Croquet Week Golf Championship Won by Trevor Herin

9-11 March 2008
National Croquet Center, West Palm Beach, FL
by John Osborn, Tournament Director

The ‘Croquet Week’ Golf Croquet Championships, though small in participation, enjoyed great weather and wonderful spirit. The event was broken down into three Flights, though the First and Second were combined during the elimination stage. Block matches of individual 13-point (first to seven) games led to best-of three 13-point games in the Playoffs. Three courts were used and the pace of play was casual. Most importantly, everybody won at least one match and no one was shut out 0-7!

In the Championship Flight Playoffs, Mik Mehas was seeing double. Literally. In one semi-final, Mik came from behind to defeat Tom Herin in a very well played match. Meanwhile, since Trevor Herin (twin brother) had defeated his stepfather, Dan Mol, in the other Semi, Mik now had to face Trevor. And two of anything is not always better…Trevor won 7-5 and 7-6 in two great games. Tom Herin would win the Third Place match with a win over Dan Mol, barely, 7-6.

In the First Flight, John Warlick looked determined in defeating Paula Mol in the only Semi. In the Finals, facing the ‘hot’ shot Dave Mol, and even after a liquid lunch at the Bombay-Mar-a-Lago luncheon, John still looked good…in the mirror. The Finals was played well, but Dave looked ‘boiling’ in capturing the Title. Mary Catherine Deibel overcame a one game deficit to defeat the ‘shotmaster’ Zoe DeRopp 2 games to 1 in the Second Flight Final.

All of the play within of the final day matches was more than impressive, no player being out of form. As the crowd grew as the day progressed, “oohs and ahs’ became louder, each incredible shot followed by well earned applause. While this may not have been the World Championships, it certainly had both the feel and the ability.

The “Croquet Week’ Golf Croquet event is always one of the most relaxed and enjoyable events there is. While play is casual, by the Finals, every year, some of the best shot making ever becomes evident. If you weren’t in an adjacent court School, this event, and ask anyone, continues to be one of the best-kept secrets on the croquet calendar.

Thanks to all of the good-spirited players for making this event both great fun and for displaying some very impressive play! Till next year, here is the summery for play throughout the three days: