Here is a excerpt from Simon’s latest Newsletter report:

The second of our summer BBQs took place as the heatwave was starting to build.  The risk assessment provided buckets of water on hand to douse any wayward ignition.  In the event, no sparks flew and the flower beds were thankful for the drink.  A covering of light cloud in the afternoon kept the mid-thirties’ heat forecast to comfortable (enough) levels while four games of GC doubles were played, with a leisurely tea in between.  Brendan and Sam Russell provided some welcome new blood to the Sunday games, and to ready exchange of anecdotes over tea.  Well played to you both!  Thank you to all who helped, brought salads, desserts, etc, set up tables, the BBQ and so on, and cleared away at the end.  And special thanks to Steve for the event communications and co-ordination.  Any volunteers for leading this for the August BBQ, please?

A Picnic GC (or One Ball) Roll-up Day Tournament, like we had in May, is pencilled in for Sunday 18^th September.  A sign-up sheet to gauge interest will be put in the pavilion during the month.  With regards to the friendly GC match proposed by Cheam CC, no date has yet been fixed for this owing to uncertainty on our part over ability to field a team.  If you’re interested in playing in such a match sometime before the end of the season, do, please, let me know.

While our AC ‘B’ league game at Surbiton was postponed on account of the heat, we welcomed Sussex County later in the month to our scheduled home fixture.  This was, no doubt, to our advantage as their team are more familiar with playing on their ‘super-fast’ home lawns which have been prepared to stage twelve days of the GC World Championships now just started.  Getting in front on hoop, therefore, proved more of a challenge for our visitors.  At the end of Round 1 the score was 1-1, at Round 2, 3-1 to Ember.  Ember then brought out its secret weapon – a wonderful lunch, including Hugh’s poached plums with custard for dessert.  This was enough to beguile our visitors to defeat, 5-1.  Well played Ember:  Hugh, Roger S, Simon (Capt), and super-sub, Steve; and Belita for helping with the lunch.

Introductory coaching for beginners and high handicappers on Mondays 3 – 5pm continues for at least the next two weeks, then according to demand / availability after that.  Well done to Pete, Pauline, Geoff and Kate for making great progress in getting to grips with the angles!

Ember welcomed Ealing on Tuesday for an SECF B league match. We were captained by Simon Charrington (Handicap 12) joined by Roger Stearn (12) and Tom Eddy (16). Tom is keen to play home games but three short games is too much for him, so Steve Edney (12) replaced him for the final game.

Ealing brought over Ron(12), David(14) and Emma(20). The match order was switched to help Emma in her first competitive AC match, with Ron partnering her. Ember ran out 11-7 winners in this game, with Simon getting round to peg and Tom getting most of the way.

In the first singles, Roger played David. Roger win 12-9.

Steve managed to persuade Tom to continue in the second round of matches. It was getting close to lunch time and Steve wanted to munch on the ginger biscuits. Tom was partnering Roger this time against David and Emma. It was a gripping match with a valiant effort by Roger to get Ember back into it, requiring a golden (sudden death) hoop to decide it. Eventually Ealing ran it, winning the game.

Meanwhile, Simon beat Ron 14-4 in their singles, which included a respectably executed four-ball croquet shot by Ron out of corner 3, and some odd, but not fatal, aberrations from Simon.

Lunch was splendid, and thanks to Geraldine for setting up and tidying away for us.

The final set of games saw Steve come in for Tom versus Emma. Emma played very well for a deserved 10-8 victory, scoring Ealing’s second win of the match.

Very early in the final doubles game David scuffed his shot and Simon was able to hit in and having worked hard to run hoop 1 proceeded with an almost faultless 4 ball break to go to peg.  3 turns later Ealing chose to join up at hoop 1 rather than use a bisque to continue, Roger then took advantage and using a bisque to hit in proceeded run his 6 hoops and to peg out both balls. A quick game won 14 -1 and Ron sportingly complaining he had only had 1 shot.

A most enjoyable day.