Rainbow (2023)

The Rainbow 2023

The Rainbow is a playing scheme designed to help new members integrate into the Croquet Club.

This is a scheme to allow players to contact each other for games in a social environment, but with the additional focus and motivation of winning games and moving up the Rainbow.

The main focus is on helping newer members get to know, and play croquet with, other members of the club.

It is aimed primarily at newer members and those with handicaps 10 and over (10+).

Participants in the Rainbow must be prepared to be contacted and offered a game by any other members in the scheme.

To register, please email Hilary Cowley - her email address can be found on the Members List (which she sends to you).

We do hope that you would like to join in the Rainbow, and hope that it will give you an opportunity to meet other members and improve your croquet!

- Hilary Cowley, Membership Secretary, Phyllis Court Croquet Club

THE RAINBOW - how it works

Any member may join or leave the Rainbow at any time during the season.
The Rainbow will run from late March to the end of September.
Any player in the Rainbow may contact any other player and offer them a game. Therefore, you should be prepared to be contacted by any other player and, within reason, play a game with them.
Participants all start in the white area below the Rainbow; a first game win moves the player to violet; a second win to indigo, and so on up to red.
There is no penalty for losing a game, players simply stay where they are on the Rainbow.
Rainbow contests are one 13-hoop, singles game.
You will probably want to continue playing until the end of your booked session, but only the result of the first game in that session will count for the Rainbow.
No two players may play more than one Rainbow-qualifying game against each other in the season.
When booking a court for a Rainbow game, you should declare that that is what you are doing and it will be marked on the booking sheet for you).
After the game, the result should be reported by the winner to Hilary Cowley who will enter the result into the 'system', thereby updating the Rainbow displayed on this page (left).
Individual results will not be published on the website or otherwise.
Only the current status of the Rainbow will be published (which will indicate how many games each participant has won, not how many they have lost).
It is important to understand this is NOT a competition.
Participants may derive motivation, interest and, maybe, pride from moving through the colours, but there will be no "winner" of the Rainbow and no prizes at the end of the season.
However, it is an opportunity for all participants to get know each other in a social way!

WhatsApp Group

Rainbow participants may join a WhatsApp group intended to assist with arranging games. Please ask Hilary Cowley for details.

Social Gatherings

The Rainbow group also meets socially from time to time. Details will be provided to registered members as and when applicable.

Rainbow News

29 September - Rainbow end of Summer season round-up (32 players!)

Hilary Cowley reports:

At the end of the Summer season, we can look back at another successful year for our Rainbow players. 59 games were played by 32 players, and both John Walker and Dilys Gordon got to the top of the Rainbow ladder with seven wins apiece, followed by another 22 players positioned on the Rainbow colour stripes below. Although the Rainbow has now been completed for 2023, the WhatsApp group will still be available during the winter to arrange other games and we will start with a new Rainbow ladder in April. As well as playing activity, enjoyable social evenings with a drink and nibbles were held on 11 April, 17 May and 22 August, allowing the exchange of players ‘experiences and further games were arranged. The Rainbow contacts list has also been used by players to book a court and enjoy a game together, to gain confidence and experience.

The Rainbow was set up for new members and those on Handicap 10+, to have the opportunity to play singles with the others in the group, and gradually get to know more members.In the last two years, the WhatsApp group has been used for requests to find a playing partner.

For more information in the rainbow, please ask Hilary Cowley.

22 August - Third social evening

2023 PCC - Rainbow Social August 2023 crop web.jpg

01 August - John Walker becomes first Rainbow player to see Red!

The Rainbow Group WhatsApp has been buzzing this summer with more than 40 games played by our social players and John Walker is the first member to reach the top of the Rainbow having won 7 games. - Well done John.

A number of other players are on 4 and 3 wins of rainbow ladder so we expect to see more players in the Red by the end of the summer season.

With 50 players registered in the group it gives members with a Handicap 10+ and over, the opportunity to play singles with the others in the group, and gradually get to know more members.

Another popular Rainbow social get-together is planned for Tuesday 22 August where group members get a chance to meet other players socially and set up games.

For more information, ask Hilary Cowley.

John Walker (by Hilary Cowley)

11 April

A successful Rainbow Social was held on 11th April and, despite the rain, 30 players attended and we were delighted to welcome 16 of our new members. We all gathered in the Isis room with a drink in hand, with Madeleine Probert (referring to the new website on her iPad) and Julia Green assisting we explained the initiatives offered to our 10+ players. Rainbow, Evening Series, 10+ competitions and the twice weekly Mix-In were all discussed and questions were answered by members in the room who explained their experiences.

Ten of our new members have signed up for the Rainbow and some players will be applying for the Evening Series and 10+ Competitions following the evening. The social was a good way to put names to faces and was appreciated by the members who were able to attend, another social is in the planning stages for May.