Kathleen Wright wins the Chester Cross-over GC
A full field of 16 countrywide players, met at Chester in fair weather to contest the inaugural Chester GC cross-over tournament, this year taking players of handicaps 1-8. With such a high level of interest, the tournament will be repeated on an annual basis and we hope that more players in the North West will consider entering.
New to golf croquet, John G Dawson of Chester, and the more experienced Jane Pringle of Auckland CC, took the joint honours in first day. Each player won six of their seven block games thus qualifying easily for the quarter finals for the Maggie Cowman Trophy. John fell in the semis to fellow Chester player Garry Greenwood while Bob Connop of Culcheth took the quarter against Jane 7-5. After a delay to finish most of the Plate and Bowl games, the final was played in a 19-point contest between Kath Wright and Garry Greenwood.
In a superb demonstration of how a skilled player can manage the tricky slope at Chester, Kath took a commanding lead. Then the game changed. Garry fought back with very considered play interspersed with spectacular hoop running. Kath held her nerve though, and took the Maggie Cowman Trophy 10-8. Taking the trophy home to Nottingham, she graciously donated her gift bottle of ‘Sloping Lawn’ wine to Garry.
The Telfords Plate was won by Freda Vitty of Aukland CC, who after a good meal the previous night was in unstoppable form on Sunday. It was a very surprised Jane Pringle who lifted the Chester Bowl on net hoops. This was a successful experimental tournament initially proposed by Maggie and bolstered by fine hospitality and good humour at Chester CC.