UPDATE ON ENTRY FEES AND TOURNAMENT PRIZE MONEY Executive Officer – Rob Murray

Tuesday, May 22, 2018 – Following the recent Association Croquet Australian Championships in Adelaide, ACA has received several complaints regarding both the increase in entry fees as well as the removal of all prize money to the winners of these tournaments. Back in December last year the ACA board made the decision to increase the entry fees for all ACA sanctioned tournaments and remove all prize money. This decision was not made lightly and was purely the result of budget constraints. The removal of prize money is only meant to be a temporary change until sponsorship can be sourced for these events.

These budget items were discussed in detail at the AGM and were accepted by all State Delegates. Changes were made to the tournament entry conditions by removal of the normal advertisement regarding prize money being offered. However, ACA accepts that these changes to the event could have been better communicated to members, officers, committees and players. Notwithstanding this, ACA believes that the flier advertising the Events was sufficient advice of this change.

In the future ACA will endeavour to communicate these types of issues more thoroughly to its members, players and tournament management through the website and social media.

Any further queries regarding this matter should be directed to Executive Officer, Rob Murray at [email protected] or 0457 678 380

The Events program for the Australian Golf Croquet Championships is now available by clicking on the Program link.

Events include - 9th Golf Croquet Open Doubles Championship of Australia - 20th Golf Croquet Open Singles Championship of Australia

If you have any issues downloading the program please email ACA office directly for a copy.

Trans Tasman Report: Test 3.

On day 4, Australia had won the Series 2-0, but the New Zealanders were playing well, and with only a 7-5 loss in the Second Test, had the potential to take the Third and dash Australia’s hopes of running away with the Series 3-0.

As it turned out, the final Test was a long and arduous battle, despite the Aussies starting well. At the end of the doubles, the match score was 2 all (7 needed for a Test win), with 8 singles matches still to be contested, which kept the result in doubt until the very end.

As the final day progressed, Australia took a 6-4 lead, meaning that the Test would be at least a draw, but, with two matches to go, event management chose to dissuade players in one of the them from playing a 3rd game in a best of 3 – an odd decision, as a NZ victory in the one continuing match would have resulted in an AUS lead of 6-5, and an unresolved Third Test. Thankfully, Australian Alison Sharpe won the continuing match, to make it a 7-4 win, and 3-0 Series victory for Australia, a marvellous effort given the high quality of the NZ opposition. Both the Australian and New Zealand teams faced difficulties both on and off court, but players showed real sportsmanship and unity to overcome all obstacles, and this, regardless of all else, made the Series a genuinely enjoyable one for all of the players.

Overall, Australia won with a match score of 3-0, winning 23 matches to 12, 52 games to 35, and 1658 hoops to 1356. Australian Malcolm Fletcher also took home the Player of the Series trophy, making it a resounding victory over our Trans Tasman friends.

Callum Hyland (Australian Team Manager)

The Over 50 GC Worlds in Cairo in October 2018 is limited to a maximum of 48 players. A total of 36 Ranking Places (including Wild Cards) were available, determined by the highest maximum grade achieved by players in the 12 months ending 15 April 2018.
Australia nominated 7 players for Ranking Places. WCF announced the 36 Ranking Places on 29 April 2018; and Peter Landrebe, Brett McHardy & David Hanbidge have been awarded places Over 50 GC Worlds. In addition Australia has 2 Member Places, and will be nominating these before the Closing Date of 27 May 2018.

Trans Tasman Report: Test 2.

If the First Test was a case of Australia getting off to a flying start in the doubles, followed by New Zealand making a valiant comeback and making it a real contest on the singles, the Second Test was the exact opposite.

On the first day, the Kiwis continued their upward form and took out three of the four doubles matches, putting the high-flying Australian team on the back foot. The NZ women put in particularly good performances, and this, I think, combined with a slight lapse in Australian concentration & confidence after NZ's rallying the day before, made the Second Test a very tight one. Thankfully for the Australians, the team was able to knuckle down and come back to win six of the eight singles matches (several going to a tight third game), and to take the Test, 7 games to 5, and thus the Series 2 Tests to 0, with one Test still to come.

Nevertheless, the New Zealanders put in a sterling effort, and could easily have won or drawn the Second Test. The Australians will certainly have to keep focusing their concentration to win the third test. With nothing to lose, I expect the New Zealanders to put up a very good fight.

Callum Hyland (Australian Team Manager)

Trans Tasman Report: Test 1.

The Trans Tasman Test Series (between Australia and New Zealand) is currently being held at the Wynnum Croquet Club in Brisbane, Queensland. The lawns are excellent, the members and volunteers both friendly and helpful, and the teams have been getting on marvellously.

The series is being played in the format of three 2-day tests, each consisting of 4 mixed doubles matches, and 8 singles matches - men play men and women play women. All matches are best-of-three, and one day is allocated to each match.

Test 1 started off well for Australia, winning three of their four doubles games in straight matches against - losing the fourth closely in 3 games. Players from both sides seemed to take a while to get used to the lawn-speeds and warm themselves into some good play, but most (of the Australians at least) put in good performances for day 1 on foreign courts.

Day two was more hotly contested, with the New Zealanders lifting their games and pushed most of the Australians in good competitive matches - Australia winning the day, 5 matches to 3, and the first Test 9 matches to 3. A great start for the Aussies, but the New Zealanders look like making it a good competitive series, and any lull in form from either side will no doubt be pounced upon by the opposing side.

Callum Hyland (Australian Team Manager)

Please click on the link below for the 2018 Australian Croquet Association AGM minutes.

2018 AGM Minutes

Addendum - Appendix documents available on request to ACA

On the 26th of March the 2018 AGM was held at SACA Headquarters, Hutt St Adelaide. Out of the AGM, the delegates elected a new Board. Murray Tinker did not stand for re-election so the board is made up of the following:

Megan Fardon (Chair) Mike Cohn (Deputy Chair) Don Close (Treasurer) Graham Thomas (Secretary) Jim Nicholls Tony McArthur

The ACA Events Committee has prepared a survey to check reactions to the recent AC championships played in Adelaide.

We are interested in why players did not go, as well as feedback from those who did.

Please spare a few minutes to respond to the survey by 30 April - depress the CTRL key and click on the link below to access the survey. AC Championship Survey

An e-mail is also being sent direct to the players who went to Adelaide, but feel free to mention this survey on to anyone else who might be interested in responding – the more feedback, the better!

Queries re the suryvey should go to Peter Tracey (ACA Events, +61 4 1967 2655. Peter Tracy or to Events

Australia has nominated 7 players for Ranking Places in the Over 50 GC Worlds in Cairo in October 2018.
Ranking Places will be determined by the highest grades achieved by players, in the year ending 15 April 2018.
WCF will announce the Ranking Places & Wild Card Places on 29 April 2018.
In addition Australia has 2 Member Places, and these will be nominated after we know who has been awarded a Ranking Place.
Member Places can be nominated until the Closing Date of 27 May 2018. This event is limited to a maximum of 48 players.