Hurlingham B-Level GC National Series

[<<] [>>] by Jennifer Alwen at Hurlingham
26 Aug 2018 (GC)

The Golf Croquet B-Level Tournament at the Hurlingham Club, the 23rd 2018 event in this annual National Series, took place over the Bank Holiday weekend, August 25th and 26th 2018.

There were 16 entries from 10 different clubs in the UK, including one from Scotland. The first day's play comprised two blocks of 8, all play all. The two highest scoring players from each block went forward to play in the semi-finals on Sunday morning, A winner v. B runner-up etc. The remaining 12 players were to play in two new blocks of 6 for a consolation prize. Lorna Dewar won Block A convincingly with 7 wins. Block B was tighter with 5 players on 4 wins and Net Hoops determined that Frank O'Neill and Louise Taylor went forward, this also being extremely close.

In the cross-block semi-finals Lorna Dewar won against Louise Taylor (2-0) and Frank O'Neill won against Sue Nicholson (2-1). At this point the weather was deteriorating and the forecast was for worse to come so the consolation block play was reduced to 3 out of 5 rounds and it was agreed that the winner of the final should be determined by one 19 point game.

The tent full of onlookers sheltering from the rain were treated to a very close final, Lorna and Frank fighting it out almost to the end. Frank's accurate positional play was countered by Lorna's fluent and straight hitting and reliable mid-range hoop running, a feature of her play all weekend. The final score was 10-8 to our visitor from Edinburgh, Lorna Dewar; very well played to both of them.