When the lawns look like this ...

... on a tournament day, what do you do? 

Well, last month, nine intrepid players gathered at our lawns for the first one-day GC level tournament, aimed at lower handicap players. A full turnout was both surprising and impressive, given the promise of much rain. And the rain delivered. After our first 4 games, the 9th player had just started his first game when the lawns duly became lakes and play was abandoned. Slowly players admitted defeat and left for home.

However our Chairman was insistent that it would stop raining and afternoon play should be possible. Few believed him. Four  of us remained, in this hope, and had to decide what to do for the next few hours. We decided on chess! I returned home, picked up a set and returned for a mini-tournament in the clubhouse. Two semis and a final later, the rain had stopped and miraculously the lakes were fast receding. An excellent afternoon of 'two-ball' was played. A very interesting new croquet variant from the States. Of which, more in due course, I am sure.

To end, mention should be made of Keith Toovey, who not only won his one game in the morning, but against a significantly stronger player, on paper. Were it not for the rain, I am sure Keith would have been a good bet for our first tournament winner.

​Keith Pound