In the Championship Doubles, Danny Huneycutt and Rich Lamm beat Ron Hendry and I two-games to none to advance into the Finals. It's never fun to lose, but losing to great players and true gentlemen like Danny and Rich sure softens the blow.
Read MoreUSCA GC Nationals: Playoffs Continue
Thankfully the winds were absent today, but the cold wasn't. Temperatures at the start of the matches were in the 40s. I was tempted to buy a pair of gloves and a white sweater, but I didn't want to break my karma. So I just froze until the sun came up. When it did, it turned out to be a pleasant desert day, which is what I expect when I come out here. But once the sun goes down, our friend the cold comes back. Like I say, expect the unexpected.
USCA GC Nationals: Playoff Time
More clouds, brisk wind and cold in croquet paradise. Hey, isn't this the desert? When is the weather going to get nice. The winds are really bad for people that cast, like myself. My mallet is buffeted so much by the wind that I can see the shaft going back and forth as I follow-through. It is no fluke that I played my best games in the morning and late afternoon, when the wind was calm or light, and my worst games in the height of the gusts. Excuses, excuses.
Read MoreUSCA GC Nationals: It's Show Time
Today the matches started, bright and early. Thank goodness we were spared the winds that made yesterday so unfestive. The sun actually broke out of the clouds a few times. But as the evening fell, so did the temperatures. By day's end, my hands were so cold I could barely feel my mallet.
USCA GC Nationals Day 2: Show and Tell
As nice as yesterday was in croquet paradise, it was nasty, gloomy and windy today. The heavy winds that wreaked havoc in the Los Angeles area yesterday are not as bad, but they are still bad enough to buffet your mallet when you are swinging for a long clear. Paradise lost, if only for a few days. Another example that when playing in a tournament, expect the unexpected.
Read MoreUSCA GC Nationals Day 1: Sneaky Sneak Preview
Well, I'm here at the fabulous Mission Hills. The sky is blue as the sea. The croquet courts are emerald green. The hoops are freshly painted white and smooth as a baby's butt. This is Day No. 1 of my GC Nationals Odyssey, and my maiden voyage in the Championship flight of a USCA sanctioned event.
Morning Coffee: Rachel Rowe is the Women's GC Champ
Visit the storeAll kinds of action on the world croquet scene this week. Let's get right into it--
ROWE IS WORLD CHAMPION: England's Rachel Rowe defeated Jenny Clark (7-3, 6-7, 5-7, 7-6, 7-4) to become the WCF Women's World Golf Croquet Champion. The finals match was held at the Mount Maunganui Croquet Club in New Zealand. Photos are available on the tourney website and a full report is available from the CA--
Morning Coffee: Huneycutt Picks Up a New Title
Visit the storeNovember is well under way and the U.S. now has a new national champion for the deadness game while in Australia the young Fletcher crew has become quite a force. I have to say though, I'm most happy this morning because our newest family member let me sleep in until 4:30 a.m. Hooray for sleep! Here's your weekly dose--
HUNEYCUTT IS U.S. CHAMP: Danny Huneycutt won his first U.S. Rules title with a +24, -24, 20-10 win over Jeff Soo. Britt Ruby and Rory Kelly took the doubles title with a win over Brian Cumming and Ben Rothman 19-10. In first flight action, Steve Mossbrook took the title with a 17-5 win over Mary Rodeberg.
Morning Coffee: U.S. Nationals Start and Selection 8's Results
Visit the storeNovember is kicking off strong with the USCA American Rules Nationals and Australian Open both now in progress. Details below point to how you can follow the U.S. event. So far, I haven't found much on updates for the event down under. Here's your latest news from the croquet scene--
USCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: The USCA National Championship is under way at Mission Hills Croquet Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Finals are scheduled for Saturday and your can catch updates on the event in the Americas Forum on Croquet World Online or on the USCA's Twitter page--
http://twitter.com/#!/USCroquet
CFA's Serious Croquet Book Now Available
We all know croquet is no longer just a fun backyard game. Tournament croquet is a different game, a serious game, and a serious sport. But have you ever tried to explain the game to someone outside of the sport; why you love it, why you are obsessed with this elusive game, or why you are about to travel hundreds of miles to compete in a tournament? It isn’t easy.
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