Last Friday Lawrence Croquet Club hosted 42 visitors from Queensland and New South Wales to a Round Robin style event on our five newly marked courts. The visiting group, who were camping at The Secret Lake, had not played croquet previously, so it was “baptism by fire” with tuition on the run.

The games were set up in teams of four, with each team being allotted a coach from the Lawrence Club. Two teams played on a court at a time, which caused some light-hearted amusement if both teams met at the same hoop. Laughter and bantering could be heard across the courts, and also noisy skiting by players who managed a golden hoop, or a jump shot.

As we were heading out onto the courts to begin play a gentleman came up to me and said: “This is going to be easy. You use a big mallet to bop a few balls through some hoops on a smooth bit of grass – simple, right?” He now knows better. As he was walking off the courts at the end of the games he came up and said: “It really is a game of skill, and such good fun. I’m going home to join our local club”.  I think there were a few “croquet converts” as although the players found that the game required strategic thinking, at the same time it is very social and enjoyable.

The visitors enjoyed a two-course lunch at the Golf Club afterwards, prepared by Lawrence Croquet members. Many thanks to all club members who volunteered their time to make the day such a success.

Robyn Venables