WHERE DID THE SEASON GO? Well, that was over somewhat quickly! In truth, as we have three jobs between us as well as the mallet business, we only really play in club teams and events like the Mary Rose, the Longman Cup and the North‐West Federa7on leagues. Anne has had a good season in general, seeing a reduc7on in her handicap, whereas I have once again bounced around the trigger points and stayed on the same one for the whole season; and if I am honest didn’t play very well for many of the early matches. Bury, as many clubs do I suspect, struggle for AC players. We have been able in the last 12 seasons or so to field two 26pt AC teams in the league, but injuries and availability made our last match more difficult than usual to put out a team, so I asked one of the GC players I have been coaching AC to if he would fill the vacant slot for the match. By Chris Alvey, dbmallets@gmail.com, Sponsors of the Townsend Club Award
This made me the lowest handicap for the match at 7 and Duncan in his first ever full lawn match an 18, with Anne and Phil playing at 9 and 10. We really had nothing to lose, as we weren’t in a posi7on to win the league, but I don’t like having to hand walkovers to other clubs. I played the alternate shot doubles with Duncan, and it became quickly apparent that much of what I had been coaching had gone in and been absorbed. Discussion was quick and we played an a8acking game for the most part. Duncan dropped pioneers in usable places for me and was running hoops and using rushes well, even encouraging me to shoot at a hoop I would normally have run away from as it was outside my usual range (and I made it!). As a coach it made me really proud, and as a captain it was a perfect first ou7ng for a new member of the team. We were 3 up at lunch. The a'ernoon is when this match became my highlight of the season. Teaching tac7cs is not easy as, in the words some7mes accredited to Eisenhower, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy”. Croquet is all about adap7ng to the way you’re playing and the way your opponent is playing; and one good hit‐in can change the whole game. Duncan
David, Anne & Duncan
played his game, his way, albeit following what we had done in coaching. When he was behind there was no glimmer of him giving up, just trying harder, and he played an absolute blinder. He recovered the hoops he was behind and went on to win plus 4 on 7me.
Since becoming a coach I have lost internal matches and compe77ons to the majority of those I’ve coached, and I suspect that Duncan will ul7mately be another. But hand on heart, I can honestly say I was incredibly proud to have had some part in his development and will be calling on him for next season as well. That day was my croquet highlight of 2025 and we won 7‐0.
Duncan at Coaching
Duncan
www.croquetengland.org.uk | 16
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