The SECF golf teams’ day is, apparently, the biggest croquet event in the world! With 22 competing teams, and 11 lawns fully occupied all day, in many cases double banked, well over 80 players take part in an all-day competition which lasts from 9.30 am until 7pm at night.
On 11 August Reigate were due to field two teams, with Reigate 1 team all set to try to repeat their across-the-board success of 2018 winning both singles and doubles golf teams’ trophies, when disaster struck! Doug Dykes (Capt) came down with food poisoning rendering him too unwell to lead his team to another victory. Enter valiant knight in shining armour, (well whites actually), John Knight, who nobly stepped into the breach at very short notice, enabling Reigate 1 (Michael Bye, Di Langridge, Judy Perry – and John Knight!) to compete and win the doubles trophy for the second year running. Thank you John!
Reigate 2 (Freda Knight, Bob Nicholls, Sally Mackinlay and Joyce Carlisle) also acquitted themselves extremely well, managing to complete and win 7 of their singles matches outright, when the restricted time limit resulted in many matches either being drawn or failing to finish at all. Well done Reigate.
It was a very long day, but the rain held off and the players all agreed it had been very enjoyable.
The question is now, ‘Can Reigate do it again and achieve a hat trick in 2020?’
Watch this space…
Final Doubles Table
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reigate Priory 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
| 2 | Dulwich 2 | 4 | 3.5 | 13 |
| 3 | Preston | 4 | 3.5 | 6 |
| 4 | Lodsworth | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Guildford & Godalming | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | West Worthing | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | Sussex 2 | 4 | 2.5 | 1 |
| 8 | West | 4 | 2.5 | -2 |
| 9 | Dulwich 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 10 | Reigate Priory 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 11= | Sussex 1 | 4 | 2 | -3 |
| 11= | Rottingdean 2 | 4 | 2 | -3 |
| 13 | Tunbridge Wells 2 | 4 | 2 | -4 |
| 14= | Cheam 1 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 |
| 14= | Cheam 2 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 |
| 16 | Littlehampton 2 | 4 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 17 | Tunbridge Wells 1 | 4 | 1.5 | -4 |
| 18 | Littlehampton 1 | 4 | 1 | -3 |
| 19 | Canterbury | 4 | 1 | -8 |
| 20 | Rother Valley | 4 | 0.5 | -9 |
| 21 | Rottingdean 1 | 4 | 0.5 | -11 |
| 22 | Purley Bury | 4 | 0 | -6 |
Final Singles Table
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dulwich 1 | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| 2 | Guildford & Godalming | 12 | 9 | 24 |
| 3 | Sussex 2 | 12 | 8.5 | 19 |
| 4 | Cheam 1 | 12 | 8.5 | 17 |
| 5 | Rottingdean 2 | 12 | 8.5 | 15 |
| 6 | Tunbridge Wells 1 | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | Dulwich 2 | 12 | 7.5 | 13 |
| 8 | West Worthing | 12 | 7 | 14 |
| 9 | Lodsworth | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| 10 | Cheam 2 | 12 | 7 | -1 |
| 11 | Purley Bury | 12 | 6.5 | 4 |
| 12 | Sussex 1 | 12 | 6.5 | -2 |
| 13 | Rottingdean 1 | 12 | 5.5 | 1 |
| 14 | Reigate Priory 2 | 12 | 5 | 2 |
| 15 | Littlehampton 2 | 12 | 5 | -2 |
| 16 | Reigate Priory 1 | 12 | 5 | -5 |
| 17 | Littlehampton 1 | 12 | 4.5 | -5 |
| 18 | Preston | 12 | 3 | -23 |
| 19 | Canterbury | 12 | 3 | -25 |
| 20 | Tunbridge Wells 2 | 12 | 2.5 | -19 |
| 21 | Worthing | 12 | 2.5 | -29 |
| 22 | Rother Valley | 12 | 2 | -26 |