CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23705, 12 January 1939, Page 13

CROQUET

By Clips (Club captains and secretaries are invited to forward for insertion in this column items of interest to players. Questions referring to the laws of the game are also invited, and will be answered as far as possible. All communications must reach this office not later than Tuesday of each week, and must bear the writer's name and address as well as nom de plume.) TOURNAMENT DATES January 19.—New Zealand Championships at Palmerston North. January 30.—Southern Hawke's Bay Championships at Dannevirke; silver jubilee. Feoruary I.—Canterbury Champion ships at Christchurch. February 6.—South Auckland Cham pionships. at Hamilton. February 7.—Wellington Champion ships at Lower Hutt February 13.—South Taranaki Annual Tournament, at Hawera. February 14.—Otago Championships, at Dunedin February 14.—West Coast Tournament, at Greymouth. February 16.—South Canterbury Croquet Association's Tournament. February 17.—Hawke's Bay Croquet Association's Tournament, at Hastings. February 17.—Wanganui Croquet Association Tournament. February 28.—Gold and Silver Mallets at Hastings. March 2.—Auckland Croquet Association Tournament. March 2.—Taranaki Annual Tournament, at New Plymouth. March 10.—Gold and Silver Medals, at Auckland. Easter.—Alexandra Croquet Club Annual Tournament, at Alexandra. CLUB NOTES The St. Clair Club has entertained several visitors during the holiday season, including Mrs Charles Todd, an ex-member of the St. Clair Club. Mrs Todd, who is this season president of the Kelburn Club. Wellington, expressed pleasure at visiting her old club and renewing acquaintances with the members. Mrs Meikle, Te Aroha, has also enjoyed several games at St. Clair before leaving this week for Palmerston North to take part in the Dominion tourney. Mr J. Tannock, Opoho Club, will leave on Monday for Palmerston North to play in the Dominion tourney. Mr Tannock intends to compete in all events open to him. In the Championship Doubles, Mr Tannock's partner will be Miss Washer, a 2 bisque player from South Taranaki. Mr Tannock's handicap is minus i. Last year Mr Tannock was runner-up to La Roche in the Men's Championship. Local players will join with u Clips " in wishing him the best of luck in the tourney. Mrs Buchler, Punga, left this morning for Palmerston North. Mrs Buchler will represent Otago at the council meeting, but does not intend to take part in the play. She hopes to see the major part of the tourney, before leaving for New Plymouth. The following players will be taking part in the New Zealand Championships and wil lbe partnered in the Doubles event:—D. McClymont (Wanganui) and Mrs Walker (Woburn), Mrs W. E. Caldow (Wellington) and Mrs Anstis (Palmerston North), Mrs R. D. Gambrill (Palmerston North) and E. Veitch (Ngaroma), W. Tye (Kelburn) and Mrs D. C. Henderson (Wellington), Mr and Mrs Bryan (Waimarie). t SOUTH ISLAND TOURNEY The South Island events are all progressing favourably, but at the time of writing none had been finalised. The total entries for this year's tourney are four less than last year, when the fixture was played in Dunedin. The difference is in the Open Championship. Last year there were nine competitors, but this year there are only five. Last year, in the Championship Doubles, there were 18 pairs. This year there are 16. In the Ladies' Championship last year there were 11 entries, and this year 13. Among the visitors are Mesdames Palmer, Maddren, Cowper, Lee, Were, Partger and Mr H. Neutze from Christchurch, and Mrs Robertson from Greymouth. The only Southland representative is Mrs Pettigrew, and Otago players are conspicuous by their absence. NORTH ISLAND TOURNEY In Auckland, where the North Island tourney is at present in progress, in the Open Championship there ere 10 competitors, and in the Ladies' Championship 31. The Open was concluded on Tuesday. The finalists were Captain Hartnall (New Plymouth) and A. J. Gibbs (Patea). The final was two out of three; Hartnall won the first and Gibbs the second, both games being fairly close. Hartnall got in early in the third game and won easily. CROQUET ANNUAL The New Zealand Council from time to time makes appeals to every player to purchase a copy of the Annual, a very reasonable request, as in that publication is the official Bisque list of every player in New Zealand, as well as the latest authorised laws of the game. In the council's report is given the list of associations together with the number of annuals purchased. It makes interesting reading:—

HOOP RUNNING MADE EASY How frequently we hear even lowbisqued players saying: "I kept sticking in every hoop to-day." Where does the fault lie? In an article on "Practice" an English writer gives an explanation of the cause of most of the failures at hoops and the cure for them, the approach to the hoop being equally as important as the stroke to run the hoop. PRACTICE

No doubt much can be done by constant practice if it is judiciously employed. We have seen, for instance, 32-inch noops almost impassable (and who yearn for just that extra quarter-of-an-inch that would make all the difference to their happiness) patiently and persistently trying to make these narrow arches from every conceivable angle. The inference seems to be that the approaches of these players to the straight and narrow way are not to be depended on ever to give them one of those bang-in-front-of-the-hoop positions from .six inches. The secret of successful hoop-running is to be found in the strokes f*at come well before trying the hoop. The approach comes first, and then the hoop-running should follow So make sure, by constant practice of your approaches, that you nevei do have a difficult hoop to run. And our advicp goes further back still; make surf that your approach to the hoop is easy by rushing the assistant ball accurately to within a yard of the playing side of the hoop. Practise, therefore, your rush-stroke, then your approach, when you have perfected these two stages in the process of break-making the hoop will almost look after itself. Whitcombes for Croquet.*

Association. Annuals. Players. P.c West Coast . 61 110 55 137 48 Hawke's Bay .. 166 364 47 Wellington .. .. 255 545 46 South Taranaki .. 125 245 42 South Canterbury 149 350 42 Otago 143 393 36 Manawatu 108 321 33 Rotorua .. . • 10 30 33 Southland .... 67 219 30 Taranaki .. .. 52 173 30 Canterbury .. 141 564 25 Marlborough .. 11 51 21 South Auckland 134 690 19 Wairarapa .. .. 19 107 17 Auckland .. .. 168 1042 16 North Auckland 18 124 14