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6 March - Coaching popularity leads to extra day

News of the success of SCF Coaching Officer Richard Keighley's 'introduction to GC Handicap Singles Play' course, run last year at Blewbury, has spread well.

This year's repeat course on 20 April (again at Blewbury) has been over-subscribed, and so Richard has added an extra course to cope with the demand.

This will take place on the following day - 20 April at Harwell.

Contact SCF Coaching Officer Richard Keighley 01296 681235 the_keighleys@btopenworld.com

12 June -

Sad News - Richard Harris

Everyone will be will be sad to learn of the death of the current SCF Honorary Treasurer Richard Harris, who was a long-standing member of the Ryde Club.

Richard was one of those croquet people who 'did things' - lots of things:

He was a Croquet Association qualified coach and GC referee, and was also a very reliable tournament manager.

As well as serving on the SCF committee, he also sat on the croquet and management committees of his home club and was the Treasurer of both the Croquet and Tennis sections.

Richard was fond of both codes of croquet - association and golf and represented Ryde on many occasions.

Individually his achievements include, when he was an up-and-coming player, winning the All England Handicap Golf Croquet competition, and his successes continued right through

to last year when he won the SCF's GC Doubles Solstice Cup with partner Jim O’Keefe.

Richard was a lovely man and real 'trooper' for croquet - he will be sorely missed.

Chris Roberts, Chariman, Southern Croquet Federtaion.

18 June - Hamptworth pair Pat and Ray Fidler win the SCF AC Armada

Manager Rita Nunn reports:

Six pairs entered this doubles tournament namely: Ann and Nick Beard, Pat and Ray Fidler, Diana and Richard Stevens (all Hamptworth), Keith Mackenzie-Ross and John Barker, holders Ivor Nunn and Artur Da Costa (all Winchester), and Raghu Iyer and Harry Midgley (Phyllis Court).

There was a last minute change to the last couple as Harry telephone at 7.20 am to say his partner was ill, however Glynis Hassel from Dogmersfield gamely stepped into the breach at the last minute despite having an hours travelling time from her home.

The format was four 14 point 1.5-hour games with central starting and finishing, and run as a Swiss.

At lunchtime there were two pairs on two wins each, but after the first game of the afternoon Pat and Ray Fidler had a clear lead having won all three games, with Ivor and Artur and Keith and John on two wins apiece.

In the last game Ivor and Artur beat Keith and John giving them three wins and a potential problem loomed for that manager, as they had not played Pat and Ray who were contesting Harry and Glynis in a very tight game. If Pat and Ray did not win, then a play-off would have been necessary. After time had been called, Glynis had a last turn and was two hoops behind. She managed to run one and got a long take-off to the other to force a golden hoop situation. Having landed in front of the hoop, nerves took over and she sadly 'blobbed' it, leaving Pat and Ray winners by one hoop, and clear winners of the trophy having won all four of their games.

SCF Committee member Frances Colman, who arrived during the afternoon, kindly presented the trophy.

Congrats to The Fidlers and many thanks to Rita for managing the tournament ~ Chris, Chairman

19 June - Wingrave pair Gunn & Skidmore win the SCF GC Solstice

Paul Gunn & Richard Skidmore won the SCF Solstice Doubles today - a first for the Wingrave Club.

The weather was unkind in the afternoon my spirits weren't dampened an a full field of 16 pairs battles it out over six rounds.

Top seeds Frances Colman and Raymond Wood, fell in the first round of the knock-out to Phyllis Court club mates Delia and Ian Norris who were the second seeds.

The Norrises got to the final but couldn't catch the Wingrave pair who won convincingly enough 7-3.

Congratulations to the wining pair Paul & Richard, and the Wingrave Club.

And thanks to Richard Jenkins and Frances Colman for joint managing the tournament whilst both also playing (not easy) - Chris, Chairman

20 June - Rita Nunn co-opted back onto committee as Treasurer

Following the sad death of its serving Treasurer Richard Harris, The Southern Croquet Federation is very fortunate to have had accepted, its plea to our former Treasuerer Rita Nunn for help.

Rita had indicated that she would be willing to help out despite stepping down from the Treasurer's job last December after many year's service.

The SCF is most grateful to Rita who has accepeted an offer to be co-opted back onto the committee (as Treasurer) until our next AGM in November/December.

Rita you are a trouper - thank you - Chris Robets (Chairman), on behalf of the SCF committee

October 2016 - Computer failure prevented website up-dates

Chris Roberts writes:

Sorry everyone, in early September my computer developed a fault that proved terminal.

This meant that I was unable to update this website from 1 September to mid-October.

Now with a new computer and time spent to set it up - It is all working fine again now.

13 Sept - Bransgore 'B' win the SCF GC Handicap league Final

The Bransgore club retained their GC Handicap League title at Winchester today with a solid win against Blewbury.

This was the first year that Bransgore had entered two teams into this league and it was the team labelled 'B' that proved to be the stronger.

Lead by Lexi Oakenfold, Bransgore 'B' won their Southern Dovision title by a poiont from East Dorset (the same margin the Blewbury beat High Wycombe in the Northern division).

But there was no holding Bransgore 'B' in the final as they romped to a 5.5 to 1.5 victory.

October - Oxford University win the SCF AC Handicap league Final

Oxford University retained their SCF AC Handicap League title with victory over Aldermaston in the final between the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions.

The Varsity team were undefeated this season and will once agaon represnt the SCF in next season's Secretary's Shield competition.

October - Wingrave's Paul Gunn wins the National GC B-level Series Final

Manager (and now Chairman of the CA,) Brain Shorney reports: Sixteen qualifiers from the National B-Level Series, with handicaps between 1 and 5, met at Budleigh Salterton for the National Final on the 8th and 9th October. Play was arranged in a single American block. The combination of untimed games, double banking, short daylength and very close, competitive games, resulted in the last games of each day being concluded in fading light.

Ashby's Steve Marsh (4) was in fine form on the first day. Playing above his handicap, he led the leader-board at the end of Saturday's play with 7 wins out of 8. He lost his opening games on Sunday and was overtaken by the top seed Paul Gunn (1), Wingrave, and Richard Bilton (3), Nottingham. Each ended up with 12 wins with Paul Gunn winning the B-Level Series Bowl on the basis of "who beat whom". Richard, a 19 year-old student at Nottingham University, displayed impressive stroke play and a positive approach which indicates a promising future

Budleigh members were most hospitable and the lawns were immaculately presented, providing excellent late-season playing conditions.

Final top placings:1. Paul Gunn (12 wins); 2. Richard Bilton (12); 3. Steve Marsh (10); 4. Richard Keighley (10); 5. Brian McCausland (9); 6. John Skuse (9).