Bright warm sunshine, full blue sky but numbers attending got hit by the road from Skipton
being totally closed for road-works. So fourteen made it via the back roads for todays play.
Week's winner - Marie, after a shoot at the peg from penalty area tie-break with David
Another windy but warm(-ish) day saw the Chester arrive in Earby for their short lawn match.
Thanks must go to Robin, Ged and Gabby whose last minute call ups ensured the game could
go ahead.
The first three rounds went 2 games each leaving it 12-12 before the final round which
turned out to be 2.5 - 15.5 to Pendle. But why the (half)? It turns out that Gabby and Pat's
last game went to time and after their final turns was still 8-8. Thinking that was it
they finished the game as a draw, rather than going to a golden hoop, and they started
packing up the lawn.
Result: Pendle & Craven 8.5, Chester 7.5 (tbc)
I'm not sure if the result will stand as is, because Gabby and Pat did agree to end as
a draw or that game will be nulled or something else? I have sent the results to
David Cornes with an explanation. So we'll see..
Paul D
This series has expanded yet again, so that Nationally it now comprises of 26 rounds,
leading to a final weekend with only 16(ish) places available...
will leave that problem for others to ponder..meanwhile at Earby;
What a great day! The sun shone throughout and the wind died for the first time in I don't
know how long.A total of 12 participants were split into 2 groups of 6.
The blocks lead to straight KO starting with QFs for the top four from each block.
The final was competed between Frank Sharps & Tom Grievson (The 2 oldest in the field!) Tom
won 7-4....
Sue L'Anson won the Plate competition with a 7-4 win over Marcia Henderson.
Mention should be made of our own Andrea who lost in the semi final to Tom 5-6, belying
the fact that her index for seeding purposes was reduced by 100 pior to the first draw.
1-Tom Grievson from Frank Sharps, Malcolm Daines, Andrea Widdison,
Special thanks go to Libby for providing wonderful food & two of the visitors Sandy & Sue,
both of whom assisted Libby with the catering.
A good day; enjoyed by all.
It is with deepest sadness that we report the passing of club member and former
Treasurer today. As we who knew him know, he put up a brave fight, undergoing
many sessions of Chemo and usually always rallying with a smile. In recent
times however as the body grew weaker the time between his visits to the club got longer.
Our thoughts & prayers, of course, now rest with Gill.
Dull start to session but brightened up as afternoon played out Nineteen attendees
and our Graham contested the muliple games.
Week's winner - Syd (who ducked last week).
Today we welcomed the Crake Valley Level Play Golf team to Earby on a bright but blustery day.
Despite some battling performances from the home team, Crake won the match 11-7.
Congratulations go to Mike, winning 4 games, and triggering to 6.
Paul D
Peter Wilson;
Happy to report a Full Field of sixteen players assembled in sunshine for a full weekends play.
All went well
Neil smashed the B Class - beating Steve Skelton in the final round.
His handicap triggered from 5 to 4.5 but the attending
CA Handicapper cut him further to 3 (amid cheers and congratulations!) from the field
Neil specially mentioned Liz Wilson (Fylde CC) and Paul Rigge (CA Coach) with whom he has
been practicing and attending NW Coaching sessions.
The tournament ran as a Swiss Amalfi System (Search Wiki) . This concept turned out very well
and did indeed produce the promised last round 'big match'.
The lawns were unusually slow at first, perhaps suffering from the Cotton Mills damp air? But
returned to normal on Sunday with a warm breeze and a little sun.
Libby was a star and really should be thanked by the committee
Cleaned the whole place on Friday and on Sunday morning
Cooked one lunch and provided the afternoon tea and did most of the tidying, wahing up etc
(with Liz)
The U3A group run by our Graham returned for the new season. Seventeen braved the drizzle but
such was the positivity, the blue sky soon replaced the damp and the clamour for games began.
First session included two newbies (Kathy & Linda - welcome).
First winnerof 2022 - David Ball, (who cruised it).
Yes, it's true - the 'Northern Pavillion' finally rises from the ground!
Workers responsible for the erection? L-R;
Richard, Vince, Peter, *New* Andrew & Steve (with a little from Libby & Rigge)
Today it was Social Sunday. 6 members turned out. We enjoyed golf croquet and One Ball practice
as Andrea has won through to the One Ball Final at Nottingham on the 8th May through her
primary club Ripon.
Andrea entertained those present at lunch with her latest croquet themed poem.
Look out for our next "Social Croquet"
A big welcome to our latest new member Andrew. Keep up your practice as you are proving to
be a natural at this game. Several of us are trembling with your accuracy and you
have only been 3 times!
Today saw a sunny but very breezy days Croquet as the first matches in the 2022 Golf
Croquet Handicap Competition commenced.
Pendle team, Mike, Sheila,Dave and Sharon proved to be very strong opponents only losing
by one game. All the game results were very close and had the results been based on hoops
run Pendle would have had a victory running 95 hoops against Westmorland's 92 hoops.
Tea and cake with friendly, relaxed conversation was enjoyed in the sunshine by all as the
breeze lessened and Pendle wished Westmorland good luck in their future games and a
safe journey home.
Today saw the working party of five enjoying a lunch break. Lawns mowed, whitelined,
hoops in place, side makers installed and 5 all play all tournament.
Fantastic company. A big thank you also goes to the fairies who have cleaned the club house.
Good luck to our Golf Handicap Team tomorrow.
PS Paul Dowdall won the day with 5 wins. Congratulations Paul.
What to do for the best about Covid now that the mask mandate has been dropped along with all 'distancing' guidance we've suffered under for the last two years - well play croquet of course, preferably in the sunshine on fine dry courts. Fortunately Earby delivered just such over the early bank holiday. Not saying we didn't get any rain, we did, but it confined itself to the rules of 'Camelot' - rain once, in the small hours of Monday.
Fourteen players sensibly booked their places in this friendly (either Hcp or Adv) AC format
tournament to be faced with four freshly laid-out courts
In the very first round on Friday, a CA Bronze medal was gained with a further award (Silver)
being earned upon the Saturday by the eventual overall winner.
In line with previous years, the tradition of buttered Hot Cross Buns for all on Good
Friday & choccy Eggs on Sunday were available.
This year it took until the very last round on Monday for the Major trophies to be decided,
such was the competition by those in contention, so after 66 games, the following
overall results were presented;
John Beech Handicap Trophy - Ged Smolskas
Peter Dowdall Cup (adv) - Paul Rigge.
Under 10 Handicap Trophy - Richard Harding
10 & Over Handicap Trophy - David Harding
Fastest Game - David Harding (42mins Vs Lee Hartley)
Most Games - Lee Hartley.
a different kind of down-pour
Can you make a conribution?
Today under bright blue skies and 13 deg, though the wind gave a slight chill factor, 8 members
enjoyed the lawns after their first mow with the John Deere.
Lawn 1 hoops were repositioned to provide a more accurate practice.
Pre-season work party arrived on meteorological spring day to loads of 'White Rabbit'
greetings under the clear blue sky ..ostensibly to dig out foundations for the new Northern
Pavilion, but other jobs were completed too; clearing entrance of storm damaged sign and
court 5 rain shelter, hedge trimming; charging both batteries on Deere & Viking and clearing
hut of mud & autumnal leaves.
Thanks due to ; Sharon, Karen, Vince, Riggey, Jim, Helen, David, Libby & Pete.
Lunch time arrived with Karen & Libby on kitchen duty.. copious bacon or sausage butties poured
out for all.. seconds (& thirds) were mandatory and the order of the day.
After lunch? Well the courts were laid out for games/practice of course.
And after all of these activities; Karen had collected £65 for the Ukrainian Refugees.
Donated via UNICEF before dusk fell..
Busiest day of the year..(so far!), with thirteen members enjoying the 'mild' temperatures - well it is mild for January and winter is still awaited.
Blue Sky & members entering names into on-line Diary to turn-up and play
So time to give first cut of year - out came the Allett mower to give a 'once-over' down the
left hand side - courts 2 through 4 were 'striped' and hoops reset on four.
What's not to like - good company from club mates and balls rolling about in bright sunshine.
The World Croquet Federation has today issued a update to the 'starting scores' table to be
utilized for any games played under this system from today (replacing last year's draft).
The full details of the data analysis and the rational for this change can be found on
the
WCF site.
The on-going trial will again be run throughout this year and you are
invited to give the game a try and, if you wish to, send feedback. Please let them know
your impressions and observations and also provide game results which show the
handicaps and/or DGrades of the players involved
Please use the dedicated email address set up for this purpose "advantagegc@worldcroquet.org"
- again, games played this way do *not* go on your card!.
...Let's have a great year...moving on