DUE to Bude Croquet Club’s league success, reaching two regional play-offs with consequent additional matches, the annual Haig Cup singles tournament was deferred to Sunday, October 19, which turned out to be a damp and miserable day at Crooklets.

The event started with four mini leagues, with three games each for the 16 competitors.

The four group winners, all undefeated, were Martin French, Steve Thie, Val Langdown and Pete Cash, all coincidentally scoring eight more hoops than they conceded, indicating a tight contest would ensue.

As runners-up, Helen North, Chris Ham, Keith Hansford and Shelley Collman also qualified for the quarter-finals, with the remaining eight players going on to contest the subsidiary award.

With the sun now appearing spasmodically, conditions improved for the next stage which saw French, Hansford and Cash secure narrow wins, while Langdown made the most of her three-point advantage handicap to skilfully and ruthlessly despatch her opponent 7-2.

She fared less well in the semi final, despite an eight-point advantage over French who ultimately overhauled her for a hard fought 7-6 win.

The other semi also went to 7-6, Cash battling through on the 13th hoop to prevail against Hansford.

The final was a fitting finale to the tournament.

French, with all his national and international experience, was unable to overcome Cash’s five-point advantage, and Pete, who only took up the sport a year ago and has had an incredibly successful debut season, crowned it all off with a stunning 7-3 win.

A superb season for the club culminated in Bude winning Croquet England’s prestigious Millennium Award for the most improved club in the country.

It is a tremendous accolade for members’ outstanding commitment and achievement on and off the pitch, and hopes are already high for a successful 2026 season.