Mount Maunganui is an extinct volcanic cone from which the town at its base takes its name. Of course, like many names in New Zealand, it's not quite that simple but for the purposes of this post that explanation will suffice.
I'm here for a three day croquet tournament: doubles on Friday and singles on Saturday/Sunday. It's held at the Mount Maunganui Cosmopolitan Club known as Club Mount Maunganui which is a very large club with bars and restaurants and community indoor and outdoor sporting faciities. They were a very common phenomenon in New Zealand along with the RSA (Returned Services Association) clubs but appear to be steadily closing down due to lack of patronage.
However the Club here in Mount Munganui is a womderful new building with tremendous facilites including 3 bowling greens, 6 international standard croquet lawns and a petanque court.
Yesterday was the Handicap Doubles Tournament. Judy (a friend and former croquet doubles partner) and I came runners up in our block which, given the fact that I hadn't played croqut for nearly two years, we regarded as a pretty good achievement.
Today was the first day of the singles and in the Open Championship I only had one loss and that was on the last hoop after I'd made a stupid mistake. So at the end of the first day I am leading the championship table. I have posted it here because it may be the last time I'm in this position and might like to look back on this day in the future!
Whatever happens tomorrow I'll be able to look back on today as a wonderful day playing a game I love, playing it in the sun on wonderful lawns with delightful company. Life can be PDG!
Congratulations! You have clearly Stil Got It!
ReplyDeleteI suspect, Kate, it's because I came back relaxed with no expectations. It will be interesting to see how I cope today when those expectations are subconsciously raised.
DeleteLooks like you're In A Good Place in more ways than one! :)
ReplyDeleteI am Monica. You've hit the nail on the head.
DeleteI bet the crowd were singing your name. Well done Graham! But just think, you could instead have been watching grey clouds scudding over the grey Minch before driving into grey Stornoway for more grey oatcakes.
ReplyDeleteActually YP the irony is that apparently the last two days in the Utter Hebrides have been glorious!
DeleteYou're a champ.
ReplyDeleteThat's very kind of you Diane. Today will see if I really am!
DeleteHow very lovely!
ReplyDeleteAndrea from your sporting perspective NZ is heaven!
DeleteWell done!! Hope today went really for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynda. I wasn't quite as successful today but it was a great day nonetheless.
DeleteI don't know if Croquet is still played at Wimbledon, but it began as an exclusively Croquet Club. Fashions change in sport as elsewhere; good to see that Croquet is still taken so seriously in NZ.
ReplyDeleteCroquet is taken vary seriously in NZ Cro but then so are most sports!
DeleteBest of luck Graham!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz. Home now and didn't do so well on the second day but still enjoyed it.
DeleteCongratulations for this achievement, and hopefully more congratulations will be in order today.
ReplyDeleteThanks Meike. I basked in my temporary feeling of success.
DeleteGood for you, Graham! Continue on your winning way and with your winning ways. :) There used to be a croquet club here on Tamborine Mountain, but I don't know if it's still going. I should check that out.
ReplyDeleteMy landlords returned last Tuesday from spending a week in Rotorua and somewhere else nearby, the name of which I've now forgotten. Just as well you're not down in Christchurch! Boy! The people there must have gotten a hell of a fright yesterday when that earthquake caused disruption to their Sunday! The surfers who were in the water when the cliffs collapsed would've ridden the waves of their lives getting away from that occurrence. Frightening!
Thankfully, no one was hurt and no buildings were damaged. But I know I'd be feeling a bit nervous still, if I were there around the Christchurch area.
Take care. And eat lots of delicious New Zealand salmon for me while you're there. I buy the salmon that comes from Marlborough Sounds at the northern tip of the South Island...and it is the best!!!
Thank you Lee. I was here when Christchurch suffered initially and I still have difficulty reconciling what used to be when I was last in Christchurch with what I see in pictures now. Of course living here I've experienced earthquakes but what the people of Christchurch have gone through since 2010 is beyond my comprehension. I was in Rotorua and Taupo today.
DeletePDG!!! Good show!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Virginia.
Delete