Top players hoopla over croquet

LISMORE Croquet Club to host prestigious tournament in November featuring some accomplished players.

Lismore Croquet Club is excited to be hosting the Lismore 2018 Golf Croquet Tournament. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

TACTICS, strategy and a lot of laughter will be on the lawn when the Lismore Croquet Club's inaugural 2018 Golf Croquet Tournament commences next month.

Often described as the social love-child of of billiards and chess, golf croquet is a simpler, but no less brutally competitive form of the game

While the club has been running since 1931 and has held countless association croquet events, this will be the first of it's golf croquet tournament.

Club captain Fay Ross said the four-day tournament which is held over the first weekend of November, will see 24 experienced players battle it out for honour and glory.

Ross said the quality of play will be of a very high standard with some excellent athletes showing their style as the blue, black, red and yellow and through the hoops.

"There will be 24 quality players competing from the region as well as north of the border," she said.

"We have one entrant with a minus one handicap and we there will be many spectators from the other four clubs in the area coming along to enjoy the tournament."

Mrs Ross said each player will particpate in at least one doubles game a day as well as the singles matches.

Club president Barry Waters said the 24 players will participate in 84 games over the four day event.

"It's an exciting event because although we have hosted the Northern Rivers Croquet Association golf croquet tournament, we have never held a club competition before," he said.

Club secretary Phyllis Waters said golf croquet is a very social game and a great deal of fun.

"Its a challenging game, but is not so physical so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy it," she said.

"And it's quite social as everyone is on the lawn at the same time, there's lots of laughter and talk."

Mrs Ross she said as this first golf croquet tournament in the club's 87 year history the committee decided to start small.

But as the competition is already booked out, she said they may well consider enlarging the entry numbers in 2019.