Somerset West Croquet Club
Like most clubs we have internal competitions running throughout the season. Participation by all is encouraged whatever your ability – there is something for everyone.
You are very welcome to use one of our mallets although it won’t be long before you’re tempted to have one of your own. We are fortunate that our national mallet maker (who also exports mallets internationally) is a member of SWCC. Your mallet can be selected from a stock of approximately 80 mallets or for a small extra charge, it can be produced to your own specifications.
We also play matches against other clubs in the region, mainly situated around False Bay: some ‘friendly’, and others in leagues under the auspices of the Western Cape Croquet Association (WCCA). Matches against other clubs and tournament entries are played in whites: the rest of the time we play in normal clothing, and flat-soled shoes.
A brief history of croquet in Somerset West
Croquet in Somerset West in the early days was purely a social affair with many of the large houses in the area having private lawns albeit some smaller than standard. Some of the grander places like Vergelegen Wine Estate, owned by Cynthia Johnson, even had tea arrive on silver trays courtside at four o’clock! From a nucleus of the original players, George & Lesley James, Jack & Jemima Benn, Brig. & Lady Elizabeth Tyler, Cmdr & Mrs Gray (Yi & Joan), Lady Kenmare, Elizabeth Fraser, Madge Francis, Maureen Duffus decided to start the club in 1979 and persuaded the Municipality to build two lawns in Radloff Park.
George James was the original Chairman and the Countess Kenmare President. There was much committee discussion as to whether the members would wear. R2.50 as an annual membership fee! As soon as the courts were playable, new members arrived in the shape of Cynthia’s son, Tom Barlow, Val Durie, Pat Boyd, John & Sheila Becket, Dick le Maitre, Geoffrey Robinson, and the young were brought in during their tender years: Tom’s son Charles, Judith Downton (now Hanekom) Andrew Hobbs, Wynand & William Louw, and the Ware family.
Golf Croquet being just a ‘fill-in’ game after a ‘proper game’ of Association, these babes (and they were little more) started straight in on Association and were soon leading lights in the game both locally, nationally and internationally. Indeed they were South Africa’s Croquet wunderkinder. The club grew in strength over the years with competitive play against the other Cape clubs but did not grow in numbers until Golf Croquet was introduced by Peter Heydorn who had seen the potential of this form of the Game when he was over in Australia winning medals for his Association Croquet.
As numbers grew because of this, another lawn was added mainly through the efforts of Jack Benn, and lately a forth lawn has been added and the club-house has been enlarged. This club is now strong in depth with members and attracting more, trying to popularise Association Croquet as well as entering a programme to introduce the game to those who have never had the luck or opportunity to play Croquet before. But today, tea is served on plastic trays and the only silverware is in the trophy cabinet.
