CROQUET NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 111, 6 November 1929, Page 16

CROQUET NOTES

(By "Peg.^')

The first round of the interelub games was most disappointing on account of heavy rain in some eases, and intermittent showers, according to tho location of the greens. Many games were only half-way through when heavy rain caused postponement. As was to bo expected so early in the season, there was no outstanding play but quite a number of intermediate and 'B" grado players recorded breaks for the break competition. Mrs. Pranks of tho Ngaroma Club, topped the list by making a break of six. Answers to correspondents. ] "B. A. "—The Pollock Stars are held by .Kelburn and the following is the draw: Karori, Khandallah, ..Waimarie, Hataitai, Ngaroma, Hutt, St. Augustine, AVellingtou, Haereinai. Alterations to Rules. There have been many enquiries about the alterations to rules, and though they are mostly minor ones some players have already found difficulty Honorary secretaries of clubs have A. G. F. Boss's book, and-it deals exhaustively with tho changes, and in fact every problem likely to occur, •flayers aro fortunate in having such a ■guide compiled by a person at the top of the croquet ladder in New Zealand as all have seen Mr. Boss put his directions into practice—a very different matter from theorising only. To "A. 8.," "Carterton," "New Player," etc., the following from a top player.will be a help:— "Law 10. This is merely an alteration: defining more clearly when a stroke begins and ends. "Law 26.(k) has been added to ana it is now clearly a foul to move any ball during, a stroke by striking a hoop or peg with the mallet, even though the mallet does not touch tho ball in question at. all. It is not, however as some think, a foul to strike a hoop or peg with the mallet, it is the moving of. a ball in an unlawful manner that constitutes the foul. Paragraph (o) will not worry our players much, as the anchor stroke so beloved by the English players has never been in use in Now Zealand. -

"Law 35 (c) is an. addition put in to make the wrong ball law easier to interpret.

"Law 38 (b) is the most noteworthy alteration, namely, that if the striker is a rover and roquets another rover on to the peg the roqueted ball • is. pegged out-and tho turn ceases, the striker's ball remaining where it came to rest. This alteration is bound to have' far-reaching . consequences this1: season, for to roquet a rover ball against the peg will be a very tragic happening and in many cases result in a loss instead of a win." Concentration on the Game. Thoso;players who are feeling a little diffident about starting in tho interelub matches after tho long winter recess will perhaps be glad of the following notes from one of our minus handicap players :-p-" ■ - V - It is 'very necessary in .croquet to have a fixed mode of procedure in thinking out tHe game, and the writer has_ found by experience that the following one1 is most successful: The first point to bear in mind is this: You naturally want to win (it is not much uso playing unless you do) and should therefore play tho game with all your might in order to .do so .in the best possible- manner; but the thought ' ( fI must win" should nevor be allowed to intrude while you are actually nialang a stroke. If it docs, that stroke will probably go wrong, and the game may bo lost as a result. Tho thing to do is to make up your mind to win before the ganio begins; then docket that resolution in tho back of the mind and keep, it there. The next matter of importance is, of course, that of the tactics to follow. Always study every lay-out presented you carefully,l and make up your mind how tho whole turn should be played before making tlie first stroke of the turn; then tuck tho plan of action away till required, and so leave the brain clear for its next job. The third matter to consider is the making of the actual strokes. Decide exactly where the ball or- balls con.corned must go in order to put into effect tho plan fixed upon earlier, and then concentrate the whole- of your skill and attention on getting them there.

To sum the matter up in a few words: Nothing in the world must be allowed to distract your attention from the matter in hand while a stroke is actually being made, and the only satisfactory manner in which to achieve this concentration is deliberately to follow out the.mode of procedure outlined above. English Player. Dominion croquet players are proraised, a treat in the visit of Mr. W. Windsor-Kiehards, who is arriving by the lonic next Tuesday, as ho intends to take .part in sonio of the season's tournaments. He played third in the English team in Australia, and won all his matches, but was not able to play with the team in tho New Zealand games. Mr. Windsor-Bichards goes south on arrival, as ho is a keen follower of the rod and tackle, and greatly enjoyed the fishing on his last visit. He has been invited to become a-visiting member of some of the. Wellington district clubs. King Brooches. \ The King brooches, which are competed for by the four clubs in Lower Hutt, • changed hands recently, when Mesdames Hendry and Wood (Hutti) dfl feated Mesdames Monks and Piper, (Woburn). The conditions are that one of the players on each side shall be nine or more bisques, and the other two players six or more, with theiidea that quite beginners shall have a'real match to take part in. Social. . . • ' - The Island Bay Club recently entertained Mrs. A. Cox, prior to her departure to Eketahuna. Mrs. Cos has been a valued member of the club, and will be greatly missed from the management committee. Mrs. H. B. Leighton, Hutt Club, has returned from Auckland, where she wont to attend the marriage of her son. . Mrs. J. Collins, Haerernai, is spending a holiday at the Chateau Tongariro. Mrs. A. Y. Lees, sen., Lower. Hutt, entertained the Haeremai Club yesterday afternoon, and despite very wet weather all the members wero present. Mrs. Lees received her'guests wearing black georgette with handsomely embroidered bridge coat, and was assisted by her daughter, Miss Jessie Lees, in patterned ring velvet, and Miss vera Jenness, in dainty floral crepe de chine. There were many competitions, all of a novel character, which caused great fun for each as they came, seem- % JSIV ori Sinal thau the last. Mrs. J. O Shea.and Miss Lees sang delighttully both choosing sweet old-fashioned ballads, which always find favour The wmners of tho competitions were Mesdames Rhodes-Williams, Proctor ■ I Lees, Pritchard, Johnson,. B ' Lees' Mllroy, Ayson, Watson, and Leech! ■The' President (Mrs. Boocock), on behalf of the club, thanked the hostess for a very enjoyable afternoon. All rollyn^oTtlTowl"? !ng:'<POrSheVa Johnsonville Club. • P^n c fmA m Ke, r3,f f the Johnsonville Croquet Club held their official opening on Wednesday of last week, P an d^ although weather conditions' were not ideal, a large number of representatives of other clubs were. p res P ont to take part in competitions. After tho visitors had been welcomed by Mrs Croft, president of the local club, Mrs".

Austin, president of the "Wellington Croquet Association, in a few appropriato words, declared tho greens open for the season, and played the official ball through tho first hoop. Both these ladies were presented with posies of flowers, mauve and pink. The winners of tho competitions were: Ladder, Miss Langdon; French, Mrs. Ayson; tunnel Mrs. Keenan; peg, Mrs. Smith. Association Ferns. The Island Bay Club is the holder of the ferns, and the following is the draw: St. Augustine, Wairnarie, Haeremai, Khandallah, "Woburn, Hataitai, Karori, Hutt, Central Wellington, Eastbourne, Seatoun, Kelburn, • Ngaroma, Lyall Bay. M'Kenzie Cups. Woburn Club holds tho M'Kenide Cups at present, and the- draw is as follows: Kelburn, Eastbourne, Island Bay, Ngaroma, St. Augustine, Upper Hutt, Hataitai, Plimmerton, Mount Victoria, Seatoun, Wellington, Central, Lyall Bay, Hutt, Haeremai, Khandallah, Karori, Waimarie. Kelburn played Woburn .to-day in this event. Interelub Matches. The following is the draw for the second round of inter-club games:— A Grade.—Home and away: Haeremai v. Hataitai; Kelburn (1) v. St. Augustine; Karori v. Wellington; Waimario v. Kelburn (2). Intermediate. Grade.—Homo and away: Hataitai (A) v. Eastbourne; Hataitai (B) v. Kelburn (B); Hutt v. Kelburn (A); Ngaroma v. Woburn; AVaimarie takes the game by default from Lyall Bay; Wellington, a bye. B Grade.—Homo and away: Hataitai v. Eastbourne; Island Bay v. Upper Hutt; Johnsonville v. Kelburn; Karori v. AVaimarie; Lyall Bay v. Wellington; Ngaroma v. St. Augustine; Seatoun v. Mt. Victoria. "J. B."—No, it was not overlooked, but we aro now to have our croquet notes in Wednesday's "Evening Post" and the results of the interclub matches in the Saturday issue. Personal. Mrs. M. Kavanagh, Island Bay" Club, who has been in England for some months, was, _at latest advice, leaving for a tour of the Continent, and expected to sail on the Ist February on her return to New Zealand. While in Ireland Mrs. Kavanagh forwarded to tho Island Bay Club a parcel of handsome linen traycloths, etc., for the club's competitions, a kindly thought which is much appreciated.