Finishing touches being put on croquet club’s new home base
The ancestral game of croquet first introduced to Britain and France during the 1630–1685 reign of Charles II of England is still popular today and in Matamata it’s on the move in more ways than one.
The Matamata Croquet Club today boasts 75 members with a spread of ages from teens to 94-years-old.
And it’s because of the popularity of the game, once described as close to ground billiards as you will ever get, the club has sold up its former clubhouse and grounds on Peria Rd and used the proceeds to relocate to Pohlen Park.
With a 3 x 10 year repeat lease, the club has built a brand new home which is nearly complete along with an additional implement shed.
The club is in the process of laying out six playing fields when finished will be able to boast the largest croquet facilities for the Waikato region.
Club president Allan Bruce is looking to the club transferring into their new premises by the Christmas break.
The clubrooms when finished will cater for the needs of members with a large lounge area, kitchen, mallet store, and starters office along with other necessary facilities.
Already hosting a large number of tournaments during the season the club is not looking to add any events to the calendar.
Facilities aside Bruce is happy with the progress of the clubs membership.
‘‘Sixty one of our members are adults and we also have 14 college age members who play through the NZ Secondary Schools programme run by Croquet NZ,’’ he said.
He is full of praise for the skills the youngsters and ‘‘they are really keen to play more and have their own special day, but also play with other members’’.
Bruce said the game is attractive to both young and old because it gives everyone a chance to engage in fellowship and friendship.
‘‘It’s also great for fitness, by the the time you have played three rounds of croquet you will have walked at least 3.5kms without even knowing you have done so.’’