welcome to
NELSON BAY CROQUET CLUB
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Nelson Bay Croquet Club has been established for 30 years. It is located in the Blue Water Paradise of Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle, NSW. Membership is open to all who are interested in the game, and visitors are warmly welcomed.
Members play two the three internationally recognised forms of Croquet – Golf and Ricochet - at present, there are no regular Association games. The Club plays both social and competitive games five days each week on four professionally maintained full sized courts and has a small clubhouse on-site. We also have an active program of social events.
Playing schedule available here:
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CLUB COMPETITIONS 2026
Monday 11th May
Sunday 14th June
Wednesday 17th June
July/October
Sunday 5th July
Sunday 2nd August
Sunday 13th September
Sunday 25th October
Winter Doubles
Thompson Trophy - C Grade
Gala Day
Ricochet Knock-Out
Thompson Trophy - B Grade
Thompson Trophy - A Grade
Blowes Shield Doubles
President’s Cup
HUNTER ZONE HUB ACTIVITIES 2026
Tuesday 7th May
Tuesday 14th May
Saturday 13th June
Division 2 GC Workshop
Promoting RC
GC High-Low Gala Day
Hunter Zone Hub activities are for all players – if you are interested contact Marion Davies to register your interest.
Email: marion.dawn6@gmail.com
All activities are scheduled at Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale (Toronto Croquet Club).
COACHING DATES 2026
Regular Coaching Sessions
Monday afternoons – all, content as required
State Pennants – as requested by teams
To be confirmed – beginner coaching
Coaching – Pam Barnwell & Derek Bull
Monday 3rd August (morning) – Division 2 Tactics
Gala Day & 30th Birthday
Wednesday 17th June 2026
All proceeds with be donated to the Stroke Foundation
Social croquet, games of shill, 3-hoop challenge and 'nearest the pin competition
LATEST NEWS
COACHING SESSION
Sunday 19th and Monday 20th April 2026
On Sunday 19th April and Monday 20th April, Nelson Bay Croquet Club were honoured to have a series of coaching sessions run by Kate McLoughlin & Peter Freer. Kate is the current NSW State Coaching Coordinator and an international and state representative player while Peter is also an international and state representative player – both are members of the Canberra Croquet Club. They ran 3 separate sessions for Division 3 players (Sunday afternoon), Division 1 and 2 players (Monday morning) and coaches (Monday afternoon). The sessions were very successful with over 25 members on Sunday afternoon and over 15 members on Monday morning. All those who attended really appreciated the experience of the visiting coaches.
Kate McLoughlin (left) & Peter Freer (right)
Vice-President Marty Quirke thanks Kate and Peter
LAKE MACQUARIE GAMES
Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale
Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th April 2026
The Lake Macquarie Games were hosted by Toronto Croquet Club at the Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale, from Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th April 2026. 24 pairs entered the doubles which were played in 4 blocks of 6 pairs on 16th April and the mornings of 17th to 19th April. 48 players entered the singles which were played in 6 blocks of 8 players on the afternoons for 17th to 19th April. All games were level play, 13-point with a time limit of 50 minutes.
Faby Batho, Rob Batho, Sherry Gordon and Marty Quirke from Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled to Glendale and all played in both the doubles and singles. In the doubles, Rob Batho & Marty Quirke won 3 games from 5 played (+4 hoop difference) to finish 3rd in Block A, while in Block B Sandra Guider/Alistair Torrance (Newcastle National Park) were unbeaten with all other pairs recording 2 wins each with Faby Batho & Sherry Gordon finishing 2nd on hoop difference (+2). In the singles, Marty Quirke won 6 games from 7 played to finish top of Block B. Rob played in Block A with Faby and Sherry playing in Block C.
Block B Singles Winner Marty Quirke with Lyn Baker (Toronto CC)
Block B Doubles Runners-up
Faby Batho (left) and Sherry Gordon (right)
NSW DIVISION 2 GC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday 8th to Sunday 12th April 2026
Five members of Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled to Nowra for the NSW Division 2 (handicaps 5 to 8) Golf Croquet Championships. The doubles event was played 8th and 9th April with the singles played 10th to 12th April.
17 pairs entered the doubles which were played in two blocks of 8 and 9 players respectively with the top 4 in each block progressing to the knock-out finals. Rob Batho playing with Paul Coomer (Newcastle National Park) topped Block A with 7 wins from 8 games. Liz Friend & Marty Quirke topped Block B with 6 wins from 7 games. Faby Batho & Sherry Gordon had 4 wins in Block B to finish 5th, failing to make the finals by 1 win. Rob & Paul reached the semi-final losing to Jeff Guider & Anthony Hammond (Newcastle National Park) 5-6 while Liz & Marty reached the final to lose to Jeff & Anthony 4-7.
24 players entered the singles which were played in 4 blocks of 6 players with the top 4 in each block progressing to the knock-out finals. Sherry Gordon finished 3rd in Block A with 2 wins from 5 games with a hoop difference of +4. Marty Quirke topped Block B winning all 5 games. Rob Batho topped Block C with 4 wins with Liz Friend 4th with 3 wins. Rob, Liz, Sherry and Marty all qualified for the knock-out finals but only Marty progressed beyond the round-of-16, eventually losing in a semi-final 7-10 to Keith Brodie (Coutts Crossing) and then the 3rd/4th play-off to Anthony Hammond (Newcastle National Park) 6-8 to finish 4th. Again, heartbreak for Marty who lost in the final of the 2025 Division 2 GC Singles played in Ballina.
Rob Batho won the consolation knock-out for the players losing in the round-of-16 by beating Jeremy Tenison-Smith (Killara) 7-5 in the final; Liz Friend finished 3rd beating Glenn Sellers (Toronto) 7-6 in the 3rd/4th play-off. Edward Hoogenboom (Orange City) won the Championship.
Nelson Bay players (l to right) Sherry Gordon, Faby Batho, Rob Batho, Marty Quirke & Liz Friend
Runners-up Liz Friend & Marty Quirke