Category: News

Pinchbeck Croquet Club members have enjoyed a hectic period of activity.

In an evenly fought contest, the All England Golf Croquet Handicap event took place at Pinchbeck, with Ken Knock and Tim Barzycki coming out on top of their respective groups and qualifying to play in the Regional Final in July.

Nine participants each played at least three games in a two-block format. Experienced and new players alike enjoyed some keen battles across all the games.

Relative newcomer Derek Brocklesby won all his games with a plus-11 hoop difference, as did Knock, but with a hoop difference of 14 to win the group. In the other group Barzycki won two games with plus-two hoop difference, leaving him ahead of Charles Baker and Martin Thompson.

Mike Barnett only joined the club this year but was a willing participant in the competition, along with Ann Gillett, Sam Hales and Mike Bowser.

Elsewhere, Barzycki finished second at Woodhall Spa, topped his group at Wrest Park but won only once in the knockout to finish seventh overall.

He came away with nothing from an event at Hunstanton on the North West Norfolk coast.

In Association Croquet (AC), Knock took part in the East Anglian Croquet Federation AC Club Champions Tournament, handicap block, which was won by John Smallbone, from Watford.

Knock came third, losing his final game by just two points after missing a shot in his final turn.

Knock also travelled to Nottingham for the Northern Regional Final of the Charity One-ball and came out victorious.

The event was a charitable event in aid of Alzheimer’s Society and raised donations of £55.40.

The club thanked Pinchbeck Community Land Trust for their donation to buy two sets of balls.

The delayed final round from 2024 caused due to adverse weather conditions and independent lawns closing early was eventually played Between the two finalist Wrest Park and Pinchbeck at the Newport Club on Thursday 17th April. Each team comprising of three players played two rounds made up of one doubles and one singles game in the morning followed by three singles games in the afternoon.

Teams were made up as follows:-
Wrest Park: Pinchbeck:
George Collin (0.5) Adrian Kirby (0)
Tim Brewer (2.5) Mike Bowser (4.5)
Tim Nurse (6) Ken Knock (9)
During the morning session the first game to finish was the singles game between Tim Brewer and Mike Bowser in which Tim ran out the winner +18. Meanwhile the doubles game between George and Tim Nurse against Adrian and Ken proved a much closer affair and could have gone either way. Unfortunately due to a miss swing of the mallet in which Adrian suffered a minor leg injury a winning position was lost and again Wrest park ran out the winners +1(T) giving Wrest Park a two nil lead at the lunch break.

After the lunchbreak what looked an impossible task for Pinchbeck who had only to lose one game to lose the match suddenly took on different manner as Mike Bowser ran out a winner against Tim Nurse +17 and almost unbelievably Ken Knock playing Tim Brewer swept the board +26 which at the end of the day earned him a reduction in his handicap by 3. This left George Collin battling Adrian Kirby with the match drawing at 2 – 2 to determine the winner. This proved a hit and miss affair in which ran Adrian’s way +10.

Against all the odds Pinchbeck ran out the overall winner 3 -2 to win the trophy for 2024.

Thanks go to the Newport club for making the facilities available to the Federation and providing a light tea of cakes and tea & coffee all day.

Terrey Sparks
Tournament Organiser

Hi Terrey

The semi final against Norwich was played at Pinchbeck.

Morning Session

Johnathan Sisson v Gordon Mills

As Time was called Gordon at last got the opportunity to make a break and ran ten hoops to peg out for a +3 victory 21-18 on time.

John Reddish and Robin Farman V Mike Bowser and Peter Hanley: Norwich won + 8 score 22-14 on time.

Afternoon Session

Gordon Mills and Mike Bowser V Johnathan Sisson and John Reddish, Norwich won +16, score 26-10 with an hour on the clock.. They played far too well, they did a nine hoop break, and we did a good 9 hoops to level up and a good leave. They used their first bisque to get round the leave and went round to peg. We went to peg. They used their second and last bisque to get going again and faultlessly took their second ball to peg to win.

Peter Hanley V Robin Farman: Peter won for Pinchbeck + 4 with three minutes left on the clock Score 26-22. With 10 bisques and on very good form for a 12HC Robin’s 10 bisques made him a formidable adversary. Since Pinchbeck needed Peter to win in time to draw it was a tense time.

In the the break knock out Norwich won the toss and put Pinchbeck in first. Peter performed a perfect rush to the hoop Mike set up the approach beautifully, but left the receiving ball short and Gordon thank goodness ran the hoop. Peter tried to cut rush the receiving ball to the next hoop from a foot away and missed, such was the pressure. Norwich took their turn, Johnathan did a poor rush and left the ball short of the hoop, John did a far too strong split roll and left Robin a doable but difficult diagonal hoop run. He had been doing them successfully all day long, but it clanged on the wire and bounced away.

‘Woodhall Spa Croquet Club recently held the Lincoln singles competition. Tim Barzycki from Pinchbeck Croquet Club was one of ten entrants into this event

Tim’s first match was a very closely fought tussle on level play against a 4 handicap which Tim ended up on the wrong end of a 7-6 defeat. However that was the only match he lost all day, winning others 7-2; 7- 4; 7-4; 7- 4

His first match opponent failed to lose a single game and went on to win the day.

In the meantime because of Tim’s performance he finished a very creditable second place.’

The lawn has been cut several times to achieve a smooth fast running surface, and Ken Knock and Tim Barzycki are photographed carefully setting the hoops to be  one eighth of an inch wider than the croquet balls. This is considered generous and makes the hoops relatively easy, which is good for practice. At tournaments the gap is set for between one thirty second and a sixteenth of an inch. Gordon Mills has attended a coaching course to qualify as a Club Coach. Tim Barzycki qualified last year. Between them they will now run short courses in both Association Croquet and Golf Croquet . The experienced  players are booked into several tournaments around the country, and looking forward to welcoming existing and new members and visitors to the club in Pinchbeck. It’s a great game of strategy and skill. Games last between one hour and three hours. If any one is interested in trying the game please come along .

HIBISCUS COLUMN – Croquet Gazette-406 December 23

What a joy to report that the 2023 Greek AC Champion is a Hibisquer. Not me, but I was there to see Surbiton’s Jonathan Edwards, playing off 18, edge a nail biter against Pinchbeck’s Ken Knock. After gruelling hours in noonday sun, only sudden death – and that essential finger of fortune – separated two doughty fighters. Greek hoops, set in soil baked through the summer, are tough for Brits to run. Even when watered into partial submission, they caught out Hi and Lo alike. Playing off 10, Ken clung onto his quartet of bisques and his nerve through repeated failures at hoop two, then created a polished four ball break to draw level as the clock wound down. Over to Jonathan: after several knife edge exchanges, he squeaked the vital hoop. Maybe that’s what you learn in the Army ….

Could it have been me? No, but I did have a much better run than I expected. Playing off a bisque base, I found that ducking and diving to give opponents the chance to squander a small allocation paid dividends. Not so against those who had none: why would they need them to kick mine into touch. Thank you to Chris Roberts (Phyllis Court) and Charles Harding (Bowdon) for showing me what I shouldn’t do.

The Corfu Croquet Club, the only one in Greece, was started by Tony Blok, a solicitor who pursued his Dutch love to the island soon after the millennium. He had the funds to establish two courts next to the cricket ground to the north of Corfu Town. After a match at Hurlingham, his opponent, Kevin Carter, handicap -0.5, proposed a Greek fixture, a suggestion Tony accepted enthusiastically, with the proviso that Kevin manage it.

In 2009, circumstances dictated that Tony be absent for a while, leaving Kevin to host the annual tournaments until 2013. Thereafter Chris Roberts and Frances Coleman took up the baton in alternate years with equal success. Now that it has four courts, Corfu can host 24 players to doubles and singles championships, with days set aside for a boat trip and a GC tournament with the members, led by irrepressible expats, Rich and Karen Quilter.

The Kontokali Bay hotel is a great base, spacious and comfortable with warm sandy seas. Of several walkable off property dinner options, the closest is the best: Bruno’s beachfront taverna serves fresh fish, chunky tentacles, proper chips, retsina and ouzo. What more could anyone want? Maybe Corfu Town’s Casino, one of those understated continental gaming rooms with blackjack and roulette? All four of us returned richer to varying degrees. Fingers crossed it’s still in business next year.

Sadly, this was the last hurrah for Kevin (forced out of croquet by injury) and his wife, Ruth. They have been a brilliant double act, him managing the croquet, her making sure that everyone, especially non-playing partners, had whatever they needed to explore and get the most out of the island.

For the uninitiated, Pinchbeck is a south Lincolnshire village with a one lawn croquet club in its founder’s garden. As its 10th anniversary approaches in 2024, this labour of love punches way above its weight: several of its 20 members have low handicaps and roving mallets. If you haven’t met Corfu regulars, Gordon Mills and Charles Ostler, on the UK circuit, it’s only a matter of time.

Liz Taylor-Webb is a Corfu original, out on the courts from year one; her croquet cartoons have pride of place in the clubhouse. Once upon a time, this maverick Lancastrian croquista was a protégé of L.S. Lowry. At least partly in the interests of her art, Liz developed her individual style from her mentor’s way with figures by sleeping on the streets of Paris. A Christmas gift or landmark gift for croquet crazies: liztaylorwebb@yahoo. co.uk; liztaylorwebb.co.uk

Minty Clinch

The croquet club situated in the private rear garden Mike and Rachel Bowser at Pinchbeck is registered with Croquet England and the full-size competition lawn has once again been beautifully managed, irrigated and maintained by Mike and his team this year. The members of Pinchbeck Croquet Club are very lucky to have such a well-kept lawn to play on. The membership is growing and is now over 20 now and various players have taken part in tournaments both nationally and internationally, with a fair amount of success. We are attracting playing members from as far away as Hunstanton, who travel each week to enjoy the competitive and friendly atmosphere and free coaching given by the more experienced players.

The season started with Pinchbeck hosting the inaugural Lincolnshire Opener where clubs from across Lincolnshire were invited to send a team of two to play. All Lincolnshire clubs were able to send representatives. Whilst Tim and Yvonne were unbeaten on the day, they were pipped at the post and it was won by Dunston Croquet Club.

The club entered a team into the East Anglian Federation Golf Croquet Golf Croquet leagues for the first time. Whilst they were unable to gain any victories, they learned a lot about the quality of the opposition and gained valuable experience and are hoping to do better next year.

Pinchbeck was more successful in other competitions starting at Hunstanton, where both Ken and Tim represented the club. Ken reached the final on the day but was unable to secure a victory.

Tim then went to Wrest Park, near Bedford, where despite losing all his first-round games, finally found form and went on to win the Plate trophy.

Tim then represented the club at Branston (near Lincoln) and after losing his first match once again, he went on to win all his remaining games and came home with the trophy.

Ken and Tim have taken courses and successfully qualified as referee and coach respectively, they are a great asset to the club.

Charles Ostler is pictured with a huge silver cup won at Hunstanton, Gordon Mills won two pairs of cut glasses as the winner of two tournaments at Hurlingham in London.

Ken Knock and Gordon Mills travelled to Corfu and are now International croquet champions having regained the Greek National Association Croquet doubles title having previously won it in 2021. There were 24 contestants from Corfu and England.

The club will play on until the weather beats us, which is usually the end of November. Some indoor competitions will now run in Cambridgeshire over the winter with Pinchbeck club members taking part, after which members will be eager to start the new season in April 2024.

New members are always welcomed at Pinchbeck, please have a look at the website where lots of reports and further information is available.

Croquet Club members and partners enjoyed a social evening on 25 July hosted by Gordon and Helen Mills who cooked pizza in their fabulous garden pizza oven.

The first Golf Croquet League match was away at Downham on 18 May. The result could not have been closer with both teams wining 5 games each. The match was decided on the number of hoops scored with Downham’s 58 compared to Pinchbeck’s 57 giving Downham the narrowest of wins.

From the left: John Wells and Jonathan Toye, Downham, Martin Thompson, Tim Barzycki and John Wright Pinchbeck. Lucy Closs also took part for Downham.