ARCHIVES

ARCHIVES

GC Golf Croquet

The East Anglian Golf Croquet league is divided into four areas, the Northern, Eastern, Central and Western areas, and the clubs in each area played in an all-play-all block over the course of the season. There are four players per team who play four timed handicap singles against their opposite numbers, plus two handicap doubles – a total of 18 games per match. The results of the matches in each block can be found by following the corresponding links. The four area winners then proceed to a knock-out stage for the semi-finals and finals to determine the overall winner.

Note: the New GC Handicapping System being trialled in the EACF region is mandatory for all GC League games.

   
Click on images for an enlargement
 GC League play-off results
by year:
Area 2015 Area Winners:
Semi-finalists		 2015
Finalists		 2015
Winners
The EACF Golf Croquet
League Trophy
Hunstanton Hunstanton
10-5 [hoops 91-79]		 Hunstanton
10-8 [hoops 104-105]
Southchurch
Enfield (E) Enfield (E)
10-9 [hoops 109-116]
Watford

Sunday 4th October at Wrest Park:
Hunstanton win the EACF Golf Croquet Handicap League

A fantastic day's croquet at Wrest Park. Glorious late summer sunshine, pristine lawns and two evenly matched teams playing at their best: what could be better?

And what a change from mid September when Hunstanton, the winners of the North and Mid Area, met Watford, the winners of the Western Area, on the same ground. The match was abandoned after 15 games as the heavy rain showers had caused flooding. Fortunately the result was clear with Hunstanton already leading by 10 games to 5.

Enfield, the winners of the Central Area, had had a different but equally challenging route to the final. In a close game at Colchester against Southchurch Park, the winners of the Eastern Area, the match was tied at 9 games all after normal time. Southchurch Park were a nose ahead with 110 hoops against Enfield's 102. But in an exciting decider, Des Taylor and Henry Hobbs beat Tony Butcher and Alan Cornelius to give Enfield the match, though even this wasn't decided until the 13th hoop. It could have gone either way. The stage was set for the Enfield-Hunstanton final.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the final looked to be heading the same way. The doubles had gone one each way. It was 3-3 at the end of the first round of singles; 5-5 after the second, and 7-7 as the players walked out for the final round of games. Two games finished early, the score 8-8; two games still in progress. Ruth Cole (Hunstanton, handicap 7) against David Frost (Enfield, 0) and Charles Ostler (Hunstanton, 5) against Tony Elliott (Enfield, 3). Ruth had taken a early lead through good use of her extra turns, but the game was decided on hoop 13 when she took advantage of a rare missed clearance. All eyes then turned to the game between Charles and Tony, which at the time was poised at 5-5. It took a further 15 minutes of nail-biting play to decide the game and the match. It really could have gone either way. The final score: 10-8 to Hunstanton. It is no consolation to the runners up, I know, but Enfield ran more hoops: 105 against Hunstanton's 104. This was also a fitting the climax to the trial of the new Golf Croquet handicapping system in our region and proof both that the system is an improvement on the old and that properly handicapped games are close and exciting events.

Congratulation to the winners, Hunstanton and to the runners up, Enfield. All eight players (Pauline and Roy Donner, Charles Ostler, Ruth Cole, David Frost, Tony Elliott, Brian Sturt and Andy Davis) were a delight to watch and a credit to their clubs.

Report by John Noble
Click on images for an enlargement

See also:

The New GC Handicapping System Trial
GC League entry form (DOC 37 kb)
GC League score-sheet (2 courts) (PDF 49 kb)
GC League score-sheet (3 or 4 courts) (PDF 52 kb)
GC Level Play League
Previous GC Handicap league winners - all years
Previous GC Level Play league winners - all years

 

Golf Croquet Handicap League Rules – 2015
Semi-Finals & Finals

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  1. All games shall be handicap and played under the current CA-approved Laws of Golf Croquet (NB: new 4th Edition, March 2014).
  2. The Semi-Final Round dates and neutral venues will be arranged by the League Manager after conferring with the team captains. The Final Round will be arranged by the League Manager, the date and venue stated prior to the start of any league matches being played.
  3. Each team shall consist of four players, not necessarily the same players each match. The players shall be listed in order, first by lowest handicap and then by highest index, and doubles pairings should be declared prior to start of play. The doubles pairs with the first listed player on each side shall play each other.
  4. Substitutes in matches shall be allowed by prior agreement between the Team Captains.
  5. Handicaps:
    1. Each player shall have a handicap within the range -6 to 14 and shall play off their current EFFECTIVE handicap on the day of the match.
    2. The team shall have a minimum aggregate ACTUAL handicap of 12.
    3. Subject to rule 5.d, in the event of handicap changes less than a week before a match, a player and/or team remains eligible in accordance with CA Tournament Regulation H1.f.
    4. No more than one team member may have a handicap less than 2 on the day of the match.
  6. No player may play for more than one team in a season. In the event of a violation all illegal games won by that player shall be forfeit to the opponent with a 0-0 hoop score, but all illegal games lost by that player shall remain valid.
  7. The match shall consist of 2 doubles games and 16 singles games. Each Team member will play 1 doubles game and 4 singles games. If a match is drawn at the end of all games, Captains will choose any 2 players to play a deciding 13-hoop game. To determine who starts, all four players to hit one ball from the same boundary line across the lawn; whichever ball is closest to the far boundary line without going over it commences play.
  8. 13-point handicap games will be played with a 60 minute time limit, excluding stoppages. If a game is drawn when time is called the players must play one more hoop to determine the winner. Bisques may not be used for this extra hoop.
  9. Handicap Cards must be submitted to each Team Captain prior to the start of play. All handicap cards are to be up to date and verified correct by either the Team Captain, Club handicapper or Official C.A. Handicapper. If a player forgets their card they can verbally declare their handicap but must provide a copy of the card to the League Manager within 24 hours of the match. If a player’s handicap turns out to be lower than that declared on the day then the same penalty as in Rule 6 applies. Additionally if a player forgets their card for the Final they shall play off a handicap 2 below their declared handicap.
  10. Any number or size of lawns may be used. Adjust the format accordingly. Spread the play if the quality of lawns varies.
  11. Semi-final results and a copy of the score-sheet are to be notified by each Team Captain to the League Manager after the match.
  12. In the event of a dispute the League Manager's decision shall be final.


Manager