• HOME
  • CLUBS
  • NWFCC LEAGUES
  • YOUR FED
    • Everything about NWFCC
    • Mileages Between League Clubs
    • NWFCC HONOURS BOARD
    • Handicapping in the NWFCC
    • NWFCC Documents
  • WHO’S WHO
  • COACHING
    • Croquet Coaching for You
    • Association Croquet
    • Golf Croquet Videos
    • Croquet Magic
    • Croquet “Matches of the Day”
    • Northern Croquet Academy
  • EVENTS
    • NWFCC LEAGUES
    • North West Festival of Croquet
    • National Inter Club Croquet Tournaments

Croquet in the North West

North West Federation of Croquet Clubs - for everything Croquet in the north west

You are here: Home / Archives for Southport

Two Croquet Diplomas for North West Stars

17 October 2020 by Tony Thomas

Croquet Association – Virtual AGM on You-Tube – 17th October 2020

At the Croquet Association AGM held on-line via You-Tube two well known members from the north west were awarded Croquet Association Diplomas for Services to Croquet.

Don Williamson for his outstanding work at Southport in lawn management and coaching and also Howard Bowron from Penrith and North Lakes for his excellent work in the development of the club. Their citations are presented below.

The Federation sends congratulations to both players.

Don Williamson – Southport & Birkdale Croquet Club & North West Federation 

Don Williamson

Don Williamson has been a stalwart member of Southport and Birkdale Croquet Club for over forty years, serving on the Committee many times including Chairman and Presidential roles. He has also taken a leading role within the North West Federation over the years as Coaching Officer and Federation Handicapper. 

Don has introduced numerous beginners to the game and within the club has organised hundreds of coaching sessions for beginners and improvers, in addition to running club sessions on Laws, Handicapping and Lawn Etiquette. He has also developed an expertise in Lawn Maintenance and the high quality lawns at Southport are a tribute to his enthusiasm and incredible number of hours devoted to mowing and supervision. He also enjoys repairing and renovating equipment and many beginners have started their croquet careers with a reconditioned mallet from him. 

Don has travelled extensively over the north west to run coaching sessions at other clubs and advise on development and handicapping. He is an AC Grade 1/2 Coach and Examiner, a Senior GC and AC Referee and an AC Championship and Examining Referee. He has refereed at many tournaments and international events. 

The contribution made by Don Williamson to Croquet in the north west at both club and regional level is immense, his expertise is widely recognised and respected throughout the area. 

Howard Bowron – Penrith & North Lakes Croquet Club 

Howard Bowron

Howard Bowron has played a central and pivotal role in helping the club to develop from its initial roots when croquet was started locally by members of U3A in the early 2000’s.  When Howard moved to Cumbria as an established croquet player, he came across the U3A players and soon joined in and helped paint a picture of the wider aspects of the game and its rules to those involved. 

In 2007 they moved to our current location, Edenhall Tollbar, playing on two short lawns initially on a cricket pitch outfield. The standard of grass we are told was not great, so one of Howard’s first jobs was to take charge of getting the two lawns into a better condition.  Howard, at members’ request took on the role of Chairman and Secretary and also continued with his quest to improve the playing surface, a passion he continues to directly contribute to today. 

One member from the early days at Edenhall and still involved quoted “Howard has tirelessly built up the infrastructure and has always been a source of encouragement to new and existing players. His enthusiastic nature has meant that a lot of members have stepped up to challenges they thought were beyond their capabilities and as such established a vibrant and popular croquet club”.

Over a number of years at the start of each season Howard has run various coaching sessions for all classes of members.  Howard has been a staunch supporter of AC at all levels of skill and has been instrumental in setting up the clubs short and full lawn leagues.  Howard encourages players to represent the club against other clubs as it helps to verify the handicaps that he is involved in moderating each year. 

2020, Croquet Association, Federation, News, Penrith, Southport

Croquet Secretary Conquers Southport

23 September 2020 by Tony Thomas

TREASURERS TANKARD (10-14 Sep Southport Croquet Club)

Treasurers Tankard players at Southport

This event represents the third best eight Association Croquet players available and Southport Croquet Club was chosen as the venue. The north west flag was carried by Lorna Dewar from Pendle.

The eventual winner was CA Secretary Ian Vincent.

Southport Chairman presents the Treasurers Tankard to winner Ian Vincent

Chris O’Byrne (left in top image) has written the following report for the Croquet Association website (read more here):

For a beachfront location, Southport was eerily quiet due to Covid, which luckily made for easy parking for the 8 players involved. The lawns measured about 9.5 seconds throughout, and were in good condition, but a smattering of hills made gentle shots and long hit-ins a bit of a lottery. Hoops were reset each morning to 1/16, but the amount of recent rain meant they weren’t able to put up much resistance.

On the first day, the biggest surprise was to find out there was no rain forecast, despite the rumours we’d all heard about Southport’s record for wet tournaments. There were no major upsets on day one, but with one eye on future weather, another on the long distance we’d all travelled, and a third(?!) on potentially disruptive Covid-related restrictions coming into effect on the Monday, we managed to get ahead of the schedule by comfortably squeezing a fourth game in, and the world was a happy place! It was not a feat we managed to repeat, as some key games suddenly slowed right down, meaning we were resigned to 3 per day from that point on.

The surprise package came in Lorna Dewar, who was a world away from the old trope of a golfer trying their hand at AC, by combining the expected brilliant hitting and hoop-running with superb croquet strokes, and a really good tactical understanding of the game – the 2 AC Handicappers present had no power over her 2.5 handicap, but it’ll come racing down either way.

The competition came down to the last day, but Ian Vincent came through, having only dropped 2 games through the 5 days, confirming his top-spot with a 26TP.

Don and Diana Williamson and their team of volunteers ensured the most important aspects were dealt with, getting the lawns mown every morning, and providing a steady supply of ales for all present. They also arranged a fish and chip dinner hosted outside the club, and throughout were brilliant hosts.

2020, Croquet Association, News, Southport

Alain Giraud Best of Sandiford Six

20 September 2019 by James Hawkins

Southport September Advanced Tournament – Sandiford Salver – 14/15 Sep 2019

Alain Giraud lining up a shot

Alain Giraud won an exciting final game against Paul Rigge to win the Sandiford Salver at Southport’s September Advanced Tournament.

In an injury-affected event, only six players made it to the last day. Giraud and Rigge played a best-of-five final. Alain won the first two quickly, before Paul completed a TPO in the third. Both players clawed their way around, until Rigge left just two balls on the lawn, with himself for peg vs Giraud for rover. Alain hit his last shot and rolled off his hoop to win by one.

Alain Giraud with the 2019 Sandiford Salver

RESULTS:

KNOCK-OUT – Paul Rigge bt Mark Lloyd +13; James Hawkins bt James Thomas +18; Richard H Smith bt Jerry Guest +26; Alain Giraud bt Peter Wilson +25; Paul Rigge bt James Hawkins +22 +19TP; Alain Giraud bt Richard H Smith +11 +19; Alain Giraud bt Paul Rigge +26TP +26TP +1OTP.


PLATE – James Thomas bt Peter Wilson +1; Jerry Guest bt Mark Lloyd +10; Paul Rigge bt James Thomas +19; Mark Lloyd bt Peter Wilson +10; Richard H Smith bt James Hawkins +11; Mark Lloyd bt James Thomas +17; Richard H Smith bt James Thomas +22; James Hawkins bt Mark Lloyd +9.

Manager James Hawkins (l) with Winner Alain Giraud (r)

2019, News, Southport

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 28
  • Next Page »

Find a Category

Search Box

Webmaster – Tony Thomas (tony@croquetnw.co.uk)

Copyright © 2020 · North West Federation of Croquet Clubs