Opening Game (November 2009)

I'll have to say November kicked off with a great start as the Kactus Kreek Club here in Kansas City was able to sneak in a day's worth of play on November 1. That definitely set a precedent as my latest day in the year to play the game. I'm considering it a reward for getting that second issue of the online magazine out. It was a beautiful day and a full crowd on the court as everyone was anxious to get in a little more play.

Speaking of the magazine, thank you to all of the subscribers that have done a great job of passing it on. Through the stats, I can see that the e-mail and magazine has been viewed by more than five times the amount of subscribers on the list. Great work -- this is how it grows. For anyone that is stopping by today, you can sign up for the magazine notification e-newsletter here.

For November on the website, you can look forward to additional content that was used to build the November issue. I'll be presenting some info from the interviews and I have plenty of photos and I believe more video. I'll also be reviewing a new croquet game for the Wii that is part of the Game Party 3 compilation. Definitely wait for my review this month before you make the purchase.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people that helped make the November issue possible. For the interviews, thank you to George Cochran, Ben Rothman (croquetpro.blogspot.com), Billy Bob Breeden, Matt Smith and Nick Zink. For the Rothman photo, thank you to Tim Rapuano with the New York Croquet Club. Also, I'd like to mention Matt Griffith and his Kactus Creek Croquet Club as that is where I took the photos for the contents page in both issues.

In addition, Matt Griffith, Matt Smith and Billy Bob Breeden have all been fantastic in teaching me the game over the summer. Sundays are generally always open for practice games at Kactus Creek and those guys are always willing to take some time explain the great tactical dilemmas that pop-up and strategy in general. Personally, I have a long way to go, but I feel like I've been on an accelerated plan thanks to those guys.

Anyway, stay tuned to the website and look for the December issue of the magazine by the end of the month.