Newport CC has a thriving Golf Croquet section. A series of friendly matches is played through the season, as well as the (marginally) more serious business of the EACF Golf Croquet League - see the diary for details of fixtures.

11th August 2009: Newport beat Bury St Edmunds 23-13 (Friendly)

On Tuesday 11th August Newport Croquet Club played a friendly match against Bury St Edmunds at the Croquet Club in Frambury Lane, Newport.
The teams had eight players and each team was split into two groups with everyone playing four singles games. The three courts can accommodate six matches at any one time. Of the first six Newport only won one, but managed to share the next six. The situation improved still more with the third and fourth sets of six both going five-one to Newport. This left the final eight singles which Newport won five-three so the singles ended with Newport 19 Bury St Edmunds 13.
Playing doubles Maureen Goodchild & Tony Marks, Pat Marks & David Manley, Helen Manley & Ernie Turkington and Brenda Cassidy & Clive Cassidy won all four doubles games to give Newport a resounding win. Click here to see a photo of players in action.

5th August 2009: Rotary Club Friendly

On a warm Wednesday evening Newport Croquet Club acted as host to a challenge match between the Rotary Club of Saffron Walden & the Rotary Club of Braintree Rivers. Five pairs from each Rotary Club managed to play several games against each other before the light faded so much that play had to stop.
The Challenge was brought about because this year the President of Saffron Walden Rotary Club, David Roberts, is father of the President of Braintree Rivers Rotary Club Mechel Rowe.
Saffron Walden came out winners by a small margin but everyone enjoyed a good social evening finishing with a buffet supper in the clubhouse and the decision to have a rematch next year.

22nd July 2009: Newport beat Bury St Edmunds (EACF league)

Newport played their last league match in the East Anglian Federation Golf Croquet League away at Bury St Edmunds.

The morning held mixed fortunes for David & Helen Manley, Clive Cassidy and John Sibson but by the lunch break they were only one match down.

After lunch the situation changed and by the conclusion of the final singles game Newport were two up. Bury St Edmunds then won both the doubles games to level the score.

For the second time this season a one hoop play off was needed which Newport won giving them the match by the narrowest of margins. So ended a match played in a friendly, if competitive, atmosphere.

7th July 2009: Colchester beat Newport (EACF league)

Ernie Turkington, Maureen Goodchild, Tony Marks and John Sibson, from Newport Croquet Club recently played their third match in the East Anglia Federation Golf Croquet League against Colchester.

The day started well for Newport as they won their first three games but sadly the momentum could not be maintained. They lost four of the next six games before the lunch break. After lunch the situation was not much better and they lost three of the next four. The final singles game was won by Colchester. Newport then won both the doubles games to level the score. This required a one hoop play off which Colchester won giving them the match by the narrowest of margins. Although the weather was somewhat showery it did not dampen the friendly atmosphere in which the match was played.

27th June 2009: Martin Ambrose won the B-level tournament

Newport Croquet Club hosted the East Anglian Croquet Federation B Class Golf Croquet Tournament last weekend. Six men and six women took part from clubs of Chelmsford, Downham Market, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds and Newport.

Everyone played five half-hour games during the day. The winner of the most games in each section then had a playoff. In an exciting final Martin Ambrose from Downham Market CC beat Clive Cassidy from Newport CC.

The prizes were presented by Tony Marks – Newport CC Chairman who was also the Tournament Manager.

2nd June 2009: Colchester beat Newport (Friendly)

Colchester Croquet Club kindly invited Newport to a friendly game at their grounds recently. Six of the club's players attended on what was a beautiful sunny day. As always, the lawns at Colchester were in really good condition and our hosts gave us a warm welcome.

A friendly match is always an opportunity to introduce new members of the club into match conditions and so it was that one of the six players who had recently joined Newport was in the team.

Doubles were played during the course of the day with a change of partners in the afternoon. Colchester came out winners but with such weather conditions and an opportunity to always observe an experienced team what could be better.

Team members were: Tony & Pat Marks, Maureen Goodchild, Clive Cassidy, Helen & David Manley.

14th May 2009: Sudbury more than 9, Newport less than 9 (EACF League)
A team consisting of David & Helen Manley, Clive Cassidy and John Sibson travelled to Sudbury recently for their first match in the EACF Golf Croquet League.

The home advantage was soon evident as Newport tried to understand the vagaries of the lawns which were a lot smaller than the ones on which Newport usually play.

The match consisted of 16 singles games and two doubles. Most were hard fought and close but Sudbury came out overall winners by a substantial margin.

The next match is at home against Bury St Edmunds when we hope for more success.

Reports from 2008 can be seen here.