The sun shone brightly on the Broadwas lawns on Thursday when the club held its annual Veterans golf croquet tournament.
The one day competition is open to any club members who are eighty and above. This year, twelve players entered the popular competition and produced some highly entertaining and skilful golf croquet despite the pretty intense heat.
Sadly, after Round 1 of the competition, Keith and Gill Brooks had to withdraw from the tournament when Keith fell ill. Our best wishes to Keith and Gill and we hope for a speedy recovery.
Held under GC handicap rules, the skilful use of marbles produced some close games between the remaining competitors who comprised Patrick Linturn, Gerry Stevens, Chris Croft, Dave Holt, Derry Bancroft, David Harington, Roger Wood, Janet Barber and Alan Stevens.
Organised by Gill Richardson, aided by Club Captain John Guy, the tournament began with three rounds followed by two semi-finals and a final
Round one saw a 7-2 win over Patrick Linturn for last year’s finalist Gerry Stevens and a 7-5 win for Chris Croft over Derry Bancroft. Last year’s tournament winner Eileen Holt beat Gill Brooks 7-4, while David Harington beat under-the-weather Keith Brooks, 7-5. The clashes between Roger Wood and Dave Holt and Janet Barber and Alan Stevens both went to thirteen hoops, with Roger and Janet both victorious with 7-6 scorelines.
The reduced second round produced another win for Chris, this time 7-5 over Patrick. Gerry beat Derry 7-5 in their game, while David Harington beat Eileen 7-2. Dave Holt beat Alan Stevens 7-3, while Roger beat the club’s longest serving member, Janet Barber, 7-4.
In the third round, Patrick came back from two defeats by beating Derry 7-5, but Gerry lost her first game of the tournament 3-7 to Chris. Meanwhile, in a thirteen hooper on Lawn 5, Eileen pipped Alan for a win at 7-6. Dave Holt earned his place in a semi-final on Lawn 4, when he beat Janet Barber 7-3. Roger clinched his place in the semi’s by beating David Harington, 7-5.
In the semi-finals, Chris Croft beat Roger Wood 7-4 on Lawn 3, while Dave Holt grabbed a place in the final by pipping David Harington at the 13th hoop, 7-6, on Lawn 2.
In a gripping final, Chris Croft finally tamed a spirited display by Dave Holt, to win the game 7-4.
Not only did Chris win the tournament, he also discovered in the clubhouse later that his handicap had also effectively reduced to nine over the day’s play. Double joy!
Club President John Steel presented the Veteran’s Trophy to Chris. He said it’s the fifth time the tournament has been played.
After he received the trophy, Chris said “The games were played in the best possible spirit.” He added “The organisation of the tournament was extremely well done.” He congratulated Gill on a job well done.
Congratulations to Chris on his win. I sensed he was waiting for a tiny, tiny bottle of champagne, but none came.
Also, thanks to the players for an entertaining day’s play and special thanks to Gill Richardson for her organisation and to John Guy for his assistance and his mathematics wizardry in working out the statistics.
More pictures from the day below.
Paul Felton
