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.

The North & Mid vs. Western Area semi-final was played at Watford on Sunday 11th September. The Eastern vs. Central Area semi-final was played at Colchester on Sunday 18th September.

The final was played at Hunstanton on Sunday 2nd October.

   
Click on images for an enlargement
GC League play-off results
by year:
Area 2016 Area Winners:
Semi-finalists
2016
Finalists
2016
Winners

The EACF Golf Croquet
League Trophy
Ipswich Stony Stratford
12-6
[hoops 110-81]
Stony Stratford
10-9
[hoops 104-102]
Southchurch
Letchworth Reds Letchworth Red
13-5
[hoops 107-83]
Stony Stratford

Stony Stratford win the EACF Golf Croquet Handicap League


Winners Stony Stratford

Congratulations to Stony Stratford, winners of this year's GC Handicap League. Stony beat Letchworth Reds 10 games to 9 at Hunstanton on 2 October: it was 9-9 after normal play and the result only settled after a tie-break.

Sunday at Hunstanton dawned bright and blustery, after an evening of thundery rain and local floods. The Northerly wind was bitterly cold (I don't think any of us wore less than three layers at any point in the day), but the lawns were in superb condition (well done and thanks to our hosts at Hunstanton) and sparkled green in the clear autumn sun. A superb stage for an exciting match.

As the result suggests, it was a tight match and it could have gone either way, a final just as one would have hoped for. The doubles were halved one game apiece, a nervy tense start from both sides, but by lunch Stony Stratford had taken a commanding 7-3 lead and you wouldn't have bet against them. In the afternoon Letchworth Reds seemed to up their game and played with much more assurance than in the morning session, taking the score to 8-6 after round four. In the final round of games, we had a real fight on our hands: three games complete and Letchworth were ahead for the first time in the day 9-8, with one game left to finish.

Teams:
Stony Stratford Letchworth Reds
Marion Holland (8) Robert Staddon (6)
Jackie Berry (8) David Clancey (6)
Liz Bulbeck (10) Trish Noble (6)
Robert Chipperfield (10) Tracy Martin (9)

Stony Stratford's Liz Bulbeck, the only player to win all her games, took the score to 9-9 and set up a tie break doubles, which Stony won to secure the Trophy.

We had two well matched teams: hoops won were 104-102! Letchworth Reds fought hard, but all congratulations to Stony Stratford who had the edge on the day; it was a well deserved victory for them.


Report by John Noble

See also:

GC League score-sheet (1 court) (PDF 57 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 – 2016

Print version PDF

  1. General:
    1. All games shall be played under the current CA-approved Laws of Golf Croquet (4th Edition, March 2014).
    2. Games shall be 13-point handicap games with a 60 minute time limit, excluding stoppages. If a game is tied when time is called, one more hoop should be played to determine the winner. Extra turns may not be used for this final hoop (extra turns not used at the conclusion of normal time are lost).
    3. The start time of the match should be agreed by team captains.
    4. Any number of courts may be used: but note that the format differs substantially depending on the number available. Standard Courts should be used wherever possible, and courts must be at least 3/4-size with the correct proportions. All courts should be in adequate condition such that there is a possibility of accurate positioning, and of hitting a ball from one corner of the court to the opposite corner. Play should be spread where the quality of the courts differs.
    5. Where the home club has two or more courts available, then each team shall consist of four players, not necessarily the same players each match. The match shall consist of two doubles games and 16 singles games. Each Team member will play one doubles game and four singles games. Match total 18 games. The players shall be listed in order, first by lowest handicap and then by highest index. 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. A team scores two points for a match win and one point for a draw.
    6. Where the home club has one court, then each team shall consist of three players, not necessarily the same players each match. The players shall be listed in order, first by lowest handicap and then by highest index. Doubles pairings shall be the first two listed players. The match shall consist of one doubles games and nine singles games. The first two listed players in each Team will play one doubles game and three singles games; the third listed players will play three singles games. Match total 10 games. A team scores two points for a match win and one point for a draw.
    7. Substitutes in matches shall be allowed only by prior agreement between the Team Captains.
    8. 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; all illegal games lost by that player remain valid.
    9. For those Clubs with two teams in the same region, the matches between those teams must be played as the first fixture otherwise the result of that game will be void.
  2. Handicaps:
    1. Players must have a handicap within the range -6 to 14 and play off their current handicap on the day of the match.
    2. Teams of four playing at a home club with two or more courts shall have a minimum aggregate handicap of 16. Teams of three playing at a home club with a single court shall have a minimum aggregate handicap of 12.
    3. No more than one team member may have a handicap less than 2 on the day of the match.
    4. Subject to the application of Rule 2c above, where a player’s handicap changes less than a week before a match, that player and/or team shall remain eligible in accordance with CA Tournament Regulations.
    5. Handicap Cards should be handed to opposing Team Captain before the start of play. All handicap cards must be up to date and verified correct by the Team Captain, Club handicapper or Official CA Handicapper. If a player forgets their card, they should orally declare their handicap, but must provide a copy of the card to the opposing Captain and/or 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 all illegal games won by that player shall be forfeit to the opponent with a 0-0 hoop score; all illegal games lost by that player remain valid.
  3. Results:
    1. The home Team Captain should notify the League Manager of results within 48 hours of a match, and should submit a copy of the completed score-sheet within 5 days ideally, by email (note: the score sheet must show the club names, location, date, full names of all players, handicaps, and all results).
    2. Matches not played by the cut-off date of 1 September 2016 will be declared void and no points awarded unless a later date has been agreed beforehand by the League Manager. If a team cancels a match unilaterally less than 5 clear days before a scheduled match, then that team forfeits its points and the non-offending team shall be awarded the match and 2 points.
    3. In the case of a tie on points between two or more teams in an Area Group, then the winner will be determined by: who beat whom; then if still undecided, by the game difference in all matches; then by net hoops in all matches; and, then by other means determined by the Manager.
  4. Disputes: In the event of a dispute, the League Manager's decision shall be final.


Manager