New Member Handbook
MEMBERSHIP
Rights & Responsibilities
Playing Membership entitles you to open access to the club at your convenience (subject to some courtesies to accommodate hirers of the clubrooms and lawn maintenance.) Members are given a code for the three padlocks ie the Matthew Street entry gate, the equipment shed and the clubhouse front door. You will be given a slightly different code for the park gates. You will also receive a key to the clubhouse front door.
Please ensure when you are leaving the club that lights and fans are off and that all equipment, windows, doors and gates are secure.
A hatband is supplied and a name badge is available on request, dependent on the status of the minimum order requirement.
The club colours are white and navy blue, with monogramed club shirts available for purchase.
In general, playing attire remains casual, with the only fixed requirement being the wearing of flat-soled footwear (ie a sole tread that will not tear up the turf.) A hat is strongly recommended. Sunscreen and insect repellent are usually available in the equipment shed, but, please, let a committee member know if it is not.
When playing, as with any club, you MUST sign the Attendance Book, which is found in the equipment shed, as this is a mandatory requirement for insurance purposes.
Please ensure that all rubbish is deposited in the correct bin. The bins have labels attached to show what goes in where. The bins are put out and taken back in by a volunteer club member.
Membership categories are:
Playing, Social (non-playing) and Life.
Visitors:
Visitors are welcome to the club but need to be accompanied by a member. A $10 green fee is required for each visit, up to a maximum of six visits per year. If the visitor is already a member of another croquet club, the green fee reduces to $5 per visit.
Visitors’ fees should be placed in an envelope and marked with name and date, then placed in the Committee box in the locker room or paid by Direct Debit to the Club’s account
Constitution:
A copy is available on the Club website:/governance/constitution..
PLAY
Online Lawn Booking
Croquet Booking is the Club's online platform provider. Members wishing to make online lawn bookings need to go to the Club's website Book Lawn page and click on Log in here to book the lawn.
To access the booking system members need to be registered in the Croquet Booking system with a user name (or your email address) and a password. This registration is essential to ensure only HHCC members can access the site. Members' email addresses have been uploaded to the system, except for those who advised to opt-out. If you wish to opt out and haven't yet done so, please advise the Secretary directly.
So what do you need to do to get regitered to make on line lawn bookings ?
Go to the Club’s web page and go to Book Lawn on the top navigation bar.
Under Book a Lawn in the middle of the page click on Log in here
You will now be in the Croquet Booking platform. You can save this address in your favourites.
Log in with your email address or user name (First name initial and your last name all as one word; lower case; eg jbrown)
Click on Lost your password
Enter your email address again and click on Get Password
You will now receive an email in your email inbox. Click on Reset Password
Enter the password that you wish to use, twice
Your Password has now been set and you can login.
You are now set up to book a lawn by clicking Go To. This will take you to the Club's lawn booking calendar.
With this system you can see who else is booked to play, and perhaps make arrangements with a group of your friends. When booking, it's helpful to list who will be playing with you in the Description field. By using the Primary/Secondary bookings for the same time slot you can double-bank; i.e. have two games playing at the same time. Typically this means the Secondary players start after the Primaries have cleared the first hoop. Alternatively, you can negotiate to start at the same time from the diagonal corner if you prefer.
Play in any Code
Golf Croquet (GC), Association (AC), other forms of the game, and practice is available at any time on either lawn, other than those times reserved for scheduled play, as per the session timetable. The timetable can be found in each monthly newsletter and on the clubhouse noticeboard.
Outside of the block scheduled play times, members need to use the online booking link to reserve a two-hour playing slot. This is accessed via the Club website: /book lawn.
Members are encouraged to arrange games with as many other members as possible, especially with new members. There is a WhatsApp group in place that you can join by contacting the Club Secretary. There is a contact list for all members who have approved the publishing of their contact numbers. This is on the inside cover of the sign in book in the equipment shed.
Please note that these arrangements may change to accommodate Open Days, competition play, members’ private functions and external bookings. Changes will normally be advised to club members via email, and/or in the Newsletter and/or on the noticeboard in the clubhouse.
Competition
The club offers Club Championships in Golf Croquet, Doubles and Singles. This can include a non-handicap division, a handicap division and a mixed handicap division, determined by the level of interest. These competitions are run during the year, as decided by the Committee, with prize presentations when advised.
Club members with an official Croquet NSW (CNSW) handicap can also play in competitions at other clubs. These occur throughout the year, with places and dates available on the CNSW website.
Handicaps
If you are interested in obtaining a handicap, please contact either the Club Coach or the Committee, so that the relevant arrangements can be made. There is a different type of handicap required for Association and Golf croquet. Obtaining a handicap requires running hoops under the supervision of a qualified CNSW approved observer. The result of the number of shots taken to complete the exercise is then entered into a formula that will give you a playing handicap number and a starting index.
This information is entered onto an Australian Croquet Association handicap card, signed by the handicapper and given to you. You are now ready to play competition.
FACILITIES
Equipment
Hoops
We have two sets: The newer silver Quadway hoops have rectangular carrots and must be used on the main lawn only. The older white cast iron/aluminium hoops must be used on the practice lawn only. Hoops should always be gently tapped in with the rubber mallet over the uprights for a firm fit. Loose hoops allow the carrot to move excessively and widen the hole when the hoop is struck by ball or mallet, while a firm hoop absorbs the impact with little or no movement.
Note 1: For new hoop-holes the carrots may protrude above the ground by up to 2cm and still permit normal passage of a ball; there is no need to tap the hoops in more than necessary for a firm fit, and to permit the ball to pass through without touching the tops of the carrots.
Note 2: For new hoop-holes, removing the hoops may be difficult. Please do not strain your back. Use the hoop-lifter, for which photo instructions are in the blue manual in the equipment shed. When the holes are new, there is a laminated warning notification in the manual that needs to be placed in the sign in book - to alert other players.
Balls
There are three sets of balls available:
Primary Blue + Red + Black + Yellow
Secondary Green + Pink + Brown + White
Tertiary Purple + Grey + Orange + Dark Green
The main sets are kept on the upper shelf in the equipment shed and the older sets below. Each set has a colour co-ordinated order of play stick that is either placed in the hole midway between hoops 5 and 6 or along the boundary, if there are two teams playing on the green at the same time.
Ball markers
Ball markers are in the equipment shed. These are used to mark the position of balls that need to be removed from the green when another team needs to play through, so that the ball can be replaced in the exact same spot for play to continue. Always check in with the other team before marking ball positions.
Mallets
The club owns a number of mallets, which are kept in the storeroom beside the kitchen and in the equipment shed. These are available for general use by any member.
Club shirts
These are available from Carmel. We try to keep sizes in stock but, if not, we may need to add your request to our next minimum quantity order.
Time clocks
There are two time clocks kept in the shed, but please check that the batteries still have power before use.
The Clubhouse
External hire
The clubhouse is regularly hired out to exercise groups, with the bookings indicated on the Session Times Schedule. This revenue stream is important to our club. It is part of the hire agreement that club members will do their best not to interrupt classes and so, please ensure that you have all your gear ready to play without needing to enter the clubhouse during these times. The outside toilet should be used during these classes.
The club and clubhouse are also available for hire for a variety of social occasions that can include croquet play when members are present, but green fees still apply. The hire application needs to be approved by the Committee prior to confirmation.
If a member will not be present, then the hirer must have their own public liability insurance and a copy will need to be supplied to the Committee, prior to the hire. A member would also be needed to volunteer to open and close the club.
Member use
Lockers are available for members to use, but, unfortunately, the keys are no longer available. If you wish to use a locker, then please let the Committee know, so one can be allocated and a name badge attached.
Note: Some of the lockers are being used by our hall hirers and have name badges attached.
The club employs a regular cleaner fortnightly, but it is not their responsibility to put out the rubbish bins. Please assist in keeping the clubhouse tidy by ensuring all rubbish is put in the correct bin, doing your own washing up each time and leaving the kitchen tidy.
The hot water service switch should remain OFF, as it is only used for larger club events. The large fridge doors should remain open, as it is also only used for larger club events. The small fridge is left ON to store perishables.
General club supplies may be found in the lockers immediately behind the door, adjacent to the Committee locker. A committee member is responsible for replenishment.
Please ensure when you are leaving the club that lights and fans are off, all equipment, windows, doors and gates are secure.
Library
The club has a small collection of croquet-related publications, which are available for borrowing under an honour system. There is also a tremendous amount of additional information and instruction on the web and YouTube.
Playing greens
The greens are the club’s primary asset and it is critically important that they are looked after by all members. Shoe soles are also very important in the upkeep of the greens, so please ensure that your footwear has flat treads and a style that will not dig up the turf. It is also a member’s responsibility to check the footwear of any invited visitors, so please warn them in advance.
Our Greenkeeper has total control over the upkeep of the greens and members must not intervene, despite best intentions. If an issue is identified, please advise the Committee, so that they can alert the Greenkeeper and remedial action can be taken where appropriate.
There is usually a comprehensive remediation period in January each year, during which the greens will be closed for play for a period of approximately two weeks. Timing is decided by the Committee in conjunction with the Greenkeeper.
Both greens will then have the lines re-marked and new hoop-holes placed in accordance with world croquet dimensions on the main green, and as close as possible on the practice green. The greens are usually swapped over once per year - to allow for the areas suffering from heavy foot traffic to recover. Court rotation will require a larger number of members to assist. The Committee will send out notification of the timing and a request for help well in advance. This event will usually close the greens for a morning or an afternoon.
Lines will be re-marked as needed at the start of each month. Additional re-marking may be required during the high growth warmer months. Hoop-holes will also be moved, depending on how loose they become over time, and how bad the depressions become just in front of/or under each hoop.
Line-marking and hoop-moving are all done by a small team of club volunteers. Should you wish to join the team, then let the Committee know and rest assured your help will be greatly appreciated. As already mentioned, new hoop-holes mean that the hoops will be firmly fixed, so please use the lifter in the equipment shed to remove them for the first few times, until the hoops slot in and can be removed easily.
The greens have an automated sprinkler system that is controlled by the Greenkeeper through a timing box located to the left of the equipment shed. Should you find that the sprinklers come on during playing times, please advise the Committee so that the control box can be reprogramed.
We welcome enquiries from people who may be watching us from Figtree Park. Should they wish to come into the club precinct through either park fence gate for a closer look, then it will be the responsibility of the member inviting them in to ensure that the greens’ integrity is maintained.
ACTIVITIES
Events
A number of events are organised by the Committee throughout the year including:
• Seniors Week Open Day - March
• Club Doubles Championships in GC – April/May
• New Members Open Day - June
• Annual General Meeting- August/September
• General Open Day - September
• Club Singles Championships in GC – October/November
• Twilight croquet in summer
• Christmas party-December
Members are encouraged to organise their own events, such as twilight games and barbecues.
The wider NSW croquet community also welcomes participation from any members with a handicap in any of the many tournaments put on throughout the year. Details are available on the CNSW website and early bookings are recommended.
Competing is a great way to improve all aspects of your game.
Introductory Coaching
This is an offer to interested visitors who may be interested in joining the club. The club offers a package of three lessons as an introduction to any, or all forms, of the game. Each lesson costs $10, which is then deducted from the membership fee should they join.
Member Coaching
Other occasional coaching may be conducted on request, by agreement with the Club Coach. Member coaching is also sometimes available from senior State/Australian CNSW players. Availability, timing and cost would need to be confirmed. If you are interested, please contact the Committee for follow up.
On occasion, CNSW and/or other clubs may conduct specialised courses, such as tactics or special shot-making. These are usually posted on the CNSW website.
Working bee
Our Greenkeeper mows around the greens but the club is responsible for the garden/area inside the fence. From time to time, usually after summer, a working bee may be held to look after the perimeter garden. Council usually assists in removing the cuttings by arrangement.
Committee Meetings
The Committee is made up of volunteer members who willingly give their time to ensure that the club runs as smoothly as possible. The meetings are usually held on the first Wednesday of each month except for January. Club members are invited to attend, and any constructive input is always welcomed.
ADMINISTRATION
Subscriptions and Costs
The club financial year is July to June, with annual subscriptions payable in advance by 31 July. Renewal notices are sent out on July 1st and there is an option to pay in full or in two instalments, as noted on the renewal. Membership subscriptions include the CNSW affiliation fee. Green fees do not apply to members.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting is held in August/September. Please try to attend as this is your club.
Premises
The Club is located on Crown Land, managed under a Plan of Management by Hunters Hill Council. The Club has a Licence Agreement with Council to access the lawns and the Club house, and is required to meet the associated operating costs.
All concerns in this area should be directed to the Committee, who will notify Council if required. In an emergency, Council may be notified directly or the relevant emergency services..
Current Committee:
See the web site: /Our club.
Contact
Email: huntershillcroquet@gmail.com.
Website: https://www.huntershillcroquet.org/
Useful Weblinks:
Croquet NSW https://croquet-nsw.org/
Golf Croquet Rules https://www.croquet.org.uk/?p=games/golf/gcSynopsis
Defibrillator https://youtu.be/_FVTOqLRJlg