Scottish Croquet Association

Wilkinson Sword 2024

3 August 2023, Knightswood

There were teams from Aberdeen and Crathes (ACCC), Auchincruive, Balgreen and Glasgow for this annual handicap doubles tournament, held at Knightswood in Glasgow. The weather was generally fine, with just a few refreshing showers. The lawns were generally in good condition, though some repairs were needed at hoop 6 on one lawn due to damage by birds.

Defending champions Aberdeen were playing against Auchincruive first up, and it was agreed to play Alternate Stroke Doubles (all other matches used traditional doubles). The game was quite cautious, and more than once the damaged hoop 6 caused a break to end in grief. Auchincruive were making reasonable progress with their bisques, but unfortunately had to use another one when Steve Rivett failed to move a ball in a croquet shot (he is a good golf croquet player but is relatively new to AC). Eventually, the bisques ran out and Aberdeen won 18-12 with just a minute left on the clock. On the other lawn, Glasgow’s father and son team of Stephen and Reuben Barnett had a tough time against Balgreen, losing 4-18, but it was Reuben’s first AC game for around three years.

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Meadows C Level GC Open

28 June 2024, Meadows

MCC is the National Centre for Croquet in Scotland and hosted the only C level GC level tournament in Scotland.  Many thanks to Brian Cosford for organising and John Graham for managing. Jill Black was a worthy winner and played her socks off to beat her friend Kim Dalland in the semis and Martin Howorth in the final. The other fab semi finalist was Angela Napuk - sorry for absence of photos! Commiserations to MCC member Judith Mann who narrowly lost out on getting in to the semi-final on a net hoops/who beat who basis.

Janet Brunton

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Middle Bisquers 2024

8-9 June 2022, Balgreen

A clash of schedules with the inaugural appearance of the Balgreen GC team at Carrickmines for three European inter-club matches depleted the field for the Middle Bisquers.  Attempts to increase numbers worked temporarily; thus only four players competed in a single block twice round.  Proximity to Murrayfield, the Taylor Swift venue for three days, did not affect play but produced the spectacle of appropriately attired fans passing by the lawns for the evening concerts.

Both days were devoid of rain with good sunshine and intermittent cloud and occasional wind.  Lawns 1 and 2 were generally running well; the rabbits had not left many marks and the birds kept away.

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SCA GC Interclub 2024

The 2024 GC inter-club league consists of two all-play-all blocks, with a final between the winners of each block.  All block games should be completed by 31 August.

Each match will consist of two players from each team playing

• a best-of-one* handicap** doubles game, followed by
• a best-of-three* 13 point handicap** singles rubber each. Normally the lower handicap players will play each other, but captains may agree otherwise.

* The captains may agree in advance to play best-of three doubles and/or best-of-one singles, depending on time constraints. But in any event a match must consist of one doubles rubber and two singles rubbers, in order that a result is obtained.

** The extra turns system should be used unless the captains agree in advance to play Advantage GC.

Teams may be selected from a pool of players but no player may play for more than one team. All singles games count for the handicap card.

In the tables below the team named in the row will have choice of venue if there is a * in the cell, otherwise the choice will belong to the team named in the column. For example in Block A for Meadows 1 v Balgreen, Meadows 1 has the choice of venue. If a match is not played the away team will be deemed to have conceded, unless there is a good reason.

Read more: SCA GC Interclub 2024