DON’T let the tranquil setting, the lush green lawns, the flash new clubhouse and relaxed atmosphere fool you.
They’re "playing for sheep stations" up at the Phillip Island Croquet Club... well, sometimes anyway!
It might have been a “come and try day” on Wednesday, October 11, as part of the Victorian Senior Citizens Festival 2023, a chance to “walk, talk and socialise whilst trying out a new sport”, at their handsome Blue Gum Reserve venue but it was still very much “game on” for some members battling it out on the front lawn.
While a social group of four, shared the space in a fun game of golf croquet, doing their best to stay out of the way, there was the serious business of a club challenge match going on as well.
The male player, playing the red and yellow balls, got out to a handy lead early, but his female opponent, on the black and blue, wasn’t giving it up and made some clutch shots and ultimately hoops to challenge again.
Fortunately, the social group finished, shook hands, and cleared the scene, as the battle royale raged, both players despatching balls put in good position by their opponent to all parts of the arena, and setting up to make the hoop themselves.
“You can make friends in croquet and lose them just as easily,” said president of the club, Claire Earl, in a light-hearted reference to the more combative aspects of the game.
“It’s a lot of fun, takes a fair amount of strategic thinking and yes, it can get very competitive at times.”
The club is certainly open to new members, but they’re doing very nicely all the same with 50 members, a new $600,000 pavilion, opened in October last year, and tons of competition.
They play in the West Gippsland interclub league, with two golf croquet teams and an association team involved; each of them in good positions on the ladder.
For those that missed the “come and try” day on Wednesday, it’s not too late. The club offers opportunities to try croquet throughout the season, call Ralph Leditschke 0493614265 to arrange.
The Phillip Island Croquet Club hosts golf croquet on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9.45am for a 10am start. And association days on Tuesdays and Thursday, again 9.45am for a 10am start. Visiting players are welcome.
And the difference between golf and association croquet is akin to the difference between 20-20 cricket and test cricket. Golf croquet is the easier to understand and faster to play with all players moving to the next hoop after one player has made the hoop and collected the point.
But it’s no less skilful, requiring players to accurately make long shots, to obstruct their opponent’s ball or shots and to strategically position their own ball to make the hoop with their next shot. One of the main differences being that you can’t get on-a-roll with well-played shots. You get one shot only per ball each round.
Association croquet, the time-honoured version of the game, is a lot more complicated, involving a journey around 12 hoops, and finally “the peg”, (where the saying “to peg out” comes from) in a contest time-limited to two-and-a-half hours. Like the game of golf, players can play against more experienced players via a handicap system, formerly known as “bisques”.
A cross between snooker, golf and bowls; croquet is an absorbing game and a worthy contest; some say addictive, so be careful!
If you’d like to know more, contact club president Claire Earl mobile 0403690237 or email cearnew@gmail.com
