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.

Rick Harding wins the Southport April Advanced Tournament

Rick Harding wins the Southport April Open Weekend

10 competitors turned up to the ever-lovely Southport club for a most enjoyable weekend of seaside croquet.

Handicaps were spread fairly evenly from 4.5 to -1.5 allowing for an interesting variety of contests, (including a hard-fought plus one on time for Paul Rigge against a somewhat lesser opponent). Plenty of peels were attempted but completed triples were rare.

Rick Harding finished as the clear winner, simultaneous triggering a reduction to -1.5.  The manager John Haslam and all the other Southport members ensured everything ran smoothly in a great good-humoured atmosphere, with everyone getting as many games as they wanted.

THANK YOU MESSAGE TO THE SBCC FROM THE CROQUET ASSOCIATION

I am writing on behalf of the Executive Board of the Croquet Association to thank Southport & Birkdale Croquet Club for hosting the AC Third Eight (The Spencer Ell Cup) on behalf of the CA during 2022.

The CA would not be able to offer such a comprehensive range of championships without the support of Clubs. The work involved in hosting events and the sacrifice made by your members is recognised and greatly appreciated.

Many thanks to you and your members for your continued support.

Kind regards

Andrew Willis
Secretary, CA Executive Board