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Update to the Successful Handicap Meeting

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Federation Handicap Meeting – Saturday 25 March

The Federation’s workshop on Handicapping was well attended at Bury with about two dozen Club Handicappers & Team Captains making an appearance to discuss the various changes made by the CA for the coming season and to reinforce the need to accurately maintain our cards . The meeting had four CA Handicappers present to field all the raised issues & questions, led by Don Williamson from the CA Committee. 

Here is a more detailed report from the Federation Secretary, David Walters:

NW Fed Handicap Workshop, 25/3/17 at Bury Croquet Club
Leader: Don Williamson

The Purpose of Handicaps is to provide a level playing field to allow 2 players to have an equal chance of winning. Weaker player gets extra turns.

Automatic Handicapping System provided by CA. Relies on players keeping cards accurately. Requires at least 10 competitive games play per season. Wins increase index, losses decrease index. Trigger points cause handicap to change.

Do all NW Fed Clubs have Club Handicappers for both AC & GC? Please check both NW & CA website are correct.

Club Handicappers should review all cards at least once a year.

Limits on who can make what changes on CA website.

AHS doesn’t cope with rapid improvements- hence need for intervention by Handicapper.

Appeals – Club Handicapper can’t over rule CA Handicapper’s change. Ideally there should be communication between Handicappers re rationale. Should there be an appeals process within Federation? Final arbiter is CA Handicap Committee.

Drift within small pools. Tendency for handicaps to increase should be offset by comparison against players from other clubs / federations.

Setting Initial Handicaps – Don’t default to highest available Handicap. Should use tests laid out on CA website to assess initial handicaps for both AC & GC. Make this part of Introductory Course / on joining / before first competitive game.

Competitive Games vs Social Play. All organised games under CA rules should be recorded on cards.

Do all clubs display the CA poster on how to complete a handicap card? Do all clubs display an up to date list of handicaps?

Index should not decrease below the minimum points (850 AC full lawn, 30 AC Short, 900 GC)

Returning Players – after a break, players should use their old handicap unless medical reasons. If so, a CA Handicapper should be consulted re appropriate change.

Short Croquet – League Rule changes – full bisque play. There is a correlation between full lawn and Short. If full lawn handicap decreases, them short lawn handicap should decrease.

Handicap Changes should be recorded on cards & reported to CA Office. Changes take effect at the end of the day, or at the end of an event held over consecutive days.

Sources
CA Website

Guide for Club Handicappers
https://www.croquet.org.uk/?p=games/golf/handicapping/ClubHandicappers

 

2017 Spring Meeting Executive Summary and Minutes

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NWFCC Spring Club Meeting 2017 – Executive Summary

27 people attended the Spring Meeting at Culcheth on 4th March 2017. Chairman Garry Wilson updated members on the CA Working Party currently discussing CA Governance and the Role of the Federations, the north west committee had discussed this in great detail and submitted recommendations to the working party. League Manager, Ivan Wheatley, reported the Advanced A League will not be running this year but we still have 46 teams competing in six different leagues for 2017. Coaching Officer, Paul Rigge confirmed GC coaching to be run at Craig-y-Don and Tattenhall, there will be an AC Silver level course at both Chester and Llanfairfechan. A referees course had been held at Bowdon and there is a club Handicappers meeting on 25th March. CA Representative John Dawson updated the meeting on the requirement for all clubs to report any safeguarding incidents to the CA. The CA will be appointing a full time National Development Officer and there are also updated tournament regulations. Once again consternation was expressed about the delayed implementation of the new national IT system. The draft league rules for 2017 were accepted. The Southport motion to change the B League to an A League (without scratch players) was overwhelmingly rejected. The Bowdon motion to abandon the extra time in Short league matches when games are double banked, was accepted.
The date of the next meeting, the Federation AGM, will be held on 18th November 2017.

(Above is a personal interpretation by Tony Thomas)

You can read the full Minutes here – Minutes of 2017 Spring Meeting

 

New Pennine Trophy for Golf Croquet

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New North West v North East Challenge Trophy

Calling all Golf Croquet players with Handicaps in the range 0 to 8 – we are looking for eight of you too contest the inaugural Penning Golf Croquet Trophy against the East Pennines.

The event is based at the wonderful Ripon Spa Hotel in Yorkshire over the weekend of  2nd/3rd September 2017.

The aim is to match players of similar handicaps in series of Singles and Doubles games.

Contact David Crawford at Chester CC to enter or for further information:

Tel: 01352 740 515 or Email: davidc@dscrybe.com 

 

The following has been sent out to all north west clubs:

INVITATION to join a group of 8 GC players from the West for the

TRANS-PENNINE GC FRIENDLY WEEKEND

There is a friendly tournament for GC players over the weekend of September 2nd / 3rd. In 2017 it will be held at the lovely Ripon Croquet Club, housed in the gardens of Ripon Spa Hotel (which has accommodation, facilities, catering etc.). There is alternative accommodation also available in the area.

Players will get together for a series of singles and doubles play – and the intention is to match players against an opponent or opponents who would not normally be playing each other.  It is expected that the lower limit of handicap entry will be a 0 (scratch), and players will be in the range 0-8.  Teams will be 8 players from the East (mainly Ripon CC) of the Pennines, and one team from the West.  The nominal winning side will be the one that manages to gain the highest totalled individual winning points.  The prize, a coveted wooden flower, will grace the rear of any mantle piece.

Dates: 2nd and 3rd September
Times:  Saturday – 9.30 for 9.45 start, continuing until dusk
                Sunday – 10.00am start, continuing until lunchtime
Contact: David Crawford:  davidc@dscrybe.com  or 01352 740515
Catering: Details of facilities available on request

BOOK EARLY FOR ‘WEST’ BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE A FIRST-COME, FIRST PLAY BASIS

The West

 

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