Association 16 and Over: Final Results

Fay Lochrin has won the 16 and Over competition undefeated. Well done Fay. All games were closely contested with:

• 3 games won by 1 hoop.
• 2 games won by 2 hoops.
• 1 game won by 4 hoops.

All players enjoyed the competition.

Scores in order of play:

Pam Owen 13 beat Colleen McIntyre 11
Fay Lochrin 7 beat Oie Malcolm 5  

Fay 7 beat Colleen 6
Oie 13 beat Pam 12

Fay 14 beat Pam 10
Colleen 8 beat Oie 7

Tim

Association 16 and Over: Day 1

Pam Owen 13 beat Colleen McIntyre 11
Fay Lochrin 7 beat Oie Malcolm 5

Association Club Championship 2006: Final Report

Tim Murphy Won the Nowra croquet club’s Championships for 2006 undefeated.

In Tim’s farewell performance he defeated John Deeves 26 to 0, Margaret Sawers 22 to 11, Jean Pack 21 to 16 and John Gilhooly 21 to 16.

Jean Pack was the runner up only loosing one game. Jean defeated John Deeves 23 to 13. Margaret Sawers 26 to 1 and John Gilhooly 21 to 14. Jean who is the current champion of the Milton Ulladulla club has been playing croquet for four years and now plays off a handicap of 8.

Tim and his wife Nicky are moving to Canberra where Nicky has been transferred in her job as a journalist, although all members are sad to see them go everyone wishes them well in the future, The move will be good for Tim’s croquet game as five of the top seven players in NSW belong to the Canberra club (Tim being no 7) the strong competition can only help Tim to improve his game.

Tim’s service to the croquet club has been most impressive. In the three years he has belonged to the club he has:

• Served as treasurer for one year.
• President for twenty months.
• Taken over the mowing of the court aided by John Deeves and Kevin Owen.
• Helped the club to acquire a ride on roller which he has used regularly to the great improvement of the lawn.
• Set up a web site which is of great interest to members and other croquet players alike and with his coaching has improved the standard of other players in the club.

Tim began in Nowra as a beginner and in three years has reduced his handicap from 22 to 1/2 and he is now ranked 7 in NSW.

Margaret Sawers

Association Club Championship: Day 3

It was a beautiful day for croquet today; sun was out but not too hot.

Everyone found the play difficult today. The winds over the past few days has quickened the court to very fast!

Tim struggled to get going this morning and could not roquet the "side of a barn". Unfortunately for Margaret she could not capitalise on Tim's misfortunes that was until much later in the game. Tim had got control of his game and was sitting pretty on peg and 4b with Margaret crossed wired at the peg and Tim joined up in corner 2. Margaret took the lift to B baulk and hit Tim dead centre. Then Margaret played possibly her best break ever to go from hoop 3 to 4b. Margaret finished the break with a great leave with Tim crossed wired at the peg and Margaret joined up near corner 4. With only 1.5 minutes to go Tim decided to peg out leaving Margaret to complete a 3-ball break and peg out to tie the game. Unfortunately Margaret's approach to hoop 3 did not go to plan and the game ended there.

Jean took on the two John's today for 2 wins. The recent coaching Jean has received is coming to the fore. She's probably not quite playing at her best but with the tricky conditions today is playing very well.

Probably the most critical match of the competition will be played tomorrow morning: Jean v Tim. The winner of this game is most likely to take out the championship.

I had to recall the scores from memory so they may be a little wrong but the winner/loser is correct.

Tim beat Margaret 22 to 11
Jean beat John G 21 to 14
Jean beat John D 23 to 13
John G beat Margaret 19 to 7

Summary

Tim, 2/2 wins, +38
Jean, 2/2 wins, +17
John G, 1/2 wins, +5
John D, 1/3 wins, -35
Margaret, 0/3 wins, -24

Association Club Championship: Day 2

Tim Murphy 26 beat John Deeves 0.

Remaining games to be played over the weekend are:

Saturday

9:30am Tim v Margaret
9:30am Jean v John G

1:00pm Margaret v John G
1:00pm John D v Jean
       
Sunday

9:30am Tim v Jean
9:30am John D v John G

1:00pm Tim v John G 
1:00pm Margaret v Jean

Association Club Championship: Day 1

Today John Deeves and Margaret Sawers kicked off the annual Club Championship. Margaret played well during the game but in the end John came out as winner. After the bell the score was tied 16 all. Margaret had the first chance to score the "golden" hoop attempting a roquet on John 4 yards away. The roquet missed and then John only had to run a 18" inch hoop to win the game.

Final score 17-16 to John.

The competition continues Friday afternoon with John Deeves and Tim Murphy doing battle.

There are 8 games being played over the weekend. Good luck to all competitors.

Bundanoon Carnival and First Sextuple at Nowra?

Three members of the Nowra croquet club travelled to Bundanoon last week to compete in that club’s autumn carnival which began on Wednesday1st of March. Unfortunately Margaret Sawers had to withdraw on Friday due to car troubles but John Deeves and Graham Cullen both enjoyed the competition. Graham was the winner of the Egyptian Event (played on Wednesday and Thursday) undefeated. He also won his block in the handicap singles played from Thursday afternoon until Tuesday making two twelve hoop breaks in the course of the tournament. Congratulations Graham from all members of Nowra club.

Tim Murphy has done it again: last Monday in a practice session Tim completed his first Sextuple peel, This involved Peeling his partner ball through the last six hoops while taking his strikers ball through all twelve hoops in order and then pegging out both balls in one turn, Then just to prove that this was not a fluke Tim did the same in his next practice session on Tuesday.

Tim said that although he was happy to have achieved this milestone in his game it would be a while before he attempted a sextuple peel in a competition. Well done Tim would I be wrong to think that this is the first time such an accomplishment had ever occurred on the Nowra court.

In a game of golf croquet on Thursday Margaret Sawers played exceptionally well to defeat the club Champion Kevin Owen 7 to 2.

Best wishes go to Marjorie Clarke (life Member) on reaching her eightieth birthday on Monday the 13th of March. All at the club wish you a happy birthday Marj

Seniors week will be celebrated from First to the ninth of April. The Nowra Croquet Club will be holding a free come and try day on Sunday the ninth of April. Refreshments will be served and going on past experience the morning teas put on by club members is second to none.

Maragaret Sawers

Tim Murphy continues to improve

Tim Murphy continues to improve his croquet play.

Thus far this year, he has played two tournaments and has had some very good
wins.

At the Canberra Open in January, he won four and lost four in his block,
missing out on a place in the quarter finals by just one win.

His best win was against eventual winner Ian Bassett, ranked 17 in
Australia, who he beat 26 to 3.

He then moved into the plate event, provided for players who don't make the
finals, winning two games and losing one and missing out on the semi-finals
by just ten hoops.

In early February, he played in the NSW Three and Under tournament, for
people on a handicap of three or lower.

Tim won four games, lost two and was third in his block.

He gained another big scalp by beating young gun Chloe Aberley, then almost
gained another in American Mike Jenner, ranked 64 in the world.

Jenner won 24 to 23.

As a result of both competitions, Tim's ranking has improved to 8 in NSW and
209 in the world.

Tim said he is very happy with the way he is playing at the moment and is
looking forward to his next challenge, as captain of the NSW A Team in the
State Team Challenge.

Margaret Sawers

Victorian Open

Tim Murphy recently played in the Victorian Open croquet tournament.

As usual Tim played extremely well winning six out of his eight matches to come second in his block and make the quarter finals.

Tim’s Australian ranking is now 78,he lost to Anna Miller ranked 66 beat Jerry Guest world ranking 119( Tim’s World ranking is 304, )beat Greg Freeman, Lost

to Trevor Basset Australian ranking 5 beat Stephen Richards ranking 35 and beat Judy Evans

Tim lost the semi finals to Ken Bald who beat him 2 nil. In the semi finals Ken Bald beat Mike Jenner, and Trevor Bassett beat his dad Ian Bassett.  Ken

then lost to Trevor Bassett in the final 2 nil Trevor making a triple peel in each game to win the tournament

The conditions for the tournament were extremely hot with temperatures reaching 43o. On day four; play was called of due to the extreme heat

Shoalhaven high School students played their last game of croquet for 2005 on Tuesday. 6th December. The winner of the point score for term four was

Samantha Williams with 6 ½ closely followed by Shaun Learmont with 6.

A number of other students were on 5 points making a very close contest

Croquet club members are pleased with the progress made by students, many showing a big improv2ement in their game during the term

Margaret Sawers

Association Handicap Championship

Nowra Croquet Club handicap Champion ship was played last week.

The winner of red block Claire Wilson won all four of her games, the most remarkable being when she beat Tim Murphy 26 to 2 with one bisque left at the end

of the game

Tim Murphy was second with three wins out of four

The grey block was won by Jean Pack with 3 wins closely followed by John Deeves in second place with 2 wins

In the semi finals Claire was defeated by John 26 /11   and Tim defeated Jean  26 /10

The final between John and Tim was dominated by John for most of the match until Tim pegged out John’s ball late in the game then with only about nine

minutes left to play and trailing by four hoops Tim made an eleven hoop break with only three balls and pegged out to win 26 to 18

Tim’s Handicap is now 1 ½

During the tournament Tim gave 61 bisques and only lost one game out of 6

Red Block

C Wilson vs M sawers 18/ 16         
T Murphy  vs. M sawers 26 / 8
C Wilson vs T Murphy 26/ 2          
T Murphy vs O Malcolm 26 / 8
C Wilson vs O Malcolm 21/ 13       
T Murphy vs P Owen      26 / 3 Triple peel
C Wilson vs P Owen      26/ 6
M sawers vs P Owen  19 / 5            
O Malcolm vs P Owen 9 / 5
M sawers vs O Malcolm 10 / 8

Grey Block

J Pack vs J Deeves  20 / 19           
J Deeves vs F Lochrin  25 / 12
J Pack vs F Lochrin  13 / 11         
J Deeves  vs C McIntire  26 /10
J Pack vs C McIntire  26 / 5
F Lochrin vs C McIntire 6 / 3

The award for most hoops scored in the 16 to 20 handicap division, Red block went to Oie Malcolm with 38 and Grey block went to Fay Lochrin with 29

Saturday the third of December being the first Saturday of the month members of the public is invited to come and try their hand at a game of golf croquet.

Club members will be at the club to show newcomers how to play, there is no charge for first timers and any one who comes is guaranteed a good time

Margaret Sawers