Colin Hindson
The hotter weather does not seem to have deterred many players from getting out on the croquet courts at the Noosa Croquet Club.
The courts are in good condition and the players are preparing for their 2023 year, be it in competition or in social play.
Players at the Noosa Club play three codes of croquet, association, ricochet and golf, with golf being the most popular. We still get many interstate visitors dropping in and some regular New Zealand visitors, some of whom are actually joint members of their own club in New Zealand.
During January the club ran an early birds competition for some of the 2022 beginners who had showed a lot of promise.
This was run as a round robin over a number of days when people were available, with a lot of help and assistance from the referees and the golf captain – after all, this was their first ever competition. The winner was Dennis Coulter who won all his games, second was Dennise Drake narrowly from Judy Kitcher on hoops.
All players enjoyed the experience and we hope they continue their enthusiasm into their play during the year.
The regional golf croquet championships start in early March and there are a number of events at different clubs.
Players from all Sunshine Coast clubs will be competing – Noosa, Coolum, Headland-Buderim, Nambour, Bribie Island and Caloundra. The Noosa Croquet Club will be hosting two of these events, the Division 2 championship on Saturday 11 March, and the Division 3 championship on Saturday 25 March. Both events are fully booked – everyone wants to play at Noosa. Hopefully the weather holds good for these days.
The Noosa grounds are a picture at the moment, with the gardens also supplying members with various fruits and vegetables tended by members.
Remember the Club welcomes new members and Sunday mornings are always open to people to try out – a come and try morning.
Any time from 8.15am onwards, just come down and have a look. You will be surprised at the level of skill required and the amount of exercise players get chasing those balls around the court.
For more information, ring Niven Gugich on 0428 799 987.
