Anyone for Croquet?

Sat 22 Jan 2022, 13:05

Tony Newport of Eynsham Croquet Club messaged me to say that the Eynsham Club did play during the pandemic, complying with the regulations which allowed croquet to continue.

They have also been playing throughout winter 21/22, since they have not flooded, so far, this year. Most years they don't flood, although that does sometimes happen.

They have 4 lawns; 2 are of match standard, and 2 are for use in the winter, a bit below match standard. They would welcome anyone to come and try out the facilities. Three free sessions to see if it suits. Details from the web-site (found via google).

Sat 15 Jan 2022, 11:33 (last edited on Sat 15 Jan 2022, 11:36)

I'd be  very interested in joining in with croquet--I used to love playing but haven't had a lawn big enough to do so since I moved to the UK 30 odd years ago!  (Except for playing the odd game with friends around and about quite some time ago.)

Sat 15 Jan 2022, 09:52

Update

Thank you for all the interest on the Forum and to those who have contacted me direct.

Apparently there are several Croquet Clubs based at Cricket Clubs with the pegs placed in the outfield (when there is not a game!) so I will approach the Charlbury Cricket Club and see if they could accommodate our experiment for a new club.

Other options (perhaps long term) are to ask the Oxford Council if we could have a green (about the size of a tennis court) at Centennial Wood and link to the Bowls Club some how. Another suggestion is to see if we could find a space close to the Football AND Sports Club on Nine Acres.

There are grants available from the Croquet Association.

Watch this space!!

Tue 11 Jan 2022, 20:02

Great idea Paul.  Please count Roger and I in. We used to play child friendly, family croquet where we lived before - very few rules!  Will see if we can find any hoops, mallets or balls in storage. 

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 14:29 (last edited on Thu 6 Jan 2022, 14:34)

Eynsham Club is very popular, although I think it floods quite badly at times. The Witney U3A croquet group plays there throughout the year, but has not been playing during the pandemic. Details here: https://u3asites.org.uk/witney/page/93783

Moreton is accessible by train, of course, but I think the Croquet Club is a fair walk from the train station.

It's possible to play croquet on the lawn of Cogges Manor Farm in Witney, although probably not at this time of year. 

Chastleton House (NT) has a long-standing link to croquet (rules first laid down there), and also offers croquet in the summer. 

Priory Cottage, to let in Charlbury, offers a croquet lawn -- I think it belongs to The Priory, as I seem to remember the lawn there set out for croquet. But as it is a private house, I don't think it helps much -- probably also true of Cornbury (which offers croquet at least sometimes during the Wilderness Festival) and Ditchley Park. 

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 11:23

It would be nice to have a facility that wasn’t dependent on carbon and nasty oxide production to access, or for people with constrained mobility, only a very minimal distance. And not everyone can drive a vehicle any longer for injury/health reasons.

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 11:12 (last edited on Thu 6 Jan 2022, 11:34)

I am in touch with the Croquet association, buying the books and thinking of joining the recently formed Moreton on Marsh Club or Eynsham.

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 11:10 (last edited on Thu 6 Jan 2022, 11:25)

The BC certainly have rules that they are really finickity about, people not being allowed on the lawn/pitch/green (underline correct word) whilst wearing shoes with heels. Even standard type heels on mens’ shoes sends them into ape-ordure throwing fits. I suppose given how much work it must take to render a natural growing surface so predictably flat and even one can see the point.

Does CQT require such an even surface or, like boules I believe, the “can play anywhere on any surface “ nature of boules just makes croquet on a scruffy surface with short enough grass just that bit more challenging?

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 09:16

You can't play croquet on the bowls pitch! I'm sure they even have rules about not breathing too hard on it.   

Thu 6 Jan 2022, 03:59

The Playing Close only displays ‘No Golf’ signage, so other ball games are permitted. Even if somebody were knocking a pitching wedge around, they’d have to be doing so in a manner that was deemed a public nuisance, as parish signage on ball games is not legally enforceable, rather a general request.

That said, you need a flat area for croquet so the space wouldn’t be appropriate any way. The bowling green would be the best place.

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 23:21

Nine Acres?

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 22:51

I’ve seen loads of people on a weekend playing different ball  games on there especially in the summer. Even croquet. Never knew the no ball games what’s the point of that. 

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 22:06

From my experience of playing croquet,   I would suggest you approach the Cricket Club to see if they could accommodate you.

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 21:57

A new game ... pushing croquet balls through the hoops with arrows tipped with big rubber arrowheads!

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 21:12

A group of us from the Charlbury WI had a taster game of croquet at Eynsham Croquet Club. I’d like to play locally.

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 17:53

The Playing Close is for Archery Practise!!! 

It was illegal to  play ball games as the young men were supposed to be practising their Archery not wasting their time playing ball games! 

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 16:32 (last edited on Wed 5 Jan 2022, 21:20)

No balls allowed on playing close but would be agreat location!  Yes we have access to equipment.  Waiting for a few more responses.

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 15:03

I’ve only done this properly during my only lifetime visit to the  country seat of an environmental activist’s family sometime in the early 80s. Landed gentry and all that and the black-sheep daughter arranged a (very decorously conducted) “Pimm’s Party. Bertie Wooster period attire was encouraged and it might have been a statement of some sort about the class composition of the upper tier of the English - sic - environmental “movement “ that a sizeable number had access to the stripey blazers, summer frocks  and seasonally appropriate straw hats to give an outfit effect befitting that of a filming set for A Great English Period Drama. Needless to say my impoverished underclass family didn’t have a stitch between them to kit me out and seeing as I were cycling 30 miles to get to the Home Counties location…

But despite the piscene on the pebbles sort “imposter syndrome “ with being in a situation of a “society” discomfort at, for eg, supping Pimms whilst on the camomile lawn- well I really did enjoy the games of croquet. Experience being enhanced by finding myself for once un-impeded by losing the sight in one eye when young. Binocularly judging distance isn’t as effective at the distance croquet is usually spread out to be played. The ‘other” cues and tactics/algorithms that the one-eyed have to employ, why they became a positive advantage! 

So I’d be very interested as long as there isn’t a dress code! Love to have a go again, and will be content to pay a squid or two for rental of an appropriate site. Two if SWMBO would like a go.

Err, someone does have the requisite gear?

Wed 5 Jan 2022, 09:52

What about using the playing close?

Tue 4 Jan 2022, 19:33 (last edited on Tue 4 Jan 2022, 19:34)

Yes please. 2 of us.  

Tue 4 Jan 2022, 15:23

Does anybody have a croquet court in Charlbury?  I am researching whether there would be any interest in Croquet in Charlbury?