There’s Still Lots Of Activity At Broadwas Croquet Club!

Barry Kirby congratulates Peter Hill at the end of their epic blocks match on Thursday.

We may be plummeting towards the end of the season, but the enthusiasm for success in the club’s blocks competition hasn’t diminished.

Despite the heavy rainfall over the past couple of days, four club players turned out on an unexpectedly sunny Thursday morning, competing in two hard-fought three-game thrillers.

Gill Brooks and Brian Humphreys met on Lawn 2 in their match in the Pink Block, while Barry Kirby took on the club’s current ‘Most Improved Player’ – Peter Hill, on Lawn 3 in the Black Block.

Barry hooped from a distance with his magnificent jump shot against Peter.

Both matches contained 13-hoop games and both of the winners of the tie-break hoops went on to win their respective games overall.

Peter hoops his yellow. You can see the smile already beginning to form at the corners of his mouth.

Both games were highly entertaining, with all four players giving their all.

There was everything to play for in the Hill v Kirby match. Peter was aiming to not only improve his handicap, but also maintain his impressive lead in the ‘most-improved’ league table, whilst Barry was hoping to keep a firm grip on his status as a 4-handicap.

Gill Brooks hoops her red during the final game of her clash with Brian Humphreys.

Despite scoring a magnificent, jumped hoop with his black, Barry was unable to capitalise on his accuracy, eventually losing to the indefatigable Peter Hill (6-handicap), 7-5, 6-7, 4-7.

Meanwhile on the ‘show-lawn,’ 10-handicap Brian eventually beat Gill (11) on the 13th hoop in the last game. The final score was 6-7, 7-4, 7-6, to Brian.

Brian hoops blue from an acute angle.
Barry hoops his blue.
Really Brian! Is that absolutely necessary??!! That raspberry is now recorded for all posterity, I hope you know that!
Brian looks on anxiously as Gill clears his black with red.
There he goes again! Peter hoops his red from an impressive distance.


Peter Hill’s anonymous, yet sycophantic fan club, erected this message of support for their hero, in the clubhouse.
It was a hard couple of first games. Gill returns to the clubhouse for a refreshing cuppa before commencing the final game of the match.
I wonder who won??
Now, the hard work. The working out of the index change after a level play match.
Look at that liddle face! He was already the club leader in terms of index change at the end of August. That is the face of a man who know his index has risen astronomically, yet again.

The Club Bell

The club’s handbell has returned to the clubhouse after a splendid repair has been completed on the handle. The repair to the bell was organised by Gill Richardson.

The bell – donated to the club many years ago by founder member Janet Barber – has also received a sprucing up in the form of a varnishing, to the formerly well-worn and damaged handle.

The bell should make a return to active duty at Chris Croft’s Friday Roll-Up on September 27th.  

Gill Richardson with the clubhouse bell, restored to its former glory.

Annual Lunch

As you all know, the club’s Social Secretary Paula Armstrong is busy putting the final touches to the organisation of the club’s annual presentation lunch due to be held at the Royal Oak on Tuesday, November 19th.

The club hopes to hold another successful raffle at the lunch this year. Donations of raffle prizes from members would be very welcome. They may be left at the club, for the attention of Stuart Smith or Gill Richardson.

Lawn Status

With the weather having been well-short of clement over the past few days, it may be worth drawing your attention to a feature of the website that you may not be aware of.

As you know, emails are sent to all members as soon as possible if closures of the lawns have had to be imposed. But if you go on to the website, you can easily see the status of the lawns by going to the top of the Broadwas Croquet Club website page and pressing the Ground Status link.  The Ground Status link is updated whenever there are disruptions to play at the club.

Billy Cooke

Again, best of luck to Bill Cooke who is competing in the national GC C-Level (7+) Series final at Watford over the weekend of 28th and 29th of September.

Paul Felton