There are many wonderful things about Hampstead Heath but croquet players have a particular soft spot for their gem, Hampstead Heath Croquet Club. There will be plenty of opportunities to try out this summer – see dates below, and watch for news updates.
Continue reading Play croquet on Hampstead Heath in 2024!“Croquet is like playing snooker on a lawn!”
Member Sue Kirby explains the basic characteristics and origins of the game of croquet and invites you to join the Hampstead Heath Croquet Club.
Continue reading “Croquet is like playing snooker on a lawn!”Croquet season starts on 13 April
Members of the club will now be eagerly looking at the weather forecast! For the moment the second half of this week looks fairly dry so fingers are crossed that play will start on Saturday.
Continue reading Croquet season starts on 13 AprilGolf croquet is resurgent
Thanks to the efforts of some dedicated members golf croquet has grown from almost nothing to now play a full role in the club’s activity. Golf croquet is, according to the The Croquet Association, “a game with a long history and a recent resurgence of interest at all levels” and “has simpler rules and is more interactive (each turn is just a single stroke), but it requires a similar level of accuracy and tactical awareness”. The club’s dedicated players had the fullest season to date as summarised below (with thanks to Chris Elliott for the words).
Continue reading Golf croquet is resurgentHHCC competition success
Our club plays in the southeast region U-league. This involves playing four of the other ten clubs during the summer – two home matches and two away. The results page for 2023 is here. A detailed report of the final match of the season (against Caterham) is below. As Caterham and Hampstead Heath were the only teams remaining unbeaten after three matches, the final match was a winner-takes-all decider for the League title. It turned out to be a most satisfactory end to a most enjoyable season with all players contributing to the final winning scoreline of 4-3. Congratulations to everyone who played a part in this success.
Continue reading HHCC competition successClub KO reaches its climax
Following a nervy start in which his first four bisques yielded but one hoop, Alex was a worthy winner +14 to take the 2023 Club AC Singles Championship. After Phil failed to capitalise on a good early opportunity Alex got to peg and 2 back with eight of his 15 bisques remaining. At this point Phil realised that what the game needed was a futile gesture, so duly hit a 25 yarder and played a break to the peg and pegged Alex out. He could then only sit and watch as Alex finished from 2 back requiring only two of his remaining eight bisques so to do.
So many congratulations to Alex, a truly worthy winner. Hopefully he will find his defence next season a bit more challenging off his new handicap of 10.
Catherine Weinstein Trophy
It took some time to find a suitable date to present Robin Ferner (left) with the Catherine Weinstein Trophy (for most improved player) for 2022. Congratulations, Robin! The winner for 2023 will be announced at the club’s AGM.
Robin is photographed with Sandy Nairne.
Croquet “fiesta”
Last Thursday the club held its first full day event. Over 20 members attended at some point through the day enjoying matches (both association and golf) with old friends and new. We look forward to another such opportunity.
Club President reaches world final
Club members were delighted to watch Gabrielle Higgins, President of Hampstead Heath Croquet Club, progress through the rounds and reach the World Final at the start of the year.
In a back-and-forth finals match held on January 13, 2023, in Christchurch, New Zealand, Debbie Lines defeated Gabrielle Higgins, by a score of 26-3, 19-22, 22-11, to claim the 2023 WCF Women’s AC World Championship.
The all-England final provided an entertaining and interactive match, with both players showing great skill and determination. Lines took the first game by a convincing score of 26-3, but Higgins fought back in the second, narrowly winning 22-19 as the game timed out. Lines took the decider 22-11 in another timed-out game to claim the world title.
Lines is only the third winner of the event, following Miranda Chapman (ENG) in 2015 and Jenny Clarke (NZL) in 2012.
More information about the 2023 Women’s AC World Championship can be found on the WCF web pages. And there is a YouTube video of the final should you want to watch some or all of the 11-plus hours of play.
Around The Tournaments
Men’s & Women’s Championships (Cheltenham Croquet Club 14-18 June 2017)
Gabrielle acquitted herself well at the Men’s & Women’s Championships. In the Women’s she won her block to qualify for the KO stage, where she lost in a deciding game at the semi final stage having been 1-0 up.
In the Mixed Doubles she and partner Keith Aiton finished equal top of their block but lost a play off so failed to progress to the KO stage. Gabs won the 2016 edition of this event partnering David “The Beast” Maugham.
British Open Championships (The Hurlingham Club 1-9 July 2017)
Club members Gabs & Phil Cordingley will be playing in these. The Singles Championship draw has been made. Too complicated to explain in detail how the format works, but roughly you need to win six out of your first eleven singles games to qualify for a Bo3/5 KO stage. More as the tournament progresses.
Gabs and Phil will be partnering each other in the Doubles Championship, hoping to emulate some of their recent success for Middlesex at the Inter County Championship.
We can take up to four guests per day, so if club members would like to do some spectating let me know on what day and I’ll see what can be done.