The Green And Gold Of Croquet
Long time players and facilitators of Beaudesert U3A Croquet, George, and Rita Evans, initially honed their skills as members of the Tamborine Croquet Club, enjoying a game on the level greens of the then Tamborine Bowls Club, which is known today as Club Tamborine. Drop in to Club Tamborine, Beacon Road, Tamborine Mountain on Monday mornings to see what it is all about.
Beaudesert U3A Croquet started its life at Christmas Creek, with Co-Facilitator, Trish Alexander, with the group eventually moving to the sports facility of Everdell Park, Gleneagle, home of Beaudesert and District Cricket Association Inc. Among the many playing styles of croquet, including: Association, Ricochet, and Gate Ball, all under the governance of the World Croquet Federation, Golf Croquet is known to be more sociable and easier, and is the game of choice of Beaudesert U3A players.
Shrouded in mystery, croquet is said, on one hand, to have originated from the French game known as ‘Paille Maille’ and later played in its basic form, in Londinium (London) as ‘Pele Mele’ during the Middle Ages. ‘Pall Mall’ as it was later named is a recognisable VIP icon of the board game Monopoly.
A second theory indicates that croquet originated from the Irish game of Crookey, and with its more modern adaptation was brought to England during the 1850’s. As certain as can be, is that croquet officially started in 1868 with its first meet occurring in Gloucestershire, England at the All England Croquet Club.
With its equal rise and decline and played in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Croquet remains the most popular in England, both as a professional and recreational sport able to be played in backyards.
Fielding a group of ten regulars, with room for a couple more, Beaudesert U3A croquet players find the game interesting and like to play for the fun of it, something which embodies the U3A spirit.
The games are organised in such a way that nobody sits out and during the three hour playing period, four or five games can be played, making the $3 cost toward the venue, tea, coffee, and biscuits very cost effective.
Croquet is played at Everdell Park, Gleneagle, on Tuesdays from 8.30am until noon.
For more information, contact Diane on 0434 724 991 or go to: www.beaudesertu3a.com or U3A Beaudesert Facebook.
by Diane Rewko (U3A Publicity Officer)