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3 April 2018 - Waterlogged court forces Beginners inside

The 'Class of 2018' had to start their beginners training in the Thames Room today because our courts were completely waterlogged.

14 new members enthusiastically absorbed the fundamentals of croquet history, the aims of the game, the ball colours and even had a gentle swing of a mallet.

Qualified coaches Frances Colman and Helena Fensome and Chris Roberts delivered this croquet introduction with a light hearted touch and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Hopefully we will get on to the courts tomorrow!

2 April 2018 - Beginners have priority this week please

Chairman Chris wrote to all members asking for your understanding with the Beginners Training that is scheduled for this week.

We still only have Court 3 in operation and the beginners training has to be done whiles our coaches are available having given of their week.

If there is any play at all this week, Beginners have priority but will be finished by 1500 every day.

6 April 2018 - First nine Beginners pass training

A fine day at last saw the first five of this season's 14+ beginners compete and pass their training course yesterday, and another four aassed today:

Congratulations: Diana Duggan, Rosemary French, Janet Husband, Dot Owen, Richard Owen, Bill Pitkeathley, Sarah Moore, John Smily and Caroline Whitaker.

5 April 2018 - All courts now lined, hoops on Court 4 and new stop boards too

Thanks to some concentrated work from Head Gardener Paul and his team, we are not far off having all four courts in operation.

The break in the weather allowed all courts to be mowed in the past two days, lines to be applied to courts 1 ,2 & 4 and all the stop boards are now in place, including a row of new ones to protect the new path at the river end.

After beginners training today, I was able to site hoops into court 4 and the hope is to get them on the big courts on Saturday but the weather is limiting factor.

Tomorrow (Friday) courts 3 & 4 will be OPEN for members to play all day - EXCEPT for between 1300 and 1500 when the last beginners classes of the week will be using both courts.

14 April 2018 - Grand National Social Event enjoyed by attendees

Our Grand National social event organised by our Socail Events officer Pauline Wood was enjoyed by its attendees.

Pauline reports: The afternoon went well but it could have been disastrous. The race itself was not run until 5.15 which was an hour later than usual. However the weather proved to be kind and most people went out and played croquet, on Helena’s very good suggestion. Raymond acted as bookies runner and we picked up some betting slips from Ladbrooks on the way in and then he took everyone's bets down after lunch (which all agreed was good). Tea was brought forward to 4pm and then we had an hour to wait for the race which had an exciting finish. Ann Attfield won the sweepstake and in order Mike Fensome, Tony Horsefall and Lynn Hickey were all paid out for places finishes.

The Real Ale Society supported the event with members attending, the provision of beer, and the gift of money that the sale of the brown stuff raised.

A good day all round!

16 April 2018 - Ian Norris wins the Handicap Singles tournament

Our first tournament of the season was enjoyed by twelve players today, and none more so than the winner Ian Norris.

He had a tough opening game when drawn against Mike Fensome and ultimately it was this game that Norris won, that separated the two at the close.

Norris was undefeated throughout and Fensome remained unscathed thereafter to finish in a clear second place after five rounds of the tournament's pre-scheduled six.

The halt was a called when the afternoon became very cold and it became apparent that Norris could not be overhauled in the planned sixth round.

Also showing well during the day were Delia Norris, Roger Goldring, Colin Morgan and Dianne Browne (with her brand new Trimmer mallet; the quartet all scored 3 wins from 5 games and had to be separated for the finishing order by examination of their 'quality of wins' (whereby they 'inherit’ the wins of the players they had beaten).

The top four players have first refusal on our four qualification places for the All England Handicap competition Area Final in August.

Finnishing order: Ian Norris (5 wins), Mike Fensome (4), Delia Norris (3), Roger Goldring (3), Colin Morgan (3), Dianne Browne (3), Don Rutherford (2), Richard Peperell (2), Robin Coates (2), Tony Peperell (2), Steve Morton (1), Rosemary Noel-Clarke (0).

18 April 2018 - Phyllis Court win joint AC/GC friendly v All England Club, Wimbledon

What a fabulous day we had today - everything was perfect.

The sun shone all day, so much so that shade was sought in the middle of the day.

The courts were presented in magnificent fashion by Head Gardener Paul, with our new white lining machine providing the beautiful finishing touch.

Our lunch in the Orangery was perhaps the best we have ever had for a match of this kind and Maitre d Magdalena did a great job in seeing that our meal was well paced, allowing plenty of time for more croquet in the afternoon.

The All England Club, Wimbledon were lovely guests and both teams really everyone enjoyed themselves.

And on top of all that, wee won the fixture too!

The GC doubles was tied at 3-3 going into the last pair of games and we held our nerve to win them both, for a 5-3 victory.

In the morning AC singles, Raouf Allim made his Phyllis Court team debut but lost, after one loose shot, to the lower handicapped visitor Mike Hann, but Richard Peperell levelled the score for PC with a handicap win over Jonathan Smith.

Smith got his own back in the afternoon game, where he won narrowly as a singleton against Allim and Peperell, but Frances Colman and Chris Roberts beat visitor Hann to level the AC score at 2-2.

So overall, it was a 7-5 win for Phyllis Court and afterwards Richard Peperell took the visitors out on his boat which they all loved (thank you Richard) - this was a super day.

PCC 'Friendly' GC - Raghu Iyer (5), Colin Morgan (5), Dianne Browne (6), John Maguire (9).

PCC 'Friendly' AC - Chris Roberts (0.5), Raouf Allim (1), Frances Colman (7), Richard Peperell (8).

20 April 2018 - Four more pass their Beginner's Training Course

Congratulations to Daphne Spiers, Vanessa Jones, Karen Lally and Steve Orton who all passed their beginners training course today.

Thanks again to Helena Fensome and Frances Colman for sharing the training duties with me again the training this week.

This brings the total passes in the last three weeks to 15.

23 April 2018 - PCC'A' 7 - 0 East Dorset - SCF Level League

PCC 'A' got off to a shaky start against East Dorset CC (from Poole) this morning, dropping one game in each of their three 'best of three' matches but recorded a clean sweep eventually.

After lunch, Phyllis Court had things rather more our own way and won all four matches in two straight games, but all were well contested affairs.

This 7 - 0 victory was the perfect way to kick-off the League season.

It was very pleasing to see a dozen of more spectating members, watching from the side lines, a number of whom were beginners who very recently passed their initial training course.

PCC 'A': Chris Roberts (-2), Ian Norris (-1), Roger Goldring (0), Helena Fensome (1)

25 April 2018 - Four more pass their Beginner's Training Course

Congratulations to Sally Batty, Julia Green, Tony Cotterill and Michasel Moore who all passed their beginners training course today.

This time thianksgo to Richard Peperell who stayed on after the Chartity One Ball to for sharing the training duties with me and to see Julia 'over the line.

This brings the total passes in the last three weeks to 19.

25 April 2018 - Charity One-Ball raises £150 for Down's Syndrome Association

Today's edition of the Charity One Ball was the most successful for a few years as 13 players, together with two donations raised £150 for the Down's Syndrome Association.

Chris Roberts was undefeated in five games and a Dee McKibbin, playing in her first such event was runner-up with four wins from six games.

Full resulrs are availaable via the button (just below):

Participants: Dianne Browne, Robin Coates, Mike Fensome, Helena Fensome, Angus McKibben, Dee McKibben, Steve Morton, Di Pascoe, Richard Peperell, Tony Peperell, Chris Roberts, Michael Seagrief and Pauline Wood.

Donations received from Roger Goldring and Helen Morton.

22 April 2018 - Phyllis Court trio do well at Surbiton Open

Phyllis Court's Chris Roberts, Roger Goldring and Ian Norris all scored creditable 7th, 8th and 10th places respectivly at this weekend's 24 player Surbiiton Open.

All three improved their UK national rankings and now sit at positions 34, 39 and 54 respectivly, which for Goldring and Norris represet carrear highs.

29 April 2018 - Goldring reduces his handicap and becomes a 'minus' player

Roger Goldring (left) reduced his handicap from -1 for the firts time today, following a sucessful outing at the top ranked Sidmouth Open, where reached the quarter-finals.

There he took the first game in three from England International Lionel Tibble and only lost the deciding third game at the last hoop.

Congratulatuons Roger!

Chris Roberts also reached the quarter-finals but had a lousy weekend over-all with a string of losses on the second day.

Helena Fensome didn't make the cut to the main knockout but bounced back with three wins from four games on the second day.

30 April 2018 - Probert retains Hugh's Mallet with new partner Rutherford

Madeleine Probert became the first player to score 'back to back' victories in the First Drawn Partners tournament of the season and so retained "Hugh's Mallet", this time with the experienced hand of Don Rutherford as her partner.

The fourth and final round matched-up Probert and Rutherford against Mike Fensome and 'surprise package' Daphne Spires who played superbly in her first tournament (having only completed her Beginner's Training a fortnight ago).

In typical fashion for this tournament with it's well matched pairs, the de facto final went to the final hoop where, after some interactive drama, Rutherford nestled his ball in the jaws of the hoop which put paid to Fensome and Spires' challenge.

A special metion goes to Vanessa Jones, who like Daphne Spires was playing in her forst tournament, again having only just completed her Beginners Training).

Congratulations to the 16 players who too part today on a bitterly cold day today - your fortitude and support is much appreciated.

See the full results here: