Author: Hilary

We welcomed Lodsworth for our 4th and final match in the CSE league. Over the years we have played Lodsworth many times – they were keen to point out that last year we won, and so they were out for revenge (in the friendliest way!).

Phil Tremble, Maxine Bushell, Richard Perkins and Brian Bartholomew were the team, with Hilary Bird as reserve. Our handicaps ranged from 3 to 16, theirs from 2 to 8, so we knew it would be a challenging match.

After the doubles round we were one all. After the singles round we were 2-4 down. For round 3 Richard had to go, so Hilary stepped in. We had to win all three games to secure an overall win. Having won 2 of the 3 games in round 3, all hinged on the final game. Sadly victory eluded us and the final score was 5-4 to Lodsworth.

It was a good humoured afternoon and most enjoyable.

And so our season ended with one win, three losses, although 2 of those were 5-4, so we didn’t do too badly! Thank you Team B members.

In torrential rain (very welcome after weeks of heat waves and drought) we set out for Eastbourne, nervous about the playing conditions that would greet us.

After flash floods and roads blocked by fallen trees we arrived to find it warm and pretty dry. Apart from about half an hour when we sought refuge from the rain in the clubhouse it was dry and even sunny at times. The lawns had benefited from the rain and played well and not ridiculously fast, as had been our recent experience at home and elsewhere.

Our doubles round saw Peter paired with Janet, and Hilary paired with Brian. We emerged with one win and one loss, but both games going to 7-6.

Into round 2, we played our singles against our ranked opponents and the net overall result was 3 all – all to play for in round 3.

Unfortunately with a starting score of -4, Peter had an uphill struggle ahead of him. Janet bravely opted to play singles on the basis that if she wants to improve her game and handicap, she needs to play more singles. Fortune favours the brave.

Sadly, despite valiant efforts all round, we were unable to win the necessary 2 games to secure victory, and so the final result was Compton 5, G and G 4.

It was however a very pleasant match, made even more so by the close run finish.

A little late in reporting…..apologies. Our team travelled to Ealing to take part in this rather under subscribed CSE competition.

The lawns were not in good shape, and neither was our performance in the morning. We lost all 3 matches of a doubles and 2 singles against High Wycombe, the favourites to win, Reigate Priory and Ealing.

Somewhat downhearted and in 4th out of 4 position , we approached the afternoon set of matches, against High Wycombe, to battle for 3rd or 4th position.

A readjustment of the pairings , so Julie and Hilary played doubles, Peter and Richard singles, gave an unexpected result. GGCC overwhelmed High Wycombe to win all three games, coming 3rd overall. A result! We travelled home our dignity restored!

Another lovely day, although breezier on the South Coast than Surrey!

Phil Tremble, Peter Adams, Brian Bartholomew and Hilary Bird, geared up for an apparently close run match, in terms of handicaps. That didn’t take account of the lawns! Obviously lumpy as we walked across towards the clubhouse, visually they looked ok. To be fair it was an unlevel playing field for us all. However, it was tricky.

We solidly lost the first round of two doubles. In the second, four singles, Brian and Hilary pulled it back to 4-2, so we entered round 3 needing to win all three games. Sadly this was not to be….. We finished up 3-6 down, but were compensated by delicious cake and savouries provided by our opponents.

Special mention has to go to Brian – just 5 weeks post life threatening surgery, he was keen to get back to croquet, and survived to tell the tale, putting in an admirable performance.

Good effort all round.

It promised to be warm today and the weather didn’t disappoint. 8 hopefuls, handicaps 3 to 10 gathered to do battle for the honour of winning PJ’s Pot and places in the Area Finals of this National Competition.

The players were divided into 2 blocks, in traditional tournament format. All play all within the block; the top 2 would meet the top 2 in the other block, to play semifinals and a final, and a play off for 3rd and 4th position. This meant that Lynn Edge and Andrew Lockwood would play Dominic Webb and Andrew Jackson in the afternoon knock out.

Andrew L had a fantastic match against Dominic, starting at -3:0, but managed to win 7-6. He went on to play Andrew J with an even more challenging starting score, -4:0. Again he won – what a great competitor with such a persistent and calm temperament.

The bottom 2 in each block would play for the plate, “sponsored” in this case by Ferrero Rocher (actually not, that was the prize!). Sisters Frankie Lea and Philly Hook played one plate semi, while Paul Stroud played Vernon Salt in the other.

Meanwhile, Paul Stroud won the plate and the chocs!

It was certainly a very hot day for everyone and one can only commend all the competitors for keeping going.

Andrea presented the prizes and advised that the 2 Andrew’s would both definitely qualify for the Area Finals. It is possible that some of the other competitors may also be invited to play, depending on overall numbers.

She thanked both Hilary Bird for managing the tournament and Peter Adams for being the ROT.

All in all it was a most enjoyable day.

Our first match of the season was played at home, versus Woking B, on Monday 2nd June.

For Maxine Bushell it was a first, playing in a CSE match, and she played well winning her singles game convincingly. Janet Curtecka justified her reduced handicap since last season (I’m sure she’s had some coaching !). Peter Adams and Hilary Bird made up the rest of the team.

We got off to a pretty good start winning both doubles in round 1. In the second round of singles we only dropped one game. Peter lived up to his nickname (Peter 7-6 Adams) keeping us on tenterhooks to the very last minute! And so we went into the final round of two singles and one doubles already assured of a win overall. Winning 2 of the 3 games meant a finishing score of 7-2 to GGCC.

A good start to the season!

Having had to postpone the prizegiving due to bad weather, it took place after roll up on Tuesday 22nd October. Members were treated to a delicious cake made by Andrew Jackson accompanied by tea and coffee.

Mike kicked off the proceedings by presenting both Andrew Jackson and Hilary Bird with their recently awarded CqE Diplomas.

Andrea then made the following presentations ( some trophies some liquid!) to winners of the summer internal competitions:

AC:

Pat’s Plate – Ian Fugeman

Handicap Singles Knockout – Tim Dutton

Short Croquet League – Julie Tremble

GC:

Handicap league 7+ – Paul Stroud

Handicap league 6- – Graham Lamacraft

Level play league 6- – Peter Adams

EARS – Martin Birch

Level Singles Knockout – Jan Honeysett

JAWS – Jan Honeysett and Richard Perkins

Level Doubles Knockout – John Bryson and Iain Richardson

Amanda Bentley Cup (handicap playoff) – Graham Lamacraft

We drove to Rother Valley on 27/8 knowing it was going to be hot – it was – 28 degrees!

The “velvet cushion” lawns took a bit of getting used to, nevertheless, after round 1, the doubles round, we were 2-0 up.

Round 2 singles was a different matter, and we took a hammering with only Peter managing a win against former GGCC player Chris Stiff (who gallantly stepped into the breach for RV at the last minute).

So we went into round 3 with all to play for, the game score being 3 all. Happily we managed to win all three games, resulting in an overall score of 6-3 to GGCC.

Many thanks to Martin Birch for agreeing, on the morning, to play for us. He, Peter Adams, Phil Tremble and Hilary Bird were the team.

A most satisfactory end to the league season!

Better late than never…….in the past 3 weeks GGCC teams have clearly been very busy, judging from the 7 match reports preceding this one!

John Gosden, Phil Tremble, Peter Adams, and High-Handicapper-Hilary, made up the team to play Ealing in the CSE league.

We had a lengthy journey thanks to road closures, maintenance and ordinary rush hour traffic. However, we arrived with time to spare, relaxed and hydrated by a pit stop at Costa.

In the morning John and Phil had a tough match against Tony Elliot and David Graham . In the third game time was declared, and the Ealing pair won 6-5. Meanwhile Peter had a convincing win over Margaret Page, and Hilary a surprising win over Emma Bowden-Doherty.

After a very nice lunch the singles rounds commenced, with GGCC winning 3 out of 4, meaning that we had won the match 5-2.

A satisfactory result!

Team B, comprising Janet Curtecka, David Boyd, Martin Birch and Richard Perkins, welcomed Compton B, on a mainly sunny afternoon on Friday 26th July, for our 3rd match in the CSE Advantage Handicap League.

With handicaps in our team ranging from -1 to 10, and theirs from 4 to 12, it promised to be an interesting event, with some challenging starting scores.

After round 1, the doubles round, the score was 1 all. We went into round 2, the singles round, with some trepidation, and finished 2-4 down. So it was all to play for in round 3, one doubles and two singles. We needed a win in all three games to win the match ……no pressure!

The team responded magnificently, and in three hard fought games, two of which were “which way is it going to go seven-sixers?” , managed to secure a 5-4 win, graciously accepted by Compton (who had a nasty journey home ahead of them).

Well done all.