Teenager tops golf croquet world
New Plymouth’s, Felix Webby likes the view from on top of the world.
The teenager has taken out the Under-21 Golf Croquet World Champion title after a nail-biting shootout against fellow Kiwi George Coulter in the biennial world championship lin Melbourne recently. Approximately 30 players competed for the title.
Soon after his big win, Webby, 17, competed in the Open World Championship, winning bronze.
The Francis Douglas Memorial College student is determined to show his fine form was no fluke; with years on his side he intends defending his title next time around.
‘‘The mark of a good player is being able to maintain your ranking,’’ Webby said.
The FDMC sports captain aimed to continue his winning streak in upcoming national golf croquet and association croquet competitions - his ultimate longterm goal is to be the open world champ.
Croquet started out as a family pastime for Webby, who is a member of the West End Croquet Club. Now he was among the growing force of young bloods competing at the elite level of a sport spawned from the traditional game.
‘‘We always had one of those backyard sets you just hit around with, I got more into it through a school workshop and it went from there.’’
The equipment and technique were the same, but it is much
‘‘The mark of a good player is being able to maintain your ranking’’
Felix Webby
easier to grasp and strategically less complex. The competitive side of the newer, quicker version had him hooked.
‘‘It’s like comparing a game of pool to snooker.
‘‘It’s faster and there’s some entertaining big shots. When you’re playing someone really good and you’re both playing well it’s a completely different ball game,’’ he said.
Webby’s other sporting passion is adventure racing. Apart from the obvious differences, both require a high level of mental agility. While the Taranaki youngster had set his own goals, he said Sport Taranaki’s Future Champions’ programme helped him immensely.
The programme is designed to help, support, and develop young athletes, aged between 15-18, through workshops on physical and mental development with mentoring and personal one-onone sessions.