2011 Desert Classic

Rothman Three-peats at the 2011 Desert Classic

Rancho Mirage, CA

While snowstorms were building and ravaging the higher latitudes and rain soaked our Floridian friends, Rancho Mirage, California, proved to be the idyllic setting for the Desert Classic. Mission Hills Country Club hosted the fifth annual Association Laws purse tournament, attracting some of the best players in North America. Team USA members Jim Bast, Danny Huneycutt and Ben Rothman were favored by Vegas oddsmakers despite players from New York, Wyoming, Idaho, Hawaii and Canada entering the fray. Some were escaping the cold, while others made the trip for the challenge of a high-level money tournament. A portion of each player's entry fee and a generous donation from Leeds & Sons Jewelers of Palm Desert, California, contributed to the more than $3,000 in prize money.

Early block play showed that while many players in the Challenger Flight were scraping out single digit victories (5-1 after two hours), Peter Bach was not messing around. In his perfect block performance (7-0), Peter averaged over 22 points per game and pegged out in five of his victories. Championship Flight lacked luster; with only seven completed peeling turns (triples or better) in the 30 initial block games. Top-ranked players Rothman and Huneycutt were attempting something more difficult -- the elusive sextuple. While both claimed the sextuple peel was only a winning tactic for three or four players in the world (and admittedly, not a winning play for themselves), the top players were striving to improve through experiencing difficult and interesting scenarios of failing peeling turns and the repercussions.

Only one sextuple was completed in block play by the “savant” Ben Rothman on day one. Ben's sextuple began the easy way, with the peelee ball already jawsed in the one-back hoop, allowing for two quick peels before the break was under way. The difficult attempts did take their toll; Ben lost a game to Mike Orgill and Danny fell to Stuart Lawrence and Brian Cumming (otp). The top three players from each Championship block progressed to the Medalist block for three cross-block games to determine seeding in the knock-out ladder. With a 3-2 record, Danny was cast into the bubble block, a three game cross-block from which only two players emerged into the best-of-three playoffs.

Jim Butts, Aviv Katz, and Phyllis Butts watch Ron Hendry play on a perfect day.

As the players prepared to get down to business in the playoffs, the tournament director focused on the business of getting down. The mid-week toast and tally party was held in Rothman's courtside condo. Thanks to the generous help from Genie Hendry, Susan Stiff, Susi Wall and the Mission Hills Croquet Club, the party went off without a hitch. Players schmoozed and retold tales of glory from the lawns while enjoying heavy hors d'oeuvres and the occasional glass of wine. After the playoff pairings were announced and lamented (as in the case of the first round match-up between Bast and Huneycutt), Ben Rothman urged any generous parties to donate to the Y.A.C.H.T. fund.

This was not a fund for Rothman's own croquet yacht, but a tax-exempt non-profit branch of the Denver Croquet Club (thanks to Rich Lamm) that will support the Young American Croquet Homage Tour (YACHT). The fund will subsidize some travel, lodging and tournament entry fees for young croquet players attempting to play on the USCA circuit while in the awkward fiscal situation so common to young croquet players during and after receiving their higher education. The small committee of young players (including several rookies of the year and recent national champions) hope the 2011 tour will take place in May and June around New England and possibly the Carolinas. Generous donations from the Mission Hills Croquet Club members and participants in the Desert Classic have started the ball rolling. Future donations may be sent to the Denver Croquet Club, contact Croquetpro@gmail.com for more information.

In the last stretch before the playoff ladders, the field was separated between clutch players and those who had experienced some early tournament good fortune. Danny Huneycutt went 3-0 through the bubble block with two triples in preparation for his difficult draw in the knock-out. The final spot in the playoffs was determined by the last game between local champions Ron Hendry and Mike Orgill. The back-and-forth opening faded in the dust of Ron Hendry's speedy break play as Mike could only watch his playoff hopes drift away in the calm breeze. After seven rounds of play, there was a three-way tie for third place in one of the Challenger blocks. With only four players making the playoffs from each block, Toni Kemp got the nod with her gross point total (thanks to her final round romp against good friend, Elaine Kennedy) and left her rival Karen Comeau to compete in the Challenger plate event.

Each flight featured a single elimination plate event. While the Championship plate started with four players and inserted four more defeated quarter-finalists, the Challenger plate was a simple eight player ladder with no drop-ins or byes. The slighted Karen Comeau was the top seed in the Challenger plate, but to no avail as she lost to visiting Bayfield Croquet Club member Patrick Waters from Ontario, Canada. But even Patrick could not survive the late-blooming Karl-Heinz Kempfer. The Oakland, California, based Kempfer enjoyed renown in Rancho Mirage at the Golf Croquet National Championships last November, yet he has had little time to practice during the San Francisco bay area's rainy season. After a mediocre block experience, Karl-Heinz began playing to his ability in defeating Cindy Bagby, Jean Engebretson and eventually Patrick Waters in the plate final.

President Ron Hendry and TD Ben Rothman present Karl-Heinz Kempfer with the plate.

The Championship plate was a series of hurdles for the four players who missed out on the best-of-three knock-out ladder. Sonoma-Cutrer alumni Mike Orgill and “Sandy” Bob Van Tassell beat out Arthur Bagby and Bruno Amby, respectively, and continued to knock out all four of the drop-in players from the quarter finals! Most notably, “Bad Bob” Van Tassell knocked Jim Bast out of the tournament with a fifth-turn triple peel. Lady Luck was just not on Jim's side this week. In the plate final, it was the master beating the precocious pupil as Mike Orgill showed “Sandy” Bob that there are still a few tricks up his sleeve.

The Challenger ladder moved along according to seed for the most part. The only exception was the tenacious eighth seed, Mary Rodeberg. The display of control was impressive as Mary scored an average of seven points in her five block wins. Much like a cold weather football team plays the field position game and relies on defense, Minnesota Mary was the Queen of ball control as she separated opponents and managed risk in every game. Undaunted after drawing the perfect Peter Bach in the first round, Mary stuck to her game plan and watched as the number one seed squandered his opportunities with missed hoop shots and roquets. After two hours, Mary moved on with her fifth win with ten or fewer points defeating Peter 9-6. Fellow Minnesotan Dick Engebretson shared success by defeating the feverish Steve Mossbrook 12-8, but the third game of the day was too much for Dick. Mary broke another break player with her defensive game and earned a spot in the finals.

Rich Schiller playing against Mary Rodeberg with Cindy Bagby, Bev & Leo Nikora, and Judy Dahlstrom watching.

The lower half of the ladder went entirely according to seed. Marvin Salles showed he has made great strides by defeating Sheri Foroughi, but he could not outplay the number two-seed Rich Schiller. The San Diegan turned up the offense in the playoffs with his two highest scoring games (19 and 20 points) but could he get the upper hand against marvelous Mary? In the Challenger final, both players played for control. Rich managed a few more hoops than Mary, but it was only 7-4 after one hour and 45 minutes. Mary recognized the dire situation and built a break starting at hoop four. The rare break chance did not last long, but having stuffed hoop 5 with partner nearby lessened the damage. Rich chose to shoot into the fray at hoop five from corner three and hit the 80-foot shot! In the remaining time, Rich beat Mary at her own game with defensive spreads and great ball control to win 7-5.

The best-of-three Championship ladder was a much higher level of play than the previous blocks would indicate. In 20 games, there were 11 triple peels and a quad peel (Huneycutt). Danny's quad came after a +26tp effort in round one against Jim Bast. The opportunity for the quadruple peel presented itself after a failed sextuple peel and a wrestle for control between the team USA doubles pair. Rothman scored a couple of politically incorrect triples to defeat club president (and Ben's de facto boss) Ron Hendry in round one. Stuart Lawrence showed his mettle with a +25tp effort in the rubber match against Leo Nikora. Brian Cumming followed a 26-22 scare with a +26tp game against Jim Butts. Rothman and Lawrence endured a three game battle in the semi-finals. Ben took game one +26tp, but lost a drawn out ending (-5) caused by Stuart's missed 5-yard peg out after completing all three peels. Game three had its hiccups as well with a failed triple (Rothman) and difficulties with hoop one (Lawrence) leading to a messy +10 finish for the young pro. The Huneycutt-Cumming match-up was a much cleaner match after Brian took game one 26-8 and Danny rallied with two spectacular +26tp finishes in which Brian failed to take croquet! The third place match would be a novel scenario as Stuart Lawrence broke into the top of the ranks, but the final match was a familiar one.

Danny Huneycutt and Ben Rothman have been the two most active and accomplished players in North America over the last three years. While they have been teammates and roommates during most team USA matches, they have battled it out in the finals of many tournaments in that time. The 2010 Association Laws National Championship came down to the two of them, as did the Peachwood Classic, the Arizona Open and the 2009 Desert Classic. Pushing each other to new heights has become a staple of the duo’s dynamic while pursuing a friendly rivalry that will hopefully usher in a new level of play in North America. For all of their accomplishments, neither could hit on the opening rotation of the finals. Danny took the first break around on fifth turn with a nice diagonal spread leave. Ben took the short shot, from A-baulk, and hit in. Rarely one to triple the opponent, Ben's only peel was to put Danny through hoop one and set a nice diagonal spread with the forward ball tight to the peg, so it could not be rushed to hoop 2 (now Danny's hoop). The balls on the East boundary were carefully placed so they were wired from the edge of A-baulk, leaving Danny a 70-foot hit in. Danny took his time and cried out in agony as his stupendous hit hilled off and missed by less than an inch. Ben played cleanly and finished game one +16tp.

One court away, the croquet gods manifested a familiar fate as Stuart watched Brian miss a trivial peg out in game one. Just as before, all three peels were finished; only this time, the missed shot benefitted Mr. Lawrence. It seemed too little too late as Brian pegged out from a distance a few turns later and took game one 26-2. Game two was an entertainingly interactive battle with great hit ins and spectacular misses to keep it close. Stuart was able to even things up 26-19 and setup an exciting game three, but Brian had other plans. Sometimes the biggest compliment a croquet player can get is that their play is boring and Brian made game three very boring. The +25tp went beautifully and assured that Brian would have to make a large currency exchange before he went back up North.

Brian is presented with his spoils, which he promptly stowed in my freezer (but he took the check).

Game two of the finals started out sputtering, just like game one. Both games consisted of super shot openings, on court responses, and a laughable series of third and fourth turn misses. This time Ben took the break around on fifth turn, but he had trouble digging out the fourth ball. No peeling of the opponent or sextuple leaves came about and Ben set a new standard leave with the East boundary balls in that same wired position from A-baulk. Danny knew his fate was on the sixth turn shot, and he knew exactly how the court would roll. He lined up another 70-footer and this time he played the break and hit in.

Having practiced sextuples all week, Danny set the standard sextuple leave near corner three with Ben cross-wired at hoop one. Ben took the 90-footer and watched closely as he missed by less than an inch. Danny's sextuple started with a flurry of shots that would make Fulford blush with envy. After rushing to 12-foot position at one-back, Danny rolled his partner through the hoop and halfway down to the next while getting a perfect rush to hoop one. Danny proceeded to make hoop one with pace and get a 6-foot rush on his partner back to two-back! With an easy peel attempt at two-back before making hoop two, Danny was on pace for a standard quad (which he already completed once this tournament) and a delayed triple finish. Sadly, the simple peel wound up in a tough position and Danny was lucky to rush it through two-back after making hoop two. Some careful break management later and Danny had made one-back with only two peels left. The audience was buzzing as the sextuple neared completion, but the crowd nearly lost it when they saw what happened next.

Danny makes an awesome full-roll peel at one-back.

Unsure whether to cut rush his 10-foot roquet or not, Danny swang before he had finished considering his strategic options. Mid-swing the National Champion knew it would be bad, but tightening his grip in response only made it worse and he missed. With all the balls on the North end of the court Rothman's only difficulty was rushing to hoop one. With a longer take-off than expected, Ben was through hoop one and away on a rather boring seventh-turn triple. This was Rothman's third consecutive Desert Classic Championship and his second against Danny Huneycutt.

With the tournament matches finished and a wonderful court side brunch buffet at the ready, the Desert Classic participants celebrated the fortunate weather and wonderful venue at the Mission Hills Country Club. The Hawaiian tag team of Leo and Bruno began taking all comers in golf croquet to entertain the crowd and Bruno graciously made keepsakes out of imported coconut palm fronds for the victors. The wine flowed and the music picked up as the drinking club with a croquet problem got into full post-tournament party mode.

Pat Apple November 2010

Mission Hills Country Club hosted 23 players from its illustrious croquet club for a rare Association Laws handicap tournament November 16-20, 2010. Most Association tournaments in North America are advanced play with lifts but no bisques to help newer players. As one of the founding members of the Mission Hills Croquet Club, Pat Apple decided to make this competition an opportunity for beginner players to get into the more complicated versions of croquet. There were 8 doubles games to decide the champions in each of the two groups (high and low) and there were 8 singles games before the semi-finals began on Saturday.

The doubles format was high-low waterford, in which the weaker players get one bisque per game and the weaker team receives extra bisques based on the handicaps of the players involved. With 16 competitors, each high-handicapper was able to play with every one of the low-handicappers and vice versa. No games went to the peg despite 2 hour time limits. The drawn out battles were thanks to defensive tactics necessary when the opposition has a bisque. In Association Laws, bisques may be exchanged for a brand new turn with the ball that just played. This allows for a player to hit all three of the other balls, position them, and then use a bisque to begin a new turn in which they are live and hit each ball again and hopefully make a few hoops. A conniving tactician may also use a bisque after missing a long roquet to hit the nearby ball that they just missed. In this way a bisque can act as a hit in; thus justifying extremely defensive tactics. Players may use multiple bisques in a row to gain an impressive lead without letting the opponents on court at all.

The beautifully crafted prizes were awarded to the top finishers in the high and low groups. The top finishing high handicappers exhibited great shooting and control while being coached by their varying partners. Phyllis Butts and Herb Mills tied with five wins, but Herb snuck into the number two spot by two gross points. The top finisher was Toni Kemp with six wins, five of which were within two points! Toni's clutch play in both singles and doubles proved her handicap was higher than it should be (despite her pre-tournament pleading that it was too low).

The competitors in the low handicap group thrived when they accurately assessed their partners' skills and coached appropriate bisque use. On the other hand, running to the peg whenever possible did not hurt their cause. After breaking into the top flight, Mary Rodeberg found herself playing with her old peer group. The same familiarity that allowed Mary to defeat the high handicappers proved paramount when playing with them in doubles. Mary's five wins put her on the podium, but she fell just shy on net points. Tying Mary's five wins was Bob Riddell despite his distaste for using bisques (he had no problem with his partners using them). The doubles crown went to the top ranked “Sandy” Bob Van Tassell. Bob effectively coached his partners and managed to run to the peg in critical moments and remained ahead of the pack with six wins.

In the bisque heavy Britemac singles block handicaps ranged from 5 to 10 with each player starting with two bisques in every game. Top seeded Donna Dixon, a travelling Mission Hills member based out of Houston, outlasted her opponents' extra turns and emerged with six wins. Former first lady of Mission Hills, Phyllis Butts, followed her doubles success with strong block play but her six wins only earned her the second spot against a resourceful Toni Kemp. Toni managed to qualify in third place as the highest handicap in the singles tournament, using her bisques to thwart her adversaries. The last spot in the playoffs was claimed by Bob Kays with five wins and his work cut out for him against Donna. Phyllis and Bob had their fates intertwined as they made three points each in their semi-final losses. Phyllis graciously let Bob keep the bronze apple award for third place.

In the final, Donna took control at the coin flip. On the fifth turn Donna made hoop one but had trouble at two. Toni chose to join her partner ball near corner two but left the appropriate amount of space to parallel park a stretch limo between the two. Donna managed to build a break on seventh turn and took it for 10 hoops! After three very difficult angled hoops, Donna stuffed rover and used her only bisque to remedy the situation. Toni began the second act with a 14 yard hit in and ran 11 hoops (albeit with the help of three of her bisques) but chose to not make rover. Later Toni remarked that she did not want to be pegged out by Donna and that pegging out Donna's ball did not occur to her. Toni set a leave but failed to make any hoops off of it. Donna eventually hit in and added to her lead, but Toni got the innings, had control of all four balls and used her final bisque with only 15 minutes left and amazing break potential to... set a leave. Donna hit the leave again and pushed the lead to six points before she missed a difficult hoop six. With the balls spread all over the court and time running low, a few missed roquets left Toni in control in last turns with nothing close to her hoop. Toni took off to the attack and got a rush which she took 70 feet to hoop one. Donna began to worry. Could a six hoop lead last? Toni lined up an easy shot at hoop one with lots of work ahead of her, but it was not meant to be. The friendly stanchions collected their toll and brought the final to a close. Donna Dixon took her first Association Laws tournament victory 18-11 with a big smile.

In the Braeburn block, the bisques were necessary to take out the top dogs. Four very strong players: Van Tassell, Butts, Nikora and Hendry had their hands full as they gave up bisques across the board and only got to use one or two themselves. Making the most out of the opportunity, Arthur Bagby, Mick Greagsby, and Mary Rodeberg gave the big four a run for their money. Arthur Managed to defeat two of his most frequent foes in Nikora and Hendry while coming within one point of “Sandy” Bob. The do-over deficit proved too much to handle for one of the best players in Mission Hills. Bob Van Tassell had an amazing 2010 season, but he could not stay on top with the target on his back. The five contenders for the playoffs set themselves apart by beating the big, bad Bob. Leo, Ron and Jim managed to allow Bob only two points in three games while Jim slammed the door shut with a double peel to boot. The lone Briton in the field, Mick managed a two point victory over Bob but his loss to Mary opened the door to the newest championship player in Mission Hills. Mary scored several upsets and managed to will her way into the playoffs with 4 wins and the critical 19-4 victory over Mick Greagsby.

The playoff match-ups pitted the officers of the club against each other with the new kids on the block fighting for a final spot. Ron made the administration change permanent with a 26-0 thrashing. Mary came close, but fell short of the mark 16-15 to Leo Nikora in last turns. Her last minute woes continued against Jim Butts 20-19 in the third place game. In block play, Mary lost to Ron 16-14 in another barn-burner. While just two points kept Mary off of the podium, her incredibly close games against the best in the desert will raise some eyebrows this season.

The new croquet club President, Ron Hendry, was inaugurated at the pre-tournament party and he used his new title to intimidate and dominate. With three wins by 25 or more points, including the semi-final drubbing of the former president, Ron was ready to compete. Having placed third and second in the last two Pat Apple tournaments, he felt his time was at hand. The difference this year – Leo Nikora.

Leo and his wife Beverly moved to Mission Hills last season to get closer to family and more involved in croquet. Leo has served as the president and all around life force behind the Maui Croquet Club as well as webmastering for the USCA website (croquetamerica.com) for many years. When asked about his arrival in the desert after moving from a tropical paradise Leo said, “this is heaven.” With his croquet scores, who can argue? Leo had six block wins (four by 20 or more points) and qualified first in the playoff ladder. One of his few defeats was, however, at the capable hands of Ron Hendry. After a scare from Mary Rodeberg 16-15, Leo readied himself for a rematch against the new President.

No bisques were involved in the final match, but basic handicap rules still played a part. There were no lifts in the match and players were limited as to when they could peg out the striker ball. Both players started out shakily and no hoops were made until the 9^th turn. Ron struck first, but jawsed hoop three leaving Leo control of the balls. Leo took advantage of the lift-less game and ran 11 hoops with a very nice leave. Ron's balls were at hoops one and two with Leo far away on the East boundary. Ron trusted Leo to finish after a miss, so he calmed his nerves, took the 60 foot shot at Leo, and HIT! The crowd delighted in the triumphant grunt familiar to Ron's victims. Most expected that this would even the game, but Ron's triumph turned to terror as he just missed position at hoop one. Knowing that the Mission Hills hoops err on the side of generosity, Ron took a chance and stuffed it. Leo was forced to play his ball that had already run a break, so he set a familiar leave. Looking at slightly longer shots than the last hit in, Ron gulped as he still faced elimination if this shot missed.

“The death shot” is Reg Bamford's term for a final hit in that, if missed, will result in a game ending turn by the opponent. Looking at his second death shot in a row, Ron chose to shoot at his partner ball 65 feet away. Thinking he was out of miracles the crowd went silent until the crack of the ball put them on edge. Two in a row! Leo was squirming. What more could he do but wait? Ron's work was not over. Proving luck has two sides, Ron tried to take-off close to Leo's position. The adrenaline was rushing; he felt that he could not miss. Alas, while his accuracy was unfailing, the excitement may have gotten the better of Ron's touch. The elated fans watched helplessly as Ron's ball got closer and closer to Leo's, but it would not stop. Leo took control and built a break out of very difficult circumstances. Precise rushes and a clutch peel through the rover hoop confirmed Ron's desperation.

With 14 points on his final turn, Leo took the Pat Apple Championship. The difference proved to be Ron's big hits against Leo's crafty leaves. The final game was Leo's fifth win of 20 or more points in just his first Pat Apple tournament. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to Pat Apple, without whom there would be no Mission Hills Croquet Club.

2010 Golf Croquet National Championships

2010 Golf Croquet National Championships

Rancho Mirage, CA

Forty of America's best golf croquet players reinvigorated the 12th installment of the National Championships. Mission Hills Croquet Club played host to players from Rhode Island, North Carolina, Colorado and Arizona, making this one of the most competitive golf croquet tournaments in North America since the World Championships in 2002.

Many thanks and credit for the attendance spike go to the USCA exhibition series featuring showcase matches on both coasts. In July, association rules national champion, Danny Huneycutt, took on seven-time US representative in the world championships, Sherif Abdelwahab, at Lake Toxaway Croquet Club in North Carolina. Danny narrowly won the event and the duo decided to team up for the doubles competition with much success. In early November the American rules champion, Ben Rothman, took on the current golf croquet champion, Dr. Mohammad Kamal, in Pasadena. Ben managed to win convincingly as Mohammad was having back problems which would return to haunt him; carrying the sport on his back for so many years has taken its toll. Both exhibitions were well-attended and attracted spectators and many players who have yet to play in a major golf croquet event. Those who would dismiss this variation of croquet as a “shooter's game without tactics” were shown the true complexity of the sport by the best in the country.

While many croquet clubs were closing up shop for winter, the players in Mission Hills were just getting started. For those who took the summer off, a notable improvement was evident as the tournament progressed. The most progressive player was the second flight's Welles Farago. Not to be mistaken with the popular financial institution, Welles began playing croquet last December in one of the Mission Hills beginner clinics with his partner, Marc Clausen. The dynamic duo worked their way through the block with their tactics and shooting becoming more refined as the competition continued. Welles only lost one game in the block (7-6) to Jerry Phillips and took the #2 spot in the playoff ladder.

While Championship flight stuck to best-of-three matches, the first and second flights played double elimination until the best-of-three final. Jerry Phillips took the #1 seed but his sharp shooting caused him to bite off a bit more than he could chew. After attempting long clearances and difficult hoop shots with fair success, Jerry found his risky play was not consistent enough to beat the bottom-seeded Betty Teoman. The result was no fluke as Betty went on to take third place in the competition. Welles ran into an upset as Ruth Stotter's sublime touch forced him into the loser's bracket. Welles took no prisoners as he got revenge on Jerry and even knocked out his own doubles partner, Marc Clausen. After defeating Betty, Welles dominated Ruth in the best-of-three final to take the championship 7-1, 7-2.

Fans who were disappointed with the one-sided singles enjoyed the most interactive match of the tournament in the doubles final. Top seeded Jerry Phillips and his partner Paul Christy went undefeated into the final against Welles and Marc for an all Mission Hills championship. Neither team held more than a two-point lead during the match and every game went to the playoff hoop. When the dust settled, Welles and Marc emerged from the battlefield as experienced veterans and doubles national champions (7-6, 6-7, 7-6)!

Marc Clausen, Paul Christy, Welles Farago, Jerry Phillips and a mid-air Ben Rothman

First flight marathoners broke the four-hour mark; not under four hours, but over! The doubles final of block winners Mary Rodeberg and Bob Riddell against Pasadena's best Eric and Caren Sawyer went 280 minutes for just two games! With their patient play, the happy couple outplayed and outlasted the local favorites at the playoff hoop for the title (7-3, 7-6). In an impressively civil union, Mr. Sawyer shared the doubles victory with his loving wife, Caren. Or did she share it with him...?

There was no rest for the victor as Eric Sawyer rushed across the lawns to play the singles final. Eric trudged his way through the contentious ladder against three of Mission Hills fantastic femme fatales. After a playoff point victory over Mary Rodeberg, Eric made sure to beat block-winner Sheri Foroughi nice and early... at the rover hoop. On the other side of the ladder, Jean Engebretson knocked top qualifier Bob Riddell down to the losers' bracket but fell just short of the finals and into third place.

Mary Rodeberg's Armadillo Jump

The loser's bracket was the story of a dark horse, wild card qualifier who snuck into the playoff ladder by three net points and lost his first round game. Karl-Heinz Kempfer of the Oakland Croquet Club had his back against the wall and managed to beat both block winners (Riddell and Foroughi) on his way to the final. When the doubles final drew to a close, Karl-Heinz ceased pacing the sidelines, smoked one last cigarette and got down to business. Matching shots with Eric was a daunting task after sitting out for so long, but the bushy-haired Kempfer kept Eric at bay. That is, at least, until rover hoop in game three. After seven hours and nearly 60 well-contested hoops, Eric Sawyer emerged with his first and second golf croquet national championships.

A rare sight was seen in the Championship flight as a phoenix from Phoenix returned to the game after a long absence. World champion and British Open finalist in 1999, Jacques Fournier has been away from competition since 2003. Players were happy to see the return of the Prince of Croquet, until they saw him play.

Jacques won his singles block with formidable tactics and impressive shooting while he and fellow Phoenician Paul Bennett methodically dismantled doubles opponents. The Arizona tag team decimated the best in the business, winning all four block matches with only two game losses. 2009 singles champion Mohammad Kamal and doubles partner Rich Lamm struggled at 1-2 and eventually had to withdraw from contention to save what was left Mohammad's back for singles. Ron Hendry and Jim Butts managed to shoot very well, but never at the same time, falling just short of the playoffs after an impressive victory over Rothman and Van Tassell. The sharp shooting team of Ron Eccles and Leo Nikora gave opponents fits as they managed to fight for hoops after being cleared great distances. After a successful block, Leo and Ron hit a cold patch and their inconsistent mid-range shots gave Paul and Jacques a spot in the finals. The aforementioned team from the Lake Toxaway exhibition rolled through the block with one bump, Paul and Jacques. Danny and the hard-hitting Sherif divided and conquered the local duo of Rothman and Van Tassell (7-3, 7-5) to reach the finals.

In the long awaited rematch, Danny and Sherif came from behind 6-4 to take the penultimate point and control of the rover hoop. With two balls in front of the hoop against two boundary balls, the game seemed destined for a playoff at hoop 13. Paul attempted to clear the danger ball from the West boundary but missed the 40-foot shot. Then it happened. The clouds parted, an earthquake struck, and the croquet gods redirected Paul's ball off of the spent ball (a full yard away from the intended target) and THROUGH THE HOOP! To Paul's credit: upon seeing the missed shot he called to the gods for his ball to “carom off of it!” The best missed shot this writer has ever seen gave game one to Paul and Jacques and took all momentum away from Danny and Sherif.

Team Miracle took control of game two 5-3 until Sherif and Danny battled back to an even 5-5 and the game paused. A quick photo was taken of all players (as some had to leave) and the game continued. While some momentum was lost, the first few shots went perfectly on target and a similar situation unfolded. At 6-5, Jacques took a difficult hoop shot instead of a clearance and jawsed his ball. Sherif had a three foot jump attempt and while most spectators were braced for the hoop 13 showdown, it was not meant to be. The croquet gods were still hanging around rover as Sherif missed the jump and conceded the point and the match to the Prince and the Pilot (7-5, 7-5).

The jump

The entire championship singles field played a best-of-three knockout after four small blocks determined seeding for the eclectic group of contenders. “Sandy” Bob Van Tassel managed to win his block after a battle in the twilight with Mohammad. Meanwhile, Jacques took the top spot from Sherif. The accomplished Egyptian-Americans had a tough draw ahead. In round one, it was Paul who broke Kamal's back and allowed the good doctor time to recuperate at home. The glory could not last as Mr. Bennett ran into a very consistent club pro, Rothman, and lost (7-3, 7-1). The upsets continued as Leo Nikora shot the lights out and dethroned the Prince in a hotly contested match (7-5, 7-6). The Maui man beat Ben in game one but eventually took third after a late Rothman rally (5-7, 7-1, 7-5). Partners Huneycutt and Abdelwahab met in the second round and replayed the exhibition with the same result; Danny won in the third game. Danny followed up by beating his MacRob teammate Rich Lamm on his way to the final against Rothman.

As the most accomplished American players in recent years, Ben and Danny are frequent opponents. Danny won the Association Nationals against Ben this April in Mission Hills while Ben won the North Carolina Open against Danny in Pinehurst. The two players have leapfrogged each other for the top rank in North America, currently sitting at numbers 8 (Rothman) and 10 (Huneycutt) in the world. They were teammates and even roommates for the MacRobertson Shield and they split games at the recent Selection Eights competition.

Danny started strong by making hoop one all the way down to position at hoop two and a quick lead 2-0. Ben had a chance to come back but missed some very rudimentary clearances and an easy hoop 6 to stay behind 4-2. We know (from a very reliable source) that at this point, Ben fundamentally changed his lineup procedure. With his new methods, the young pro began hitting his 6-yarders center ball and managed to tie the game at 4-4. Danny fired back to 6-4 and after a tough battle the game went to hoop 13. Danny missed an 18-foot hoop shot and eventually chose to jaws the hoop from 15 feet and a considerable angle while Ben was off to the side. The ill-fated attempt at the jaws became the perfect backboard for Ben. Both players looked and remarked at the (un)fortunate position just off of the right stanchion while Rothman was 12 feet off to the left. With a shrug and admission that it had to be tried, Ben banked in the difficult shot for game one. This was just not Danny's day for off-and-in shots.

The crowd that endured the long day got refills from the court side wet bar and moved to the warmer side as the sun began its quick descent behind the picturesque San Jacinto mountain range. Game two was all about endurance; Danny was playing his sixth game of the day and his accuracy faded as a result. Ben kept his hitting on line as it was only his fourth game of the day thanks to an early exit from the doubles competition. Every roll of the ball seemed to favor Ben and he ran away with the game and the title (7-6, 7-1). This is Rothman's sixth national championship and his fourth of the year.

Photos Courtesy of Genie Hendry and Sherif Abdelwahab.

S.H.A.F.T.

SHAFT

An easy way to a good swing.

S. Stalk the Ball:

Walk behind the ball and stalk it like a HUNTER stalking its prey. The line-up begins here. Most of your accuracy comes from a taking a good look at the shot. Back up enough to get a better perspective. When you have the line, walk up to your ball at a normal pace with your normal walk.

H. Head Down:

Your ability to strike the ball well relies on watching the ball. Focus on hitting the ball, not on hitting the target. Make sure you are perfectly centered around the ball. Your mallet shaft should be pointing at your nose and the mallet should be in the center of your stance. When you swing, you need to keep your head down to watch the mallet swing through the center of the ball.

A. Aim and Adjust:

Once you are settled in position, start your practice swing. Use the natural pendulum to aim and adjust your stance to get the swing more precisely on target. Try not to make any major changes to your stance without re-stalking the shot.

F. Follow Through:

It is necessary for the mallet to strike through the ball and not slow down (too much) in order to hit the ball straight. This is true for most ball striking sports (golf, racquet sports, bat sports). Be sure to keep your head down until you are well into this follow through.

T. Take a Bow:

A job well done should be appreciated, even if you miss the target.

The Month of May

The Peachwood was great fun. I got to smoke cigars with some of my favorite croquet players and hang out with great friends. It's always fun to hang out with John Young and Charlie, even if Charlie had homework.

I returned to the desert and had the bittersweet goodbye. It was an amazing winter in Mission Hills and it was difficult to part with so many great people. After I said too few goodbyes I began my trip north back to the bay; back to my family; back home. Regrettably, I was not able to meet with the general manager of the club to finish our negotiations about the 2011 season. There seemed no reason to worry, except that I still have not heard a word from the man I can only hope will be my boss over the winter.

On my way back I called my friends and family in the bay and was able to squeeze into a concert in San Francisco that very night, schedule great family time with my one year old niece and secure my housing with my cousins for the North American Open. I really enjoyed my time however short, in the bay. I was able to see my 101 year old grandmother who has had a setback making her only as spry as a 90 year old instead of her previous 70 year old disposition. She will outlive us all.

I began my trek up to Santa Rosa for the North American with a stop in the city to party with my friends. Well into our bender I was told that the tournament was rescheduled so we would not be playing on Mother's Day! I managed to call my sister and sneak into my family's brunch plans much to my mother and grandmother's delight. Sometimes everything falls into place.

The North American Open began with foreboding fog and light showers but we soldiered on as usual. The skies cleared and made for a wonderful week. I was able to see many Palm Springs transplants up in wine country and I enjoyed catching up with all the bay area croquet enthusiasts as well. The Sonoma-Cutrer club members pulled out all the stops with great lunches and cook outs as well as the frequent cocktail hour. In tournament play I began with a disappointing streak breaker. Through much of the nationals I had built up a peeling streak. For fifteen games my opponent or I had finished the game with a triple or better (I got my sextuple in there). In game one of the North American I failed to organize any peels and quit the streak.

I battled through the block losing both games to Rich Lamm and getting upset by Ron Hendry as he ran three controlled breaks. When I can't hit in, I have to work harder to grind out those victories. Ron went on to secure a spot in the top three with Rich and I before the final day of block play, a very impressive showing as 14 games produces reliable seeding. I experimented a bit and was able to complete a New Zealand TPO. The kiwi TPO involves peeling opponent through 4-back on your first break, setting a sextuple leave, and finishing the other two peels with a different ball. I was able to double peel out the opponent while peeling my partner through 1 and 2-back. I pegged out both my striker ball and the opponent leaving a one-ball game where I had an eight hoop lead, which I won. I also tried a few late triples and a sextuple. I managed three peels and a decent leave on the sextuple, but my opponent forgot his contact lift (or any lift at all, which was my justification for trying such an aggressive play).

While the top three were set, the final spot in the playoffs was a much tougher race. Paul Billings had a difficult time during block play. While adjusting to his new Pidcock mallet, Paul decided to change his grip. Over time I trust he will get back to his smooth swinging ways, but he had a tough month of may. Paul allowed just enough of an opportunity for Jim Butts to steal the final playoff spot.

Rich and I took out the presidency of Jim and Ron in straight games allowing a best of five final. We took a slight detour from the tournament to play an eight team pro-am golf croquet afternoon with winery personnel. I was paired with the general manager of Sonoma-Cutrer and we went undefeated to win the amazing glory and bragging rights at the winery. I was miffed to discover the next day that while I was to receive a magnum of wonderful Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay (Les Pierres) Jim Butts' second place bottle was signed by the band Journey! I nearly stopped believing right then and there.

Rich and I began the final match on Friday to ensure it finished before the Make-A-Wish craziness began on Saturday. Game one was very scrappy as I failed a standard triple by missing a three yard roquet around hoop four. I lost focus and casually shot a soft roquet, which was a big mistake. I got control and completed the last two peels but over rolled and missed 4-back! Luckily enough, Rich faulted during his break and I limped through the finish. Game two was a much cleaner endeavor as I finished a ninth turn TP after Rich missed a hampered shot from the peg at my two balls (from a diagonal spread leave). We stopped for the day to enjoy the festivities of the sponsors dinner.

It was a great experience to hear the story of one of the many kids who was granted a wish from the foundation. He was able to set his sights and do what he had dreamed of. The important message is that he had a dream that helped him get through hell. Having a goal and a motivation makes a huge difference in one's outlook and attitude. Hearing some morbid tales hit particularly close to home as we had all been thinking of Jerry often and hoping and praying that he could perservere through his terrible illness and resulting infection.

Saturday we rekindled our rivalry as Rich and I were even 2-2 on the tournament. I did my best to remain ferocious knowing full well that Rich could (and had) beat me three times in-a-row. My parents were able to come and watch the final while the rest of my family came a bit later. Game three was my best of the tournament as I hit in on fourth turn and finished a sixth turn triple. The champagne was flowing and the day improved as the sun got higher. I got to show my grandma how to swing a mallet, carry around my niece and even win a great golf croquet exhibition with a Sonoma vintner.

As a celebratory measure, I ventured back to the city of San Francisco and got to see the bay to breakers with many of my friends. By traveling up steam I crossed paths with many of my college friends who were at the “race”. For those of you who do not know, the bay to breakers is an annual race from the East (bay) side of the city to the West (ocean or breakers) side. While many hundreds of people race this 7 mile course, many thousands of people dress up (or down...) and walk the course in a giant mobile party. It was a lot of fun and a great day reconnecting with my friends in the bay.