Dear Members,

It’s that floodlight time of year again. That and wrapping up in more layers than are totally conducive to free swinging tennis - or croquet for that matter. We are chasing an electrician to install a timed outdoor light on the clubhouse to make exiting towards the car park easier (he is proving somewhat elusive but hopefully before the year is out!).

Thanks are due to all those who have taken part in working groups throughout the year: weed and moss spraying; stream clearance; ivy removal; garden maintenance; cleaning of clubhouse; and all those little jobs that keep our club looking so good (and it is commented on by visiting teams). Special thanks must go to Keith Pressnell for a very generous donation towards a fabulous new ride-on mower for the croquet lawns and to Richard Evans for donating a Stihl strimmer. Also worthy of a big mention is Andrew Towler who is doing great work on updating the website (https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/eardisleytennisandcroquetclub) and who is also managing the club’s adoption of an LTA CLubspark membership package which will vastly reduce the amount of administration and be a huge improvement on how members’ data is recorded and maintained. Much appreciated one and all.

The committee is closely monitoring the condition of courts 1 and 2 with a view to their general playability and longevity. It is highly likely that they will need to be resurfaced within the next year or so. Alternative surfaces are being considered and investigated. If anyone has an opinion on a particular type of surface then we would welcome your input (ashbysworld@gmail.com).

Upcoming events

Saturday 16th December 2023: Senior & Junior members

Luci will organise a social mixed doubles tournament from 10 -12am for senior tennis players.Time to enjoy some doubles with refreshments and a chat afterwards. Luci will also run Tennis Games and Christmas party events. From 1 - 2pm for under 10’s and 2 - 4pm for 10/11+ for junior tennis players.

 Saturday 17th February 2024: Curry and Quiz evening

Put this date in your diary now as this is a very popular event and a good attendance is essential to its success.

NEW: Junior Saturdays 2pm to 4pm Session

Luci would like to encourage the juniors to get a lifelong habit of playing independently and regularly so she is proposing to set up a Junior Tennis Session with parents bringing their children to play on Saturday afternoons. Only 2 courts will be used so that the third is open to seniors. This would be free to members and is not for coaching. It would be the same as the senior social sessions that take place on Saturday mornings and Wednesday teatime/evening.

H&W Winter League

The Ladies winter season has been hampered once again by the weather. With two matches postponed, only one fixture has been played which sadly we lost, though it was hard fought. All to play for in the New Year. Let's hope the winter weather keeps at bay.

The Men have played four matches and have 18 points so need to pick up some more soon. All matches have been very close and also hugely enjoyable - although cold at times. One match was cancelled due to weather. Good to see some more players getting league match practice.

Line calls: there have been no contentious line calls so far this season but it is worth reminding all team players that unless you are 100% certain a ball is out then the benefit of the doubt is given and the shot called in. One would hope that this principle is reciprocated by the opposing team.

Senior Tournament Finals

Saturday 23rd September. This went well and the winners were:

James Towersey Men's Singles  Winner (David Ashby Runner up)

Mark Lynas & James Towersey Men's Doubles Winners (David Ashby & Nick Breeds Runners up)

Hannah Jones & Sarah Ricketts Women's Doubles Winners (Judy Nightscales & Janet Parry Runners up)

Judy Nightscales & Gordon Griffiths Mixed Doubles Winners (Annie Rees & Hamish Munroe runners up)

Croquet News

The croquet season has now finished. Once again the club has had an excellent year and moved forward on a number of fronts. We have attracted lots of new members who will add to the playing strength of the club and league teams.

The club purchased a new top quality mower with the help of money from fundraising and a large donation. The new mower had an immediate effect on the condition of the lawns and we can look forward to next season having shorter grass and faster lawns.

The club held its annual Awards Dinner at Burghill Golf club. We were a party of 36 and a good time was had by all. Our next closed season event is tenpin bowling followed by lunch on Monday 11th December. Forthcoming events include a board game afternoon, sharing lunch followed by a small quiz, a walking treasure hunt and a visit to a local curry house.

David Ashby