Short Croquet handicapping in doubles
Have you noticed that bisque allocations in SC doubles games have changed? Instead of simply taking the average of the two handicaps – difficult when one player has peels to do – the CA Handicapping Committee has put in place a new method of calculation.
This takes account for the first time of situations where one player has mandatory peels. However the new approach now applies to all SC doubles games.
Take the handicap of each player and convert it to the trigger index point, rounding down if needs be. Add the two index numbers together and divide by two, to get the average. Now read this number off against the trigger index table, again rounding down if needs be. This gives the number of bisques to be shared between the two players.
The effect is to preserve the generous bisque allocation when two higher bisquers are playing together, but slightly reduce the number of bisques when a higher bisquer is paired with a low bisquer. For the full rubric and tables key Short Croquet Handicapping into Google or visit https://www.croquet.org.uk/?p=games/association/handicapping/short
National SC Competition
Federations nominate one Club to represent them in a knockout. The old handicap restrictions are removed. In two other innovations, Federations can put up combined teams if they choose, and there is the choice in each match whether to play three rounds or four, which will be helpful where travelling distances are larger and time is limited.
Entries need to be in now. If your Federation hasn’t yet organised a representative team, why not put your Club in as a placeholder? Who will be playing can then be sorted out afterwards.
Lawn equipment for Short Croquet
Newcomers to Short Croquet often ask if special equipment is needed. No, it is not: everything is exactly what can be found in any croquet club store.
What will be helpful is an extra set of hoops to divide a full lawn into two. Any standard set will do. Old discarded hoops lying in a corner can be brought back to life by getting them shot blasted and powder coated. This is a lot cheaper than buying a new set; it gives time-expired hoops a smart, nearly-new look and should allow them to serve well into the future.
Picture: Pete Thompson proudly displays a set of hoops he has had shot blasted and powder coated.
By John Harris
