By “South Stake”

In the past, Dubbo Croquet Club has hosted a number of activities for potential new recruits to our great game.

Croquet players are always keen to share their enthusiasm for the sport, and refuse to acknowledge “croquetphobia” as a real condition!

Dubbo Croquet Club is not unusual in itself in promoting our pastime; all clubs, sporting and otherwise, seek to extend their reach.

Every club, organisation, interest group, and professional association; any special interest focus of any shade, colour, inclination or obsession, will happily share their purpose and pleasure to the public.

Membership numbers are one indicator of success in these endeavours; with the Dubbo club boasting total membership of 80. Our sister club in Canberra, hosts almost 120 members with a waiting list of another 150. With that level of outreach, the club is seemingly self-sustaining.

The Dubbo Club uses a wide range of publicity activities, such as come-and-try days, beginners’ introduction sessions, mail-box drops, community presentations such as at service clubs and Council’s new residents’ evenings, street market exhibitions, school involvement events, hosting croquet-themed birthdays, staff functions, and service club meetings with a difference.

In recent weeks, we also hosted three Christmas gatherings for local businesses, utilising our coaching team for give-it-a-go sessions, with guest numbers ranging from 18 to more than 50.

On every occasion, everyone has had a great time, coaches included. Most have said they had no idea about the game at all, and expressed their surprise at how enjoyable as well as challenging it was.

The usual weekday playing times, though, are a barrier to working people following up on the offer to come back.

However, the club does play on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings, which are more practical for many working people. In addition, Wednesday evenings are also set-aside for teaching and training at no cost and without obligation.

For those wishing to contact us over the holiday period, the Club will not be open after Saturday, December 20, through to Tuesday, January 6. Enquiries over this period are still welcome, nonetheless, either through our web presence or other contacts as advertised. See our entry under Recurring (Multiple Days) in Dubbo Photo News Community Diary.