CROQUET NEWS: Players Savour an Alternative Festival

19 June 2009
Ryde Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Ryde, England , UK
story by Clare Wall in Isle of Wight County Press, Newport, England , UK
photo by Peter Boam in Isle of Wight County Press, Newport, England , UK

Former champion Paul Castell in action.

While thousands of people danced to the sounds of the IW [Isle of Wight] Festival, a festival of a different kind was taking place at a peaceful Ryde Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (RLTCC).

The Ryde Festival of Croquet took place over five days last week, culminating in a tense day of finals on Sunday.

RLTCC was a haven of silence, broken only by the sound of mallets hitting balls.
The game itself is played by few but the club is taking action to gain more members and has a fully-subscribed Return to Sport course starting soon.

However, its members are always willing to open their doors and teach others about the game they love so much.

Croquet is a game of strategy and patience and can take some time. The final game of the festival, the IW Championship final, lasted seven and a half hours.

It was won by David Harrison-Wood, of Dorset, who won the title on his last visit 16 years ago. He beat defending champion Paul Castell, of Sussex, by two games to one.

In all, around 25 players took part in the week’s festivities, with Gordon Hopewell, from Nottingham, winning the handicap singles event, and RLTCC’s own Robin Thornton winning the golf singles title. Pam Sim and Richard Harris, also from RLTCC, won the handicap doubles.

All the players hold the festival in high regard and were quick to claim it was the "original" festival, having started in 1969.

Cliff Jones, of Devon, helps organise the festival. He said: "The event is building every year, and this year not only have we had players from across the UK but we have welcomed a couple from Ireland and one woman from New Zealand.

"This is a superb venue and we come because we like it here so much, we love the atmosphere and the lawns are outstanding."

Another competitor singing the festival’s praises was Tudor Jenkins, of Brighton. He said: "This is my second tournament and it will not be my last. I have had a great time. Next year I think I will bring a tent with me and go to both festivals I think.

"The wonderful thing about croquet is that the club could be exploding behind you, but you would not hear it because you are concentrating on the game so much, and for that reason it is always peaceful."

The club is open to visitors who wish to try  croquet on Tuesdays, Thursday or Saturday afternoons and anyone interested can visit www.rltcc.co.uk.