Croquet is AMAZING! Come and try a free one hour taster. Just email secretary John Haslam (croquetsec@gmail.com) with your contact details. A club member will then contact you and invite you to the lawns for a free one hour taster at a mutually convenient time.
June/July Highlights
On 21st June, Southport played against Pendle and Craven in the second round of the Longman Cup. Following a long and hard afternoon of play, Southport clinched a 4:3 win to progress to the quarter final.
Every year June is a month to look forward to as preparations are made to host the annual Festival of Croquet when members of the North West Federation are invited to take part in a fun and friendly weekend of croquet.
We all had fingers and toes crossed for fine weather and the Southport sun gods didn’t disappoint.
From the preparation and setting up of both North and South lawns, erecting gazebos and taking delivery of porta loos it’s always a busy week for our volunteers.
This year proved to be a glorious event enjoyed by new and experienced croquet players alike. We are always grateful to our team captains, helpers and providers of light refreshments for their contributions over the weekend which makes the event a great success with clubs returning year after year.
Saturday 12th July saw the return of our popular annual doubles event organised by John Marsh.
The format of the game is 40 players where the highest handicap is paired with the lowest, second highest with the second lowest and so on.
This years winners were Stuart Reid and Maureen Spratt.
On 19th July the level play golf team competed in the quarter final of the National Murphy Shield against Pendle & Craven. Southport came away with a 5:2 win and now look forward to the semi- final against Watford.
While the LPG team were battling on the lawns at Pendle – Southport were hosting their 2nd BBQ of the year. Due to a wet start in the morning, Gazebos were erected in case of a shower which created a very social and friendly dining experience.
On 23rd and 30th July, there was an exchange of skills between balls and bowls. A group from Victoria Park Bowling Club were partnered with croquet players for a game of golf croquet followed by light refreshments – the invitation was reciprocated the following week.
As the event proved to be very popular, we hope this will become an annual event on our social calendar.
Internal matches and league matches are in full swing 😉
For updates on league match results you can check by using the following link.
MAY
May was a sizzling month in more ways than one.
Our first BBQ of the year was served on Saturday 17th May by Simon, Claire and their band of happy helpers.
Members were welcome to arrive early and run a few hoops to work up an appetite or work off the calories later at the golf croquet social run every Saturday 2-4 (weather permitting).
Our come and try weekends got off to a wet start!
After a night of heavy rain there was standing water on the South lawns which dealt a double blow.
The 24th May was also Southport v Chester for the level play golf croquet team who were playing a home match to compete in the National Murphy Shield. Thankfully the North lawns came to their rescue.
As the day moved on, the sun came out which encouraged several people to drop in on our come and try session keeping our volunteers busy.
It also resulted in a 4-3 win to Southport against Chester who will now progress to compete in the quarter finals.
In fact Southport won all their league matches in May!
Here are the results.
AC 14 Point Hcp: Southport V Bury 6-4
AC Short:
Southport V Llainfairfechan 9-7
Golf Croquet
Falcons Hcp: Southport V Ellesmere 15-3
Level Play: Southport V Bowden 12-6
AC Inter Club Championships
In the first round of the Secretary’s Shield, Southport won 5-2 against Huddersfield and will play Middlesbrough in the next round.
In the first round of the Longman Cup, Southport won 5-2 against York and will play Pendle in the next round.
SBCC you’re on a roll 😆 🔵🔴⚫️🟡
Croquet is Amazing!
Don’t take our word for it, come and try for yourself.
Croquet is a fun and friendly sport open to all ages. Southport and Birkdale Croquet Club is right on your doorstep.
You can find us at Victoria Park, enter from Rotten Row opposite Beach Road.
We are offering ‘come and try sessions’ between 10 a.m. & 4 p.m. on 24th/25th May and 31st/1st June 2025.
Just drop in and you’ll receive a warm welcome from club members who will be there to guide you through basics of the game.
All we ask is that you wear flat soled shoes, everything else will be provided.
Mark the dates on your calendar and we’ll see you there.
April Updates
The first league fixtures in April 2025 have now been played with a mixed bag of results.
Our AC Short team played away at Westmorland on 11th April and were defeated by the better team on the day 4:12.
Easter Saturday was another away match against Bury Caesers for our Handicap AC 26 pt team who played a hard fought game but came away victorious with a 4:3 win.
Yesterday 22nd April was the first home match of the season for GC Handicap team the Southport Hawks v Fylde Falcons.
It was a chilly start to the morning with a heavy dew on the lawns.
By lunchtime the sun was shining and warm enough to shed a layer or two while enjoying lunch outside the clubhouse.
Unfortunately the Falcons swooped a victory with a final score 5:13 to Fylde.
To end on a high, our GC Level Play team were in action at Westmorland this afternoon 23rd April.
An experienced team of players enjoyed Westmorlands hospitality and managed a convincing win of 7:11. Well done and thank you to all our players this month.
Opening Weekend 29th March
On Saturday 29th March SBCC had its opening weekend, about 25 players braved some chilly winds to play their first matches on the South Lawns (which are looking beautiful). It was a great start to the new season.
Many members have very fond memories of Margaret Flemmington, who sadly passed away in 2024. For many years “Bob’s Bell” has graced our verandah and called people in for tea after long afternoons of playing. Margaret donated the bell to the club following the passing of her husband, and in memory of her contribution to the club, the bell has been refurbished and reinstalled. It’s looking fantastic, and every time it is rung, we can remember her contribution
New season is almost here
Saturday 22nd March the Club was a hive of activity with cleaning of the clubhouse and marking out of the South Lawns. A beautiful spring day hopefully hearlding the start of the new season. We expect our opening weekend to be 29th/30th March. Look forward to seeing our members on the lawns.
2024 INTERNAL COMP WINNERS
COMPETITION WINNERS
CHAIRMANS BOWL – Paul Rigge
PRESIDENTS
LEVEL PLAY GOLF – Sue Wilkie
HANDICAP GOLF – Dave Venables
14 POINT AC
18 POINT AC – Eddie Green
AMERICAN AC TROPHY – Eddie Green
SHORT AC – Bill Nicholl
1st YEAR GOLF – Neil Howard
WHITE TOPS TROPHY – John Marsh
Southport Short Croquet Tournament ( Sunday 17th September 2023 )
Southport’s inaugural one-day Short Croquet tournament was a most enjoyable finish to the summer season. Competitors with handicaps between 10 bisques and 1 mandatory peel played in two blocks in the warm, dry beginnings of autumn on the smooth seaside lawns.
Block play was competitive with many close finishes but after the implementation of several layers of tiebreaks, Cas Sinclair and Charles Harding emerged as the block winners to set up an all-Bowdon final. It was a closely-fought game which went to time on a three ball ending after Charles had pegged Cas out. This allowed most of the other competitors to watch the closing stages. Some enjoyed the opportunity for friendly heckling, led by the manager, of Charles’ tactics, peeling strategy and controversial attempt, after time had been called, to peg out his forward ball without having completed his mandatory peel. Charles barely noticed and with characteristic calm and aplomb, secured the game and the top spot.
The Southport setting and hospitality were outstanding as ever, and everyone left hoping that this format of competition will be a permanent addition to the fixtures calendar. For players considering making a first foray onto the tournament scene, it would be the ideal start.
SOUTHPORT SQUAD AT THE END OF 2023 CROQUET FESTIVAL
