2019 USCA Southeast Regional Golf Croquet

May 2–5, Chesapeake Bay Croquet Club, Hartfield, Virginia

For complete scores see the croquetscores.com listing for the tournament.

2019 Southeast Regional Golf Croquet Tournament Sets Record

On May 2-5 the Southeast Regional Golf Croquet Tournament was held at the Chesapeake Bay Croquet Club in Hartfield, Virginia. With 40 players from across the US and Canada, this was the largest Golf Croquet Regional yet held in the USA, breaking the previous record of 32 players set this January at the Florida GC Regional in West Palm Beach. Golf Croquet is now the fastest growing tournament game in the USCA, and the participation in this tournament showed it! The USCA is 100% behind Golf Croquet and is supporting GC play with the development of Golf Croquet Grand Prix and handicap systems.

The courts at Chesapeake Bay were in great shape and the competition was fierce in all flights. Of the 40 players, 10 were playing in their first ever USCA sanctioned GC tournament. In addition to the tournament play, Cheryl Bromley, chairman of the USCA Golf Croquet Committee, ran a one day Golf Croquet Referee School. This was the first ever GC referee schools and a lot was learned by the 9 participants about how to become a GC referee. And a lot was learned by the instructors, Cheryl Bromley, Jeff Soo and Macey White, on how to run a GC referee school. We look forward to more of these schools in the future.

Two of the top ten players in the US played in the Championship Flight, Jeff Soo and Macey White, but the flight was won by the excellent play of Cheryl Bromley, who defeated Jeff Soo in the finals two games to one. First Flight was won by the lowest seed, John Priest who beat the highest seed in the flight, George Enochs, in two straight games. The Second Flight was a hard fought battle between two players in their first ever GC tournament, Paul Fecteau and Kathie Gamble. Paul edged out Kathie to win 2nd Flight honors in a hard fought game.

In doubles play, the underdog team of Gil Flowers and Priscilla Flowers made it to the Championship Flight finals, where they played well in a loss to defending champions Jeff and Eileen Soo. In 1st Flight doubles, newcomers John Priest and Conor Johnson defeated Bill Simmons and Bill Sullivan for the title.

While most came to the Chesapeake Bay Croquet Club for the great croquet play and camaraderie with fellow croquet enthusiasts, some admitted they came for the great food. The grand buffet on Friday night featured local favorites: steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, country fried chicken, and low-country slow-roasted pulled pork. Yum, Yum!! Y'all come back now, ya hear!

Championship Doubles finalists Gil Flowers, Priscilla Flowers, Eileen Soo, and Jeff Soo