St Albans Croquet Club
Club Tournaments
In 2025 we will run the following all season club competitions:
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The Verulam Cup, 26 point AC, played on the full lawn as a double entry knockout.
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The Kitson Cup, 26 point AC level advanced, played on the full lawn.
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The Mahoney Shield, 14 point AC, played on a half lawn.
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A full lawn Golf Croquet competition
We also ran the following one day competitions:
and are intending to run the following one day competitions at some point in the season (links go to 2024's competitions)
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25th May - A one-day alternate shot progressive doubles competition
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8th Jun - Speed Croquet, a progressive doubles tournament played with 25 minute time limits for each side.
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6th Jul - GC fun doubles
Verulam Cup (26 point AC) - Holder TBC (2024 final outstanding between John Palin & David Levy)
In a 26 point game, a player scores points for running hoops and hitting the peg. For each ball there are 12 points for taking the ball through the six hoops twice and an additional point for hitting the peg (pegging out - the 13th point). In total there are 2 x 13 points i.e. 26 points.
The format of the competition is a double entry knockout.
Kitson Cup (AC Level Advanced) - Holder Stephen Mills (last year's format was 18 point )
Level Advanced is played without using handicaps (the level bit), and with some different rules to discourage players going through all the hoops in a single break (the advanced bit). Click here for an explaination of the differences between handicap and advanced play.
The cup is named after David Kitson.
There is a single block this year so the winner of the block wins the trophy.
(if you want to know what the 'tp' bit is ask any of the competitors - but the summary is its very impressive!)
Mahoney Shield (14 point AC) - Holder Mike Hann
This competition is played on a half-lawn (and is limited to players with a handicap above 10 at the start of the season). Each ball goes through the 6 hoops once (giving 12 points for hoops) and then scores an additional point for each ball hitting the peg (giving a total of 14 points).
The cup is named after Terry Mahoney.
There is a single block this year so the winner of the block wins the trophy.
Golf Croquet Competition - Holder Stephen Mills
The game is played on the full lawn. A point is awarded to the first person to run each hoop with either of their balls. The game is played as a best-of-13-points game and stops as soon as one player has scored seven points. (If the points are level after running the 12th hoop, the game is decided by contesting hoop three again as the 13th hoop). NB. The peg plays no part in Golf Croquet except as an obstacle and a reminder of colour order.
For an explanation of the Advantage handicapping system click here or download this document (under the advantage rules it is possible to play more than thirteen hoops, in which case hoops 4 and 1 are used for the 14th and 15th hoop respectively).
There are two blocks, so the top two in each block goes through to the semi-finals. Each match is the best of 3 games.
