Week of success for Barry club

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

CROQUET

Barry Memorial Croquet Club has just enjoyed the most successful week of golf croquet in its history.

At the beginning of the week, Ross Thomson paired with Barry Jenkins from the Morrisville club in the Morrinsville Open Handicap Doubles.

Eighteen pairs were entered and, playing in the top division, they finished strongly after a shaky start to be placed third. They lost their first two games and won the rest.

Later in the week at a Mount Maunganui tournament, Thomson paired with fellow Barry club member Rob Hayes and finished second in the top division. They won three games and lost two against strong opposition.

They were tied with two other pairs but had the best differential of the three pairs.

In the second division, Dave and Chris Newton played well, winning three games and losing two narrowly, 7-5. They finished tied with two other pairs but had a far superior differential and were placed first.

In his open singles block, Rob Hayes played the games of his life. Against players several handicap points below him, his experience and stamina were tested.

In block play on Saturday he won five of his seven games, which put him in second place and into the open singles section Top 8 on Sunday.

Hayes went from strength to strength, winning five of his seven games on the final day.

He finished tied with two other players. Hayes and Malcolm Cawley from Epsom had the same differential but the title was awarded to Hayes because he had beaten Cawley in their game earlier.

In block play, Charles Ostler from the Barry club found the game tough going on the Saturday and was consequently placed in the Open Singles Super Section Plate for Sunday.

He quickly found his form and was just too steady for his opponents, losing only one game.

So convincing were his wins that, along with his five wins, he finished with a net hoop differential of plus 8 over the runner-up.

The Barry club’s domination continued in the 4+ Level Singles Division 1. Dave Newton showed a clean pair of heels to his opponents, finishing a clear winner with 10 wins.

Tied, all with eight wins, were Chris Newton and players from New Plymouth and Katikati. However, Chris Newton was placed second with a superior hoop differential.

Again, Chris was her husband Dave’s nemesis, inflicting two of his losses.

In the 4+ Level Singles Division 2, Per Elzen acquitted himself extremely well. This was his first open tournament and normally players struggle coming to grips with the more intense competition experienced in tournament play.

However, he shrugged off the new-boy tag, winning seven of his games, many against lower-handicap players.

He was placed third and, now that he has tasted open tournament play, he is itching for his next tournament.

Members of the Barry club reckoned that ending the week with three firsts, two seconds and two thirds in open golf croquet tournaments was an outstanding achievement for a club as small as theirs.

The club’s reputation is growing among the larger clubs its members compete against. With four new members joining the club in the past month, the future looks bright for golf croquet in Gisborne.