Croquet needs younger players

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 18

Croquet needs younger players

Christchurch croquet needs more younger players this season, believes Roger Murfitt, president of the Canterbury Croquet Association, Otherwise he believes the game is in a healthy state, “ The number of players is as high as it has been for the last six or seven years, but we still need to have a greater number of young players,” he said. “ Many people fall down by leaving croquet until they retire, when it can be difficult to learn. They stick with active games, like tennis, until they find

they can manage them no longer — and then they have nothing. "Croquet is a game to begin when you are still active. And you must learn it when you are young if you want a realistic chance of reaching the top.” Three Canterbury players, a long way short of retirement have been selected for the New Zealand men’s invitation event at Christchurch’s United club on November 7. The eight men are all “possibles” for the home es series against Eng-

land and Australia in 1990.

The local players will be Roger Murfitt, John Prince, who has captained New Zealand and played in six international test series, and Graham Beale, of Cashmere, who is now teaching at a Greymouth primary school. “For some of us, getting ready for the Macßobertson Shield games will be an important part of the year,” said Murfitt. Most local players will be worried about earthier matters. In the case of the new Diamond Harbour

club that’s literally true — the club is busily levelling and developing land for three greens on a site by the bowling club. Members of Canterbury’s affiliated clubs are likely to be spending much of the year arguing

about handicaps. A new and more rigorous handicapping system has been proposed by Paul Skinley, the New Zealand handicapper. His visit to Christchurch seems likely to provide one of the livelier evenings of the year.