Both the full lawn and the two half lawns have been marked out thanks to Heather and Stephen. There is a white line painted across the full lawn to save handling the rope used to separate the two half lawns.
The green plastic netting that has surrounded the lawn throughout the winter will remain in place for the present. There is an opening by the fence to enter the lawn, which has rope ties
The ground staff will be watering the lawn on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5pm onwards. This will limit play but for the moment these times must be avoided to allow the bare patches to recover.
All use of the lawn MUST be booked through the booking scheme, accessed through the Website. If unsure how to use it please contact Derek Lambert (07986 648625 or and he will offer advice.
Please arrange games before booking and give ALL the names of those playing and please do NOT block book a certain day time each week more than two weeks in advance to enable everyone to have an opportunity to play.
Covid-19 Return to Restricted Play
In accordance wih Government advice on the coronavirus pandemic, and to ensure the safey of all members of the Club, the following guielines will be applied UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
STAY SAFE
1. Do not go to the Club if you are experiencing any symptoms of a cold or flu, in particular a cough or a high temperature. For your own protection and the safety of others follow the advice about self-isolation if you are, or are living with someone, in the vulnerable groups
2. Only pre-arranged games and individual practice are permitted and you MUST use the lawn booking system. Do not just turn up. All Club sessions are suspended.
3. Only ONE game may be played on a lawn (whether full or half lawn) so no double banking or doubles unless all 4 players are from the same household.
4. You may only play with members of your own household or by ourself or with ONE other person from outside your household provided you maintain a distance of 2m at all times. Remember, do not shake hands before or after a game!
STAY ALERT and TAKE SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS
5. Only ONE person at a time should enter the hut.
6. Sanitise hands BEFORE and AFTER handling ANY club equipment: trolley, hoops, peg, hammer and especially mallets. DO NOT use hand sanitiser on croquet balls, simply wash them in dilute washing up liquid and water in the bucket provided. Gloves may be used as an added precaution but sanitising still applies.
7. If you use a chair you should sanitise it before and after use or I suggest you bring our own chair.
8. If you use a club mallet please sanitise the handle BEFORE and AFTER play.
9. Do not use corner flags, ball markers or bisques
If you use clips do not clip them on clothing or put in pockets; instead, only move them to he required hoop at the end of your turn and sanitise them at the end of play.
10. Use your feet, rather than hands, to position balls.
11. Please try to use your own supplies of hand wipes/sanitiser/gloves but there are hand wipes and sanitiser and sanitiser for surfaces are available in the hut.
12. If you wish to eat or drink while at the Club you should bring your own drink (and mug) and food and consume them at a safe distance of 2m from anyone else. Please take all items and your rubbish home for cleaning or disposal.
Heather Bennett
June 2nd The latest update from the Croquet Association is that on the FULL lawn we can now play 2 games of singles, double banked or one game of doubles. Try to keep hand contact with the balls to a minimum and use your feet as much as possible.
At present, play on our half lawns will remain at one singles game or doubles if players are from the same household.
Please remember to book the lawn before you come down to play and name ALL the players on the booking page; this is required as a record.
Jon has added a direct link to make booking easier. When you go to the lawn booking page and hover the cursor over Lawn Booking, a link will now appear:
Members book the lawn here
This will take you straight to the booking page
Heather Bennett
4th July The latest update from the CA
Up to 6 people may play on a full lawn, maintaining social distancing and preserving all the previous regulations. So we can now double bank on the full lawn with two singles or a singles and a doubles (not advised as discussion causes delays!)
This will mean that on the half lawns 3 singles (one double banked) or one doubles on one and a singles on the other.
Please name ALL players when you book a lawn. Some of you are only giving the name of the person who is booking; the info is needed by law as a record of all users.
Also, please display the croquet logo paper disc on your dashboard when parking in the car park.
Heather Bennett
July 18th St Albans (Heather Bennett, Stephen Mills, Roger Bowman, Stuart Stafford) beat Ealing 4 - 3 in the Longman Cup. As only 6 clubs have entered this year this was a quarter final and the next match is a semi final against East Dorset.
A report on the match is on the Interclub matches page
July 25th St Albans (Heather Bennett, Stephen Mills and Roger Bowman) beat Watford 4 - 1 in the Secretary's Shield. A report on the match is on the Inter Club Matches page.
As only 5 teams have entered the tournament this match was a Quarter Final The next will be a Semi Final against Nottingham.
