The Goulburn Croquet Club enjoyed a special treat last week, when it hosted Canberra Croquet Club players Kate McLoughlin and Peter Freer.
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Both Freer and McLoughlin are vastly experienced, with appearances in competitions all over the country in both state and national tournaments.
The pair educated the Goulburn players on the finer points of croquet, and introduced the members to Golf Croquet which differs in several key aspects. The primary goal of GC is for the player to run their ball through seven hoops.
Once a player runs a hoop (meaning their ball passes through the hoop), they get the point and all players move on to the next one.
The first to seven points is the winner, and in the event of a tie, the third hoop is played again.
The Canberra-based pair have both had extremely successful careers in GC.
Freer, an accredited coach, was also the inaugural winner of the 2019 Croquet NSW Golden Mallet Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to the sport.
Out of 15 nominees, Freer won the award for a massive body of work compiled over 30 years in croquet, including as a player, coach, referee, mentor, and event manager.
In this time, he has represented NSW eight times consecutively in Golf Croquet and also donned Australian colours for three World Championships and numerous Over 50 Championships.
"Peter has made enormous contribution to the sport of croquet, and all its various disciplines over 30 years," Croquet NSW said at the time.
"His various roles at Canberra Croquet Club has overseen the growth of a healthy active and competitive club ... An active and enthusiastic referee and tournament manager, Peter has encouraged, supported and participated in a wide range of competitions to increase the running of fair inclusive and well managed events around NSW, ACT and more broadly around Australia."
McLoughlin, meanwhile, has an equally long list of on-field achievements behind her. She has won multiple state titles and national titles, and is currently the Croquet NSW secretary.
Their visit was "very much appreciated", Goulburn club president, Bill Smith, said in an email to the Post, and surely invaluable to its younger and less experienced members.
The Goulburn Croquet Club plays at the Goulburn Railway Bowling Club on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
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