It was rather special that Charlie Lyes, partnered with Don Lockhart, won the Primary Division of the recent tournament held to celebrate the 117th birthday of Thames Croquet Club.
The Lyes family came from Thames, and in the late 1980s. When the club made the move to have greens independent from the bowling club, it was Charlie Lyes who spent a month on his tractor levelling the soil over what had been a rubbish dump to form the five courts.
His son Cameron, ably taught by his grandmother Emily Lyes, started playing in 1989 at the age of 10, and as a schoolboy was chosen to play in Australia.
He won the Arthur Ross Memorial Event five times.
Eventually his handicap was reduced to minus-three and he was selected to play for New Zealand in the World Championships in 2002.
Club captain Jill Maw was pleased to have a full complement of players register for the birthday bash and to have teams from Leamington, Claudelands, Warkworth, Pukekohe, Howick, Te Aroha, St Heliers, Morrinsville, Paeroa, Waihī, Thames, and even one entry from Western Australia.
Heralding a successful day with the weather co-operating, and the courts looking good, after a lavish afternoon tea and cutting of the birthday cake, Amba Catran from sponsor Twentymans Funeral Services presented the prizes.
DETAILS: For those wanting to ‘have a bash’ and give the game of golf croquet or rush croquet a go over the summer months, the Thames club plays start at 8.45am Mondays and Thursdays; on Saturdays at 12.45pm;and on Wednesday evenings at 4.45pm. Just turn up, wearing flat soled shoes at the clubrooms at 101 Beach Rd. Mallets are supplied and the first game is free.
– Supplied by Thames Croquet Club
