CROQUET NOTES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 54, 27 November 1930, Page 18

CROQUET NOTES

Display of Difficult Shots • CLUB OPENINGS Hints on Hoop-running

(By

Rover)

Coming Tournaments. Manawatu Association, Palmerston North, November 25, 1930 (in progress). Canterbury Association, Christchurch, December 26, 1030. North Island Championship, Auckland, January 9, 1931. Dominion Champi/nship, Christchurch, ■ ' January. 19, 1931. ... South. Island Championship, Dunedin, January 30, 1931. Wellington Association, Wellington, Feb..ruary 3, 1931. Taranaki Association, New Plymouth, Feb-: ruary 3, 1931. An Interesting series of hints on hooprunning, from the pen of W. Windsor Richards, are available for this week’s readers. . Mt. Richards says: "Get the centre of ttie hoop, the centre of the ball, and the centre of . the mallet head in one Straight line, forget the ball Is thgre, and make your stroke. If you follow the ball with vour eyes, or lift your head, you will miss the brill. Make up your mihd how you are giing to hit the ball, look at the hoop and the ball as often as you like .when -making up your mind, but when you have once done this, hit the ball as you intended, and forget the hoop is there. Try',this little experiment. Place a ball iri front of a hoop. say. a foot from it, and'Straight in front Of it, take your sighting carefully, and then deliberately shut vour' eyes when running the hoop: you will make the hoop perfectly easily. Tins bears out what I have previously advised —forget the hoop is there after you hav.e taken your aim. If you stick in a hoop, it is a thousand chances-to <one that you . followed the ball with your eyes.’, Canterbury Association Tournament. The programme for the seventeenth annual tournament of the Canterbury Association, which commences on Boxing Day. is to hand, and nine events provide a wealth of play for all grades of competitors. The most important event is the open championship, and the winner of this event will hold the challenge cup presented by A. G. Jtoss. The ladles championship is open to all associates, the winner holding Mrs. E. A. Smith’s cup. There are ' three double events—the Izard Memorial” championship doubles, and an event ' for associates whose handicap is not leas than 4- 2 bisques and not more than 4- 5i bisques. These conditions 'naturally restrict ' entries to P la ye rs ' A grade. The B handicap, doubles is ouen to players whose official handicap is Xless than 4- 0 bisques. The B grade championship singles is also confined 1 o players of the same , grade. In the open championship, each match will comst of the best of three games. The ladies ,cham r-innahin will be played on ■ the two-itte system, P ex££Pt the final, which shall be the. best of three games. Entries close on December 18. with the tournament manager, A. Ross. South Taranaki Tourney. The South Taranaki Association has issued its programme, for the fourth annual tournev, which commences-on h ebru arv IT. It is very lengthy, no fewer than ten events being included, three of nhlch are.confined to South Taranaki associates is rattier a. conservative ar . • rang'ement, and does not Offer an yJ nd “ t ®®‘ vnnni fnr visitors from a distance to enter* A play” o Gi bisques grading would find therm was on.V one single doub e detested by the majority of players. The Association Ferns.', , The association ferns were played for last Friday morning on the I The participants were: Mesdames Mcuirr P?"” an ( d ehaß e engers) from the Kelburn Club. At the outset of the game, Mr. .McGirr quickly got in the lead, and maintained, it throughout. • The opponents, not being uccustomed to the keenness of the lawn, went boundary on several shots. Towards the latter part of the game, however,, they n^“Z ?a _Jn r g t steadily, and made several points, whilst the home team was eudenvouring to peg out.'. The game concluded 26—20 in sea toun’s favour. They will meet Ngaroma club in the next challenge. -' 1 • ' - jl ': Central: Club Opening. The Central club was favoured with a fine day for its official opening, when a large number of players and representatives of sister clubs were present. Mrs. Wild, president, and Mrs. Brocklebank, vice-president, received the visitors, and the season was declared open by Mrs. Harding, patroness, after which the -visitors played competitions. The winners were as follow:—Angles, Mts. Lippltt; hoop,-F. Laurie; hurry scurry, Mesdames Fairley and Gilbanks: French, Mrs. Fairley; pendulum, Mrs. Parker. Afternoon tea was dispensed, by the com- / mittee in the club pavilion, which presented a very gay appearance, the decorations and flowers being a feature of the occasion. Dainty bouquets were presented to Mesdames Harding, Wild, Austin, Brocklebank, and D. McKenzie by Miss M. Bell, on behalf of the club. McKenzie Cups. Mesdames Murphy and McDonald (Waimarie) were successful in retaining the McKenzie Cups, in their challenge game against the Mt. Victoria Club, which was represented by Mrs. Chirnslde and Miss Langdon. It was a most interesting game -■throughout, and a very even one,- the issue being in doubt until almost the final turn. The score was 26—23. Rangamaire will play the next challenge, against Waimarle. Inter-club Contests. Inter-club day last, week promised to be fine, but with the changeableness experienced lately, it was pouring with rain by 4 p.m. . The results of games to date are as follow:— . . : A grade—Wellington (1), 52; Rangamaire, 52; Waimarle (2), 52; Hataltai (1), 52; Waimarle (1), 50; Rangamaire, 47; Kelburn (2), 47; Ngaroma, 45; Ilataital (1), 43; Kelburn (2), 42; Hataltai (2), 42; Wellington (2), 40; Wellington (2), 40; Hutt, 37; Wellington (2), 36; Ngaroma, 35; Eastbourne, 33; Hutt, 27; Hataltai (2), 19; Waimarie (2), 1. Intermediate grade—Seatouri, 52; Island Bay, 50; Ngaroma, 52; Woburn, 52; Karori, 45; Mt. Victoria, 44; Kelburn (2), 43; Ngaroma, 43; Hutt, 41; Wellington, 39.; Waimarle, 38; Hataltai, 36; Kelburn (1), ■’ 33; Rangamaire, 30: Hutt, • TGj-Upper Hutt, 26; Rangamaire, 25; Mt. Victoria, 24; Waimarle, 18. /- B Grade.—Kelburn, 52; Hataitai, ■ 47; Wellington, 45; Johnsonville. 45; Seatoun, 4L;-_ Island Bay, 41; Woburn, 38; Central, 35;, Johnsonville, 27; Eastbourne, 26; Kelburn, 26; Ngaroma, 19; Woburn, 13; Mt. Victoria. 11. 'A number of the above scores are of games, previously postponed on account "of'the rain, and also of games in which one half of the team have completed their game, and the other half is unfinished. The draw for the fifth round Is as follows':— ■ A Grade. —Hutt v. Wellington (2); •Rangamaire v. Hataitai (2); Waimarle (2) v, Wellington ;(1); Kelburn (1) v. Haererriai; Eastbourne v. Waimarle (1); Kelburn (2) v. Hataltai (1); Ngaroma, a bye. 'lntermediate Grade.—Kelburn (2) v. Upper Hutt; Haeremai v. Karori: Kelburn (T) v. Wellington; Ngaroma v. Woburn: Seatoun v. Central: Rangamaire v. Island BaV: Hutt v. Mt. Victoria; Waimarle v. Hataitai. B Grade.—Central V. Ngaroma; Seatoun v. Johnsonville; Eastbourne v. Khandallah; Waimarle v. Island Bay: Mt. Victoria v. Kelburn; Wellington v. Hataitai; Woburn, • a bye. EnHtbourne Members’ Day. A very enjoyable afternoon was spent by members of the Eastbourne Croquet Club on Saturday afternoon. Various competitions were played, the following players being successful; —Angles. Mrs. Foley; hoop. Mrs. Roberts: peg. Mrs. Dull; golf. Mesdames Battersby and Malllnson (tie); bull’s-eye, Mrs. Card: hurry scurry, Mesdames Richards and Mallifls' Afternoon tea and the jentation of ' prizes by the president, Mrs. H. M. .Tones, broilgh an enjoyable afternoon to a close. Demonstration of Difficult Shots. There was a large attendance of members of the Mount Victoria Croquet Club 'bn Saturday afternoon to witness the demonstration of difficult shots which Mrs. Rhodes-Williams had consented to give in acceptance of the committee s invitation. Among the difficult shots which were go much appreciated were the split shot, pass roll, corner cannon, step shot, anchor stroke, and hammer shot, all of which were heartily applauded; but the one that gave ■ the greatest thrill was the Jump shot. In this shot Mrs. Rhodes-Williams jumped one ball and roqueted another .both of which were well separated. She also jumped a ball through a hoop where another was already lying. ■ . At the conclusion of the afternoon Mrs. Rhodes-Williams was presented with a bouquet of roses and- maidenhair fern, ■which were grown by Mrs. Campbell. Mrs. Chirnslde (president) voiced the appreeiatie's of tnomhexw for her display? -ana the

zeal with whieli Mrs. Bhodes-Williams lias helped croquet players in general. Answers to Correspondents. “Patea.”—(l) The ball is a ball displaced. Rule 42. Pars. E and G. govern the position. “Should a ball at rest be moved by' any agency (the weather or otherwise), outside the match it shall be replaced. It is quite clear that the firstmentioned player must replace the ball, tb the position it occupied when he completed his previous turn, his opponent not having attempted to make use of it. A turn ceases when the striker has made all the strokes to which he is entitled, and the balls have come to rest. (2) The ball has made the point, and your illustration In diagram A is correct, arid the straight edge must not be placed on the non-play-ing side of the hoop. (3) Blue can croquet black from the playing side, as in diagram A, and the shot is quite legitimate.