ON THE CROQUET LAWNS

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1935, Page 13

ON THE CROQUET LAWNS

WET WEATHER STOPS PLAY NEW DRAW FOR INTER-CLUB GAMES ALTERATION TO STROKE RULE.

(By

“Hoop.”)

Dates of forthcoming tournaments are as follows: — Wairarapa championships, Masterton, No-

vember 12. Hawkes Bay championships, Hastings, November 26. Canterbury championships, Christchurch, December 26. South Island championships, Timaru, January 7. North Island championships, Hastings, January 8. New Zealand championships, Palmerston North, January 22. South Auckland championships, Rotorua, February 3. Southland Association tournament, Invercargill, February 4. Wellington tournament, Wellington city, February 4. Manawatu tournament, Palmerston North, February IL Otago championships, Dimedin, February 18. Wanganui championships, Wanganui, February 20. West Coast championships, Grey mouth, February 24. Southern Hawkes Bay championships, Dannevirke, February 25. South Canterbury tournament, Timaru, February 27. New Zealand gold and silver mallets, Christchurch, March 4. Taranaki championships, New Plymouth, March 10. New Zealand gold and silver medals, New Plymouth, March 19. Inter-Club Matches. Owing to the wet weather no matches were played on Tuesday and they have all been postponed till the conclusion of the present series of rounds. Waitara's entry for the inter-club series arrived too late for the recent draw. Following is the amended draw with Waitara included:— October 29, first round: West End v New Plymouth, at Central; Kawaroa v Fitzroy, at. New Plymouth; Central v. Inglewood, at Inglewood; Pukekura v. Waitara, at Kawaroa. These matches were postponed on account of the wet weather and will be played off at the end of the seventh round. November 12, second round: West End v. Inglewood, at Inglewood; Central v Pukekura, at Kawaroa; New Plymouth v. Kawaroa, at West End; Fitzroy Waitara, at Central. November 26, third round: Kawaroa v. West End, at Central; New Plymouth v. Inglewood, at Pukekura Park; Fitzroy v. Pukekura, at New Plymouth; Central v. Waitara, at Central. December 10, fourth round: Inglewood v. Kawaroa, at Inglewood; Central v. Fitzroy, at Pukekura Park; West End v. Pukekura, at Central; New Plymouth v. Waitara, at Waitara. (Dates to be Arranged). Fifth round: Fitzroy v. New Plymouth, at Central; Pukekura v. Kawaroa, at New Plymouth; Central v. West End, at Pukes kura Park; Inglewood v. Waitara, at WaJ tara. Sixth round: New Plymouth v. Pukekura Park, at Central; Fitzroy v. Inglewood, at Inglewood; Central v. Kawaroa, at Fitzroy; West End v. Waitara, at Pukekura Park. Seventh round: West End v. Fitzroy, at Kawaroa; New Plymouth v. Central, at West End; Inglewood v. Pukekura, at New Plymouth; Kawaroa v. Waitara, at Central. Alterations to Laws. The only actual, alteration in any of the laws this year is that to 10b, which now reads: “A stroke is deemed to have been made if the striker has moved his ball with the mallet in taking aim, or if he has commenced a forward or downward movement of the mallet with intent to strike such ball, provided that if the striker intentionally checks his mallet to avoid making a stroke lie shall not be deemed to have made a stroke unless he has actually moved the ball with his mallet.” A ruling has been obtained from Mr. A. G. F. Ross, which reads as follows: “A player may check his mallet for any reason so long as he does hot move the ball or make-a movement forward with intent to strike the ball. Various alterations to the wordings of other laws do not have any significance so far as actual rules are concerned. What to Wear on the Lawns.

Women’s wear for croquet affords such large scope for variety that suggestions on what not zto wear are likely to prove most helpful. Therefore—Do not wear anything likely to restrict the freedom of the arms. Do not wear anything thri will blow about in the wind and distract the eye. Wear pretty frocks by all means, but remember that garden party croquet is a thing of the past, so do not wear garden party clothes at a tournament. Avoid being cold; even in summer there is often an extraordinary drop in temperature when evening draws near and the dew begins to fall, so it is generally wise to have a wrap of some sort available. “Keep cool when you are ‘in’ and warm when you are ‘out’ is a very wise croquet maxim. Noted Player Dead.

On September 12 English croquet lost one of its finest exponents and the English Council one of its most valued members through the death of Mrs. A. C. lonides. Among women players Mrs. lonides’ only peer was Miss D. D. Steel, so well known in this country. Mrs. lonides, as far back as 1923, won the Ladies’ Field Cup after playing off with Miss Steel. Im 1929 and each year since then she has played in that classic event, the Bedslow Cup, in which only England’s best 10 players compete.

Choice of a Mallet. Often at the beginning of the season one hears the remark “I am thinking of getting a new mallet.” It is difficult to advise a player on this very important subject unless one knows something of the style of stance the player has adopted, because after all style and mallet seem inseparable. For men players the Irish grip, with both palms turned outwards and the swing between the feet, is perhaps the most generally favoured. The style most universal for women is the upright stance for which a mallet with a much longer shaft is used. It is swung to the side of the body, being gripped with the left upper palm facing inwards and the right lower palm facing outwards. Any mallet that exceeds 31b 4oz in weight may not only add to the awkwardness of the player but also may make too much demand on the wrists. Of course, some players work better with lighter tools whatever the work on hand. Though style and mallet may be often best left to natural inclination, .there is also much to be said for following some one leading player and modelling one’s play accordingly. In this case it will clearly be advisable to get him or her to prescribe the mallet. It should be remembered that the average shop window article is not always perfectly balanced of adjusted to accurate alignment, so that in any case the desirability of expert ad-

vice, even outside that of the imperturbable salesman, is a matter to bear in mind. Lawn Markings. All the croquet clubs have made a departure from the old style of lawn markings. In most cases cord is used to mark the boundary, while others use the usual white chalk line, the inner line being done away with altogether. The cord method, which is used throughout England and Australia, greatly facilitates the setting out of the green, the cord being easily taken up and laid down as required. It not only has the advantage of being simple to handle but is permanent, whereas when heavy rain occurs the chalk line almost invariably has to be remarked. With the use of the outer line only the mallets have, of course, to be marked halt the width of a ball short of the yard to ensure the correct placing of the ball on the court. It is quite possible that this method of marking the lawns will be followed on several of the greens during the Dominion tournament at Palmerston North in January.