A Century of Croquet – Celebrating 100 Years at the Domain!
Croquet has a long and proud history in Tauranga, with games first played at the Domain around 1902, when the club shared space and spirit with the local tennis community.
But it was in October 1922 that croquet truly claimed its own identity – the Tauranga Croquet Club was officially formed at an AGM, launching a century of camaraderie, competition, and croquet excellence!
Fast forward to October 2022, and we marked our 100-year anniversary in style with a fabulous weekend of celebration.
It all kicked off on Friday 28th October, when 48 guests, including club members and their partners, gathered for a lively dinner at the Citz Club on Cameron Road. The good vibes rolled into Saturday with a 7-point tournament, where club members were joined by a few friendly rivals from neighbouring clubs.
To add a splash of vintage charm, several players dressed in stylish 1920s attire, which looked fantastic – even if the wind did give a few dresses a mind of their own!
By 3pm, the party grew even bigger, with more members and special guests arriving to join the festivities. We were honoured to welcome the patron of BOPCA, our local MP, tennis club reps, and our generous sponsors.
Glasses of bubbly were raised, heartfelt speeches were made, and a beautifully decorated centenary cake was proudly sliced by Max Hamilton – a treasured long-standing member whose family ties to the club go back generations to when his mother played here.
This was followed by a truly decadent afternoon tea, lovingly prepared by our talented members – a feast to remember!
Sunday was set to end the weekend with some light-hearted fun and games on the lawns, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans – heavy rain meant we had to postpone. Still, the spirit of the celebration remained undampened!
For more great memories and photos from the centenary weekend, head to our Gallery page.
Here’s to another 100 years of croquet at the Domain – long may the tradition continue! 🎉
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