Click image to visit storeIreland's Mark McInerney claimed the BestInvest World Golf Croquet Championship with a 7-4, 7-6, 7-5 win over Hisham Aboesbaa from Egypt yesterday. The win is the first by a non-Egyptian player in the 15-year history of the GC World Championship. The win perhaps signifies that GC has graduated from being an "Egyptian" game to a true world sport. You can read more about the win on the best association site in the world (Croquet Ireland)--
http://www.croquetireland.com/index.php?q=node/149

Unfortunately, that perceived progress may be overshadowed because it seems possible that the 2011 GC Championship may be best remembered for the lawn damage fault that likely ended Reg Bamford's tournament (called on this shot). In my opinion, the law should be amended to indicate that lawn damage would be defined as a clear scar that has absolutely torn the turf and exposed the non-grass surface. I would further indicate that a player should receive one warning for a shot that produces such damage and only be penalized if a second circumstance of lawn damage occurs within a match. After all, I believe the intent is to reasonably protect lawns -- not take away the coolest shot in the sport.

In response to the incident, Bamford submitted an open letter to the Nottingham List that I have reposted in the forum. Here's an excerpt:

Playing a 10 yard bomb on a soggy court takes considerable skill, and is beyond most croquet players. It needs to be hit with enormous force, with near-perfect strength and angle, contact and execution. That is what I did, and I played what I believe to be the best shot that I have ever played in a game of competitive croquet. Over a career of 38 years, that is saying something.

On the regular croquet beat, the Meadowood Resort proves to be a popular target for news outlets. This time the Sacramento Bee put together the following article featuring new resort pro Mike McDonnell. The highlight is the third photo in the slideshow which captures a beautiful jump shot.--
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/24/3786086/croquet-reigns-at-meadowood-resort.html

How many wrong assertions can you spot in this "croquet" article?
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1461236