World Croquet Day celebrated In Port Macquarie

PORT Macquarie Croquet Club celebrated World Croquet Day on Saturday 2 May with a great roll-up of 21 players.

Croquet has a long history dating back to the 14^th Century, when peasants fashioned hoops from willow branches and used shepherds’ crooks to hit the balls.

It showed up again in 17th Century Ireland where a British toymaker saw it being played.

Locally, the Port Macquarie club has gone from strength to strength in recent times and now boasts 90 members.

Local player Tony Croft recently represented the club at the NSW Golf Croquet Open Championships played at Tempe and finished in a creditable fifth place.

He remains a member of the NSW squad.

The winner was a 22-year-old from New Zealand on a handicap of -5, reflecting the increased involvement of younger players.

The Port Macquarie Croquet Club was established in 1951 with an organising committee elected to manage a trust account with four initial donations totalling five pounds, two shillings.

Mrs G.M. Pountney was elected as the first president along with four office bearers and four committee members. The annual subscription was set at two guineas to be paid in advance, with the Council of the time estimating the cost of constructing a green at the eastern end of Westport Park to be 540 pounds.

After a few years of fundraising, on 27 October 1953, an official opening attended by 160 people celebrated the opening of the clubhouse and lawns.

For the first 10 years, players were exclusively women; later, men started to play.

Now, croquet is a sport where men and women play on an equal footing with strategy and guile more important than speed or strength.

Coming events for the club include the 70^th Annual Association Croquet Carnival on the Buller Street courts from 27-31 July, and Hoops on the Hastings set down for 20-22 October.

The club is always looking for new members and offers free coaching for new players.

Details are on the club’s website and Facebook page.

By Bill HARROW