Due to the latest national lockdown restrictions, which affect all outdoor sports amenities, our lawns are unfortunately closed for play until further notice.
Christmas Charity Collection for St Giles Hospice
Traditionally, we arrange a charity collection at our Christmas Dinner in lieu of exchanging Christmas cards. However, the meal at the Lakeside will unfortunately not be happening in December but we are hoping to meet there in the summer instead. After a brief discussion at the online AGM, our new chairperson Lesley suggested St Giles Hospice as our Christmas charity, in memory of Rupert’s late wife Mal who was a volunteer at their Ashby shop. This was a popular choice with those at the AGM.
As we are not easily able to collect donations as a club, they can instead be made directly to St Giles in one of these ways:
1. Online at https://www.stgileshospice.com/how-you-can-help-us/donate/
2. Giving cash or a cheque to one of the local shops (Ashby, Swadlincote, Burton)
3. Sending a cheque to: St Giles Hospice, Fisherwick Road, Whittington, Lichfield. WS14 9LH
Please mark the envelope ‘Fundraising’.
If anyone is eligible and wishes to Gift Aid their donation (thus giving the charity 25% more at no extra cost) you will need to include your name and address and declare that you are a taxpayer.
Thank you to anyone who decides to donate.
Rachel is Ashby’s Player of the Year 2020
Rachel was presented (virtually, via Zoom) with our Player of the Year trophy at our recent online AGM after an overwhelming vote for her by the Committee.
Rachel clinched victory in the National Forest GC Championship at Moira after an epic best-of-5 final against Ian Burridge in which she was two games down, and later 1-6 down in the fourth game. However, she proceeded through to victory, eventually winning the fourth and fifth games 7-6. Rachel went on to have a stellar season by also winning the Nottingham GC Championship and the Ascot Cup (the National GC Singles Championship). Both those other Championships had strong fields despite the difficult times.
Lawns Closed during Autumn Lockdown
There will be no play allowed under current UK Government restrictions during the national lockdown which started today. We are following the CA guidance from 4th November.
David Bell wins the GC Knockout final
Sun 18th Oct, Moira
After one or two postponements, the final eventually went ahead on Sunday 18th October, with David winning against Jane 7-2, 7-4.
David wins the Moira Quaich for the first time, and is the first new name on this trophy for nine years.
Rachel wins the Bottle Challenge
Sun 11th Oct, Moira
Rachel won the Bottle Challenge with 7/7 having come back from 4-1 down in the last round against Will who finished as runner-up.
Our guest player was Ellie Ross from New Zealand, recently relocated to the Midlands. Ellie and Tim played well and shared 3rd place.
The lower ranked players had the luxury of watching the last two rounds played between the higher ranked players rather than slugging it out for the wooden spoon on lawn 3.
Bottle Challenge page
Lawn 1 has moved!
Thanks to the volunteers who came along this morning, we now have lawn 1 and lawn 3. The booking system has been modified to suit. The default time on bookings has also been reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours in readiness for the winter season.
Mansfield sand have recommended we treat the lawns differently, lawn 3 to be dressed with sand only and the others with a low organic content 80/20 dressing.
Lawn 1 is perpendicular to previous; the start point, with arrow, is marked as are the penalty areas. Martin will mow this shorter in readiness for Sunday.
Lawn 1 closure for reseeding
You may have noticed on the lawn booking site that Lawn 1 is shown as ‘Maintenance’ for the rest of the season. Martin tells me that it has been reseeded and that time is needed for the grass to germinate and grow.
Murphy Shield GC final: East Dorset 5-1 Ashby
Wed 23rd Sept, Cheltenham
Our winning semi-final team of Mick, Rupert, Martin and Richard travelled to Cheltenham for a Murphy Shield final against reigning champions East Dorset. We had reached the final for the first time, after hard-fought victories in the quarter and semi-finals against High Wycombe (3-1 at home) and Camerton & Peasedown (4-2 away). Whereas our opponents, East Dorset, had enjoyed a rather easier route to the final, with a bye in the quarter-finals followed by a walkover against Hurlingham in the semi-finals.
In the final, Ashby won the doubles match 2-0, but East Dorset were the much better team in the singles, winning 11 games out of 14, and ensuring their overall victory by 5 matches to 1, with one match unfinished.
East Dorset: Michelle Leonard (3), Johannes Hamann (3), Mark Hamann (3), Tony Green (4)
Ashby: Mick Haytack (3), Rupert Knapton (3), Martin Wroughton (4), Richard Sanville (5)
Michelle and Johannes 4-7, 3-7 Mick and Rupert
Mark 7-3, 7-5 Richard
Tony 7-4, 7-3 Martin
Michelle 0-7, 7-4, 7-3 Mick
Johannes 3-7, 7-5 Rupert (match unfinished)
Mark 7-6, 7-3 Martin
Tony 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 Richard
Match report (CA website)
Rachel retains the Ascot Cup
Sept 19th & 20th, Southport
Rachel has won the Ascot Cup (English National GC Singles Championship) without dropping a game the entire weekend, retaining the trophy she won last year.
Gee now appears four times on the trophy – twice each for Will (2011 and 2013) and Rachel (2019 and 2020).
Tim was the winner of the Shield (5th to 8th places).
Full report (CA website)
Full results (CroquetScores)