. If anyone requires such clippings and other general green waste, then drop into the Club and have a look a what we have. If you want some, take it. It is free of charge.

Pennant Competitions

The 2024 Association Croquet Inter Club Pennant season is just around the corner.

Division 1 starts on the 14th August and concludes on the 2nd October 2024

Division 2 starts on the 15 August and concludes on the 3rd October 2024

There will be a two week break between late August to the 8th September to facilitate those players participating in the Australian Golf Croquet Men’s and Women’s Singles and the Golf Croquet Inter State Shield being held on the Sunshine Coast.

The Hi-Lo AC Competition is on again

The popular Tasmanian Association Croquet Hi-Lo Handicap Doubles Competition is being held between the 9th – 11th August at the Sandy Bay Croquet Club. This is a wonderful opportunity for higher handicap players to team up with a lower handicap player and enhance your skills and have a lot of fun at the same time. Play will be conducted on an alternative shot basis.

Entries close on Friday, 2nd August. Entries will be limited so be quick to enter.

Interested in playing Croquet?

We conduct regular coaching sessions on Wednesday afternoons. If you would like to come along and have a go, just turn up just before 1.00pm. A small fee applies for a six-week coaching package, which is then deducted from your membership fees in the event you decide to join the Club.

Our very own John Hutchison (Hutch) is not only a very fine Croquet player and an AC State Team representative, he also produces Association Croquet instruction videos on YouTube. They are easily understood, precise and are short in duration. They are particularly useful for the AC player learning the game and are highly recommended. They are both educational and entertaining.

To access these videos, simply click on the following link. Then click on his name to view the other 30 videos. If you would like notifications of future videos click the Subscribe Button (there is no cost).

SENIORS WEEK

The Club will once again participate in Seniors Week this year. The likely date will be Thursday, 17th October and this is a great opportunity for senior members of our community to come along to the Club and have a go at Croquet and learn the fundamentals of the game. There will be several members available to assist with the basics of the game and to show you around our facilities.

NATIONAL GOLF CROQUET TEAMS SELECTED

Congratulations to John Colquhoun for again being selected in the Tasmanian Golf Croquet Team to play in the National titles in Queensland in September 24. Also, congratulations to Carol Inches on her selection as a Reserve in the Women’s Team. The full teams are;

Men:

John Colquhoun, Paul Godard (Vice Captain), Ben King, Malcolm Maney, Phil Roach (Captain). The reserves are Chris Hurford, Noel Hiskins and John Lee-Archer.

Women:

Janis Brooker, Carol Hanigan, Jane Hyland, Patsy Paine (Team Manager), Yvonne Shaw and Carol Inches (Reserve).

TCA APPOINTMENTS

Ian Smith has again been re-elected Competition Convenor of the TCA and

Daryl Jacobs has been elected as a GC Selector (3 years from October 2024)

Thank you both for representing the Club and contributing your time to these important tasks.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Ben King from the Sandy Bay Croquet Club (Associate Member of Eastern Shore) for winning the recent ACA Golf Croquet Gold Medal, defeating our own John Colquhoun in the Final match. Ben will now represent Tasmania in the National GC Gold Medal event to be held on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland between 28 – 30 August 2024.

Ben King (left) and John Colquhoun (right)
Ben King (left) and John Colquhoun (right)

IN APPRECIATION TO PAM HAMILTON

A practice lawn has been a work in progress at the Club for many months and was recently declared fit for play. In honour of her long and outstanding service to the Club and the sport generally and a Life Member of the Club, it was decided to name the lawn The Pam Hamilton Practice Lawn. It was officially opened on the 20th May, following the Annual General Meeting.

Mr John Jacob (Patron of the Club) congratulating
Mr John Jacob (Patron of the Club) congratulating

Pam Hamilton following the opening of the Pam Hamilton

Practice Lawn

Thanks to our Sponsor

John Dowe Business card

JUNE 2024 Monthly Memo

We welcome Arthur Lathouris and Steve Andrewartha to the committee and welcome back Liz Madden

Dates for you to diarise!

  • Grandparents Day 10th July 12.45pm
  • Healthy Tasmania 8th September 10-11.30
  • Celebratory Club Day 14th September
  • SBCC Bunnings BBQ - Saturday 7th December - looking to volunteers - talk to Marg Jennings or Ann Murray

Please remember your Committee welcomes suggestions of a substantive nature and queries can be directed to the committee members at any time. We welcome your input and assistance in all club matters.                 

APRIL 2024 Monthly Memo

 We have had many comments from players, officials and visitors regarding our wonderful club. With interstate competitors praising our lawns as the best they had played on in Australia. Thank you again to all who contributed to the successful Eire Cup and Medals Competitions. You all did our Club proud.

Dates for you to diarise!

  • GC Pennant some Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – keep an eye on the whiteboard
  • New Members Welcome evening - Wednesday 10th April 5pm
  • GC Handicap Singles and AC Club Championships to be held in April
  • ACA GC Bronze Medal at SBCC 10-12 May – entries are by invitation of the GC Selectors
  • AGM - Saturday 18th May 10am
  • Friends School – 29th and 31st May – small groups coming to play 11.45-12.45
  • Healthy Tasmania 8th September 10-11.30
  • SBCC Bunnings BBQ - Saturday 7th December - looking to volunteers - talk to Marg Jennings or Ann Murray

 Please remember your Committee welcomes suggestions of a substantive nature and queries can be directed to the committee members at any time. We welcome your input and assistance in all club matters.                 

Tasmanian Croquet Venues

Copyright Croquet Tasmania 2024.
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