2004 News

Additional pictures can be seen in our Photo Gallery and detailed match results/reports via our Competitive Play page

11th December – AGM

Richard Clark elected as new Chairman as John Hobbs retires (but remains on Committee).

1st year membership fee increased to £75, other rates unchanged.

The Lawn Replacement project approved in principle – an EGM in Spring will consider more detailed proposals.

Hazel Moss-Davies was made the third Life Honarary member on her retirement from the club due to ill-health.

15th November – Final Competition results

Barney Lewis wins Spa Salver, John Timmis wins Lustau Cup, Nita Davis wins Howell Trophy, Colin Mabey wins Golf High Bisquers and Richard Clark wins Association Ladder

9th October – SECF U league @ Worthing – won 4:3

Despite playing late in the season, the weather was not too unkind – some sun, no rain, but a rather chilly wind from time to time.

The host were as hospitable as ever and the lawns mostly true and certainly better than ours! The result of the match was in doubt until the very final game, with John Timmis (see picture) eventually pulling away from Pauline as the crowds encouraged both of them on.

TW	Worthing	Result
Richard Clark + John Timmis	Pauline Griffiths + Steve Lewington	-5
Barney Lewis	Frank Lee Marina Murdoch	+1T +15
Richard Clark	Frank Lee	-20
John Timmis	Pauline Griffiths	+14
Jon Diamond	Marina Murdoch Steve Lewington	+7 -18

5th October – Competitions results so far

Barney Lewis wins Calverley Cup, Jon Diamond wins Lewis Shield, John Timmis & Chris Berwick win Doubles and John Hobbs wins Golf Rose Bowl

26th September – Tunbridge Wells Open Handicap Tournament (Pegasus Plate)

Twelve players took part in this annual two day handicap tournament held at Tunbridge Wells. Three were club members (the previous winner Jon Diamond, Richard Clark and Roger Morris) and the remainder came from as far afield as Nottingham and Northampton.

The main format was a knockout competition, leading to a best of three final between Mark Homan from Watford and Philip Mann from the Medway club. Mark won both of two very close games and received the Pegasus Plate with Philip receiving a bottle of wine.

Players knocked out of the main event entered into a ‘block’, where they played each other and the winner, Michael Hague, from Surbiton, managed the highest percentage of wins with four out of five games.

7th September – SECF Golf @ Littlehampton – lost 1:8

5th September – All England Regional Final

Barney Lewis just fails to qualify for the National Final, winning 2/5 games at the Regional Finals held at Compton

5th September – Tunbridge Wells Advanced Tournament

A disappointing entry this year of only 6. Particularly disappointing was the complete absence of Tunbridge Wells entrants for the first time since the Tournament was first run.

And then … the Ramsgate entrant was unable to attend due to injury!

And then there was 5.

Not an auspicuous start to the Club’s “premier” tournament!

However the 5 participants that did make it (2 from Norwich, 1 from Colchester, 1 from Guildford and 1 from Caterham) all appeared to enjoy themselves and fought some memorable battles.

By mid Sunday morning, four out of the five were effectively level pegging. Even the semi-finals and final were close.

The result: winner of the Honeygrove Cup – Jon Male of Caterham, runner up – Colin Hemmings of Colchester

28th August – Mike Brown wins Open High Bisquer Tournament

The Royal Tunbridge Wells High Bisquer Tournament was established last year to give a first taste of competitive Association Croquet to beginners and those still young in the game. It attracted four local players this year (Miriam Reader, Stan Oxenbury, Mark Houslop and Mike Brown) and four contestants from Brenzett. Among the latter, Ken Huckle as a former RTW player was a familiar face, accompanied by Betty Body , Eli and Pat Frith. The day served to show that competitive play and enjoyment can go together on and off the croquet lawn.

The day proved a rarity for August with the rain keeping away, although there was a distinct autumnal start as the dew and wormcasts had to be swept clear of the lawns. The tournament took the form of ten point games played over one and a quarter hours in two blocks of four. Each player had bisques, their number calculated by deducting 14 from their handicap. The Final, between the two block winners, Eli and Mike went in Mike’s favour by 10 hoops to 3. Third place went to Stan Oxenbury.

The Manager for the day, Richard Clark promptly reduced Mike’s handicap from 22 to 18, a reward as significant for the winner as the engraved goblet presented to him. Eli took away a bottle of wine for his endeavours and a promise by his fellow club members that on return to Romney Marsh his handicap card would be reconstructed and his handicap set at 16 to reflect the unconventional but highly effective style of play that is his hallmark. In all a most enjoyable day.

23rd August- SECF Golf vs Ramsgate – lost 3:6

21st August – SECF U league vs Ramsgate – won 4:3

19th August- SECF B league @ Compton – lost 1:2

A wet drive down to Eastbourne was followed by a partially sunny, but mostly showery morning, even forcing us to stop play for a few minutes twice. We didn’t quite manage to master the lawns as well as the home team as the results show.

Luckily, the weather cleared up and the afternoon, as well as the friendly games, was splendid. However, we clearly had better luck on the day than the cricketers, who’s game started at 4pm rather than 2pm, because of the wet conditions. So we didn’t get a chance to watch them free of charge when we were sitting out! All in all a good day.

TW	Compton	Result
Jon Diamond + Roger Morris	Mavis Buist + Libby Fleming	+13
Barney Lewis	Ted Platt	-8
Miriam Reader	Bryan Stone	-10

10th August – SECF Golf vs Brenzett – won 7:2

8th August – New Club evening sessions for Association starting on Thursdays from 5:30pm

3rd August – SECF B league vs Purley Bury – won 2:1

TW	Purley Bury	Result
Richard Clark + Miriam Reader	Jean Alexander and Audrey Sherwin	+13
Jon Diamond	Janet Pascall	-2
Roger Morris	John Reynolds	+3

1st August – Inter Club Golf Croquet Championship @ Southwick

One of our teams won the Doubles competition, with 3 1/2 wins out of 4. Pictured from left to right – John Hobbs, Miriam Reader, Derek Heath (captain) and Stan Oxenbury.

2nd August – SECF Golf @ Compton – lost 1:8

19th July – CA Seniors Championships, British Open and Medway High Bisquers

Aaron Westerby loses to Robert Fulford (ultimate winner) in Knock-Out section of the British Open. John Hobbs wins the CA Seniors Doubles event (with partner Ron Atkinson – not from RTWCC). See the CA site for more details.

Miriam Reader wins Medway High Bisquers Tournament.

11th July – Friendly with Bromley

Bromley were captained by Eric Dennison who is of course also a member of our club. This naturally makes for a core fixture. They fielded 7 players on this occasion to the 9 of TW. Although modest in numbers theirs was a strong team and we were missing some of our crack squad. The match consisted of a blend between Association & Golf. Insofar as a result is possible to call, Bromley definitely took the honours on the day. We shall be visiting them on 12 Aug and are resolved to set matters straight.

2nd July – SECF Golf @ Crawley – won 7:2

Crawley were captained by Len Nash and included Betty Woodhams, Malcolm Roberts and Cecil Henman. TW fielded Colin Mabey, Roger Morris, Ray Meech and Frank Gunstone. A keenly contested game provided a closer result than the overall score of 7-2 to TW would suggest. The match was carried out in a very good spirit – no surprise at all. We were however glad to bag the spoils in our very first encounter ever in the Federation Golf Tournament.

18th June – SECF U league match vs Compton – won 5:2

Our first match in the new 7 game format was successful! The day was fine and dry, with a little sun and not too warm. Our opponents took a little time to get to grips with our much slower lawns, winning 2/4 of the afternoon games, but we ran out winners having won all the morning ones.

TW	Compton	Result
John Hobbs + Jon Diamond	Graham Thompson + Ann Jarman	+7
Barney Lewis	Barry Jones Graham Thompson	+7 +6
Jolyon Creasey	David Atkins Barry James	+21 -9
John Hobbs	David Atkins	-14
Jon Diamond	Ann Jarman	+24

18th June – Visit to Chartwell NT

Fifteen members of the Club had a day out at Chartwell, the former home of Winston Churchill. They played croquet on the lawn in this beautiful location where many former leaders had relaxed over a game or two whilst discussing and planning events that had shaped our nation and changed the course of history. Churchill was known to play with an unconventional one handed swing similar to that of a polo player. The day was combined with visiting the house and gardens and made possible with the kind permission of the National Trust.

11th June – Friendly @ Crawley

As usual this was a popular fixture and “TW” probably won although the result was complicated by player switches, even representing the opposition when necessary. This is a tested formula and worked well. We were fortunate to have a real summers day and a full house – 12 a side.

10th June – SECF B league vs Reigate Priory – lost 1:2

TW	Result
Richard Mann + Roger Morris	won
Barney Lewis	lost
Nita Davis	lost

25th May – SECF B league vs Hayes, Bromley & Keston – lost 1:2

TW	Hayes	Result
Jon Diamond	Geoff Coker	-14
Miriam Reader	Jim Whitehead	+13T
Richard Clark + Roger Morris	John Belcher + Margaret Sinclair	-3T

5th May – Visit to Chartwell National Trust

Roger Morris is organising a visit to play on their lawn on 18th June, commencing at 11am. We will be taking our equipment (a packed lunch is optional). Please contact him if you want to be part of the party.

4th April – Lawns open

14th March – Jean Heath retires from the Committee due to ill-health

22nd January – New Lease (to 2009) signed with Royal Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

16th January – Aaron Westerby loses in semi-final of New Zealand Open

12th January – Aaron Westerby to play for NZ in Tasman Trophy vs Australia