Southport Handicap Croquet Weekend Tournament  23/24 May 2015

On Saturday they assembled in Victoria Park in glorious weather, six local players along with visitors from Glasgow, Huddersfield, Bowdon, Chester and Fylde, to contest a popular open annual croquet handicap tournament. Don Williamson was acting as Tournament Manager and play progressed well on the wonderfully manicured Southport lawns which were attracting praise from all quarters. But by the close of the first day the local players – last year’s winner Alan Farrell, Carol Lewis, Brian Lewis, Don Williamson, Eileen Gallagher and Eileen Rossiter, were left comparing their suntans as a stranger from Huddersfield had everyone floundering in his wake.

Young Richard Forman from Huddersfield, on his first visit to the Southport club demonstrated excellent play, well above the level suggested by his Handicap and led the pack all day.

Sunday dawned cooler and wet as Don Williamson and Carol Lewis put forward a valiant challenge to the overnight leader. Carol gained a handicap reduction through the quality of her play, but to no avail as the guy from Huddersfield continued his superb form and remained undefeated throughout the tournament to win the Jubilee Tankard. Don Williamson, who had played well throughout, had to accept second place in spite of losing only one game in the two days.

Another honour then befell Richard as his excellent play gave him a massive handicap reduction to 10.