Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

Annual Dinner 2015

For some reason there was no report of last year’s dinner; suffice to say that it was at the Lower Stondon Golf Club and ably organised by Peter Aspinall. Peter went to the trouble of drawing up a seating plan with individual place cards showing the menu choices, which was useful both for the staff and any diners who had forgotten what they had ordered. As it was such a success Peter’s offer to do it again at the same venue was eagerly accepted. The arrangements were made earlier than anyone can remember - a contrast with some of the last-minute scrambles of past years - and it took place on 27th November, attended by 30 members and guests.

New Chairman David Woolley presented the trophies for the club competitions, all of which had actually been completed in time.

L-R Peter Aspinall, Eric Audsley, Tim Brewer, Rod Ashwell and Bryan Harral

Steel Cup (Advanced) 7 entries

Winner: Bryan Harral

Runner-up: Rod Ashwell (who received the Bottomley Plate as runner-up)


Archer Cup (Handicap) 10 entries

Winner: Bryan Harral

Runner-up: Geoff Strutt


Bryan beat John Bevington +1 in one semi-final and Geoff Strutt +2 in the other. Geoff beat John to determine the runner-up. Bryan is the first person to win both the Steel and Archer Cups in the same year since Rod Ashwell did it in 1996.


Ashwell Cup (Handicap – All England qualifier) 8 entries

Winner: Peter Aspinall

Runner-up: Tim Brewer


Peter won the Area Final held at Edgbaston and went on to play in the National Final at Chester.


De Grey Plate (Handicap) 3 entries

This is the handicap competition for high bisquers. David Morris had to drop out which left two entries, and the event was not played.


De Grey Cup (B level Advanced) 3 entries

Winner: Tim Brewer

Runner-up: David Woolley


This was played as all play all, best of 3 games.


14 point Trophy (Advanced) 8 entries

Winner: Rod Ashwell

Runner-up: Bryan Harral


Golf croquet (Handicap) 8 entries

Winner: Eric Audsley

Runner-up: Richard Keighley


Club team competitions

Mary Rose (Advanced) – Wrest Park beat Sussex County, Pinchbeck and Bowdon to reach the final, where they lost to Surbiton.


Beds & Herts League (Association - Handicap) – Wrest Park finished 4th with one win and three draws from six matches.


Golf croquet League (Western area - Handicap) – Wrest Park finished 6th with three draws from five matches.


Inter Counties – Bedfordshire, consisting of members of Wrest Park, finished bottom of Division 2 and collected the wooden spoon. As there are 23 entries and only 22 places for next year’s competition there will be a play-off with Shropshire to determine which team gets the final place. This is planned to take place at Cheltenham on the 12th of March.


Keith Palmer organised the GC League matches and Bryan Harral organised everything else.



The following day there was an open day at St James Church in Silsoe where local organisations could advertise their activities. We took up the offer, and Peter Aspinall, John Bevington, Tim Brewer and David Woolley manned the stall.

Miserable weather and the lure of Christmas shopping kept the crowds at bay, but if it helped to bring the club to the notice of a few more local people it will have been worthwhile.

The photo shows Peter proving that they also serve who only stand and wait.

© Wrest Park Croquet Club