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5 February - Our AC and GC Leagues show increased entries

It's good news from our Leagues Managers who report increased entries in our league competitions in both codes.

For Golf Croquet, Frances Colman reports:

GC Level League - numbers stay the stay the same at 6 with Blewbury's new entry replacing the withdrawn Ryde 'B' who will participate in the Handicap league instead this season.

GC Handicap League - A new entry from Ryde 'B' adds one to the competition making 14, necessitating an alteration in the North/South split with Basingstoke being moved to the North division for 2017.

GC Doubles Only League - Numbers stay the same at 6 with new entries from Bransgore 'C' and Wingrave, replacing Ryde 'D' and White Horse who have dropped out this time round.

For Association, Martin Brandt reports:

AC A-Level League (Advanced) - Two new entries from High Wycombe and Winchester swell numbers from 3 to 5, which is great news.

AC B-Level League (Advanced) - The number stays the same at 5 with High Wycombe's new entry taking the place of Phyllis Court who have dropped out.

AC Handicap League - The same 12 teams will contest the competition in 2017, again in North and South Divisions with a final to decide the title. A survey of participants is being undertaken to decide the desirability of introducing a semi-finals stage or to stay with the current arrangement of a straight final.

11 April - Barnacle wins the GC Champion of Champions

SCF Tournaments Officer Richrd Jenkins reports:

We had 14 club entries forthis event, which was two more than for last season.

After a very enjoyable day's croquet, Roger Barnacle (Handicap 1, Dogmersfield) came through to win over a very capable Martin Isles (6, East Dorset) 7-5.

It was a real lesson by Roger in how to defend the 7 extra turns used by Martin.

13 June -

Colman and Coates win back the SCF 'Armada' for Phyllis Court

Phyllis Court representatives Frances Colman and Robin Coates won the SCF AC Handicap 'Armada' tournament.

The pair were undefeated and delighted, especially as Robin is such a novice at the AC game - so much so that he had only played one full game of AC before.

The experienced hand of Colman guided the new man throughout but he played his part too with some deft strokes.

The win at Hamptworth today, sees that Armada trophy return to Phyllis Court for the first time since 2014.

Colman has now won the Armada four times and is the only person to do so (she previously won with Chris Roberts in 2011, 2013 and 2014)

14 June - Sim and Westmore win the SCF 'Solstice' for Ryde

SCF Tournaments Officer Richard Jenkins reports:

After a disappointly low entry from Southern Federation Clubs this year, 8 teams from only 6 Clubs took part in the Solstice GC Doubles competition on Sunday 18 June.

In sweltering heat, on very fast lawns and with hoops which seemed to get tighter as the day progressed, Manager Richard Jenkins' format kept the tension going to the last round before the finalists were revealed as being Ryde 1 versus Ryde 2

In a nailbiting final Ryde 2 Pam Sim and Nick Westmoor beat clubmates of Roy Tillcock and Vernon Gibbs 7 - 6.

So the Solstice Cup went back over the water to the Isle of Wight.

Wingrave 2 Rob Chatwin and Chris Harrison beat Harwell's Steve Fisher and Mary Elizabeth Shrewry for 3rd and 4th places respectivly.

The winners are pictured here with manager Richard Jenkins.

SCF Club players win two of the three

National 'Most Improved Player' Awards

Congratulations to Paul Gunn and Andy Myers collected theri awards at he AGM of the Croquet Association today. Their citations read as follows:

Paul Gunn

Paul had a 75% win percentage in 2016. He won the first B-Level qualifier tournament of 2016, was second and third at two others, and then won the National B-Level Series Final in October. Toward the end of the season, he entered the unrestricted Sussex Open (an A-Level Series tournament) and won it. His grade and world rankings were:

2015 - end of season grade 1705 (World 811, UK 266) - 27 games

2016 - end of season grade 2091* (World 285, UK 58) - 77 games

Andy Myers

Andy had an impressive year in 2016 decreasing in handicap from -0.5 to -1.5 (index 2153 to 2405). He won 60.8% of his games and managed 5 triple peels. Andy's world ranking improved from 153 to 64, taking part in two championships and the Spencer Ell, which he won.

Former long-standing SCF Treasurer awarded a

CA Diploma for 'Services to Croquet'

Rita Nunn

The Southern Croquet Federation wished to mark the second retirement of their long-standing Treasurer Rita Nunn, by this nomination for a Croquet Association Diploma for Service to Croquet.

The CA made the award at their AGM on 12 October 2017, when Rita was unfortunately unable to attend.

It had always been the SCF's intention to re-award the Diploma at our own AGM today and it was nice to do that at Rita's home club Winchester.

Citation: Rita has served on the Southern Croquet Federation committee for over ten years as Treasurer, a task which is far from straightforward given the infrequency of meetings and the different ways member clubs handle their finances. The Federation is particularly indebted to Rita, who having first retired before the start of the 2016 season for more family time, answered a distress call to return, when her replacement as treasurer sadly passed away within months of taking office. Rita didn't have a moment's hesitation in helping the Federation out in its hour of need by taking on the Treasurer role again for the remainder of that year.

Rita has also been an equally vital part of her own club, Winchester. Not only has she over the years served on the committee as Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, but has also devoted much time to coaching beginners and managing tournaments at Club and Federation level.

For this length of service Rita, the Southern Croquet Federation is most grateful, and the awarding of this Croquet Association Diploma is most richly deserved.

15 December - SCF AGM

The 2017 Annual General Meeting off the Southern Croquet Federation was held today at Winchester CC.

The minutes will be circulated shortly and published on this website at the same time.

Committee personnel changes:

Richard Peperell (High Wycombe) takes over from Gillian Pett (Thames Valley) as 'Officer without portfolio''

Roy Tillcock (Ryde) takes over from Frances Colman (Phyllis Court) as GC Leagues Manager.

Frances remains on the committee in her other roles as AC Handicap Officer and our Representative on the CA Council.