New members' day at Croquet Club

Wanganui Croquet Club members Grame Raisin (taking shot), Lynne Beaven, Bruce Perkins and Sonia Robb. The club is having a new members' day on Sunday, October 9. Photo / Paul Brooks

The Wanganui Croquet club is holding a new members' day on Sunday, October 9 at 1pm.

The club is 101 years old, is on Victoria Park, Parsons St, St Johns Hill, and has eight greens, one of the largest grounds in New Zealand, and possibly the best view anywhere.

With around 85 members all playing golf croquet, there are four organised club events each week, with play at any other time available.

Golf croquet is a more modern quicker game than the original form, and normally three games are played in a session, each taking about 45 minutes. After play, a cuppa and biscuit are provided, and a catch-up is always welcome.

The game of golf croquet is simple: you have a mallet, hit a ball, and hope it goes through a hoop. Easy. However, you have an opponent who wants to go through the same hoop before you do, so you will learn to hit your ball(s) close to the hoop to make it easier to run the hoop next turn, or if your opponent has a ball close to it, you can use your turn to hit that ball away.

It combines skill as well as strategy, and to make the game fairer for all levels of skill, a handicap system is used so that all players have an equal chance to win.

The club has a talented coach who has seen many new players joining in club sessions, doing well, and having fun, after only a few weeks' practice. All members treat all games as a social occasion as much as a challenge. To enquire, phone Cherie on 3455801 or 0273883780.

Tuition is free, so come along on October 9 at 1pm and have a go. You will have new skills and make new friends.