01/04/2026
At Park Croquet Club in recent seasons, several members have performed well at Croquet NZ Tournaments around the country and in Taranaki, with the silverware for their efforts proudly on display, often for the first time, in the PCC clubroom. This silverware has been, by and large, for successes in Golf Croquet (GC) tournaments, but after last weekend, PCC’s Nik Budd-Clement, representing Croquet South Taranaki, in the CNZ Arthur Ross Memorial National Final at Pukekohe CC, was handed one of the largest pieces of CNZ silverware for her efforts, and the leisurely drive back on Monday from Auckland brought home not only the Championship Title, but also a few new badges and awards!!
Despite the bad weather warnings and forecast of torrential rain, the early morning mist last Friday would eventually burn off, resulting in a fabulously sunny day in Pukekohe. Nik, starting the competition with an AC handicap of 22, earnt her CNZ Bronze Merit Award by including a break of 10 or more hoops in a single turn, completed with or without the use of bisques/extra turns, when she recorded her first match win in the event over retiring CNZ CEO, Stefan Horrer, who has an AC handicap of -1, from Wairarapa. This would result in a handicap drop for Nik to a 20. Racking up two more wins on Day One over John Connor, from Wellington, and Simon Dell, Counties- Manukau, with handicaps of 10 and 0.5 respectively, resulted in a further handicap drop for Nik, who finished the day with an AC handicap of 18.
Weather-wise, Day Two started similarly, as did Nik’s winning form, with a win over Geoff Price from Canterbury. Nik’s next match against home-club girl, Sarah Lin, and a fellow new to AC player on a 16 handicap, who had also chalked up three wins on Day One was a much-anticipated match. Fortunately for Nik, she managed to pull off some accurate long distance roquets, and according to her, her first ever successful passing roll to gain good position on a hoop, which helped her to eventually claim the match win. Her third victory for Day Two, was a bitter-sweet affair against friend, and fellow CNZ Tournament Committee member, Nelson Morrow from Auckland, playing off a 0 handicap, who, much like Stefan and Simon on Day One, had to give away a picket fence of bisques to Nik. All’s fair in love and war though, with the friends sharing a hug and pats on the back following Nik’s pe***ng out of her balls😊
The last day of the competition for Nik started with a match against Ashley Cooke, on a 4.5 handicap from Bay of Plenty, who narrowly pipped Nik when beating her during Round Robin play at the CNZ GC Women’s Invitations event just a month ago, and even though they were both tied for wins and net hoops, Ashley claimed that title by virtue of “Who-beat-who”. However, unlike their recent GC match, with bisques available for use, Nik was able to progress her winning streak, recording her 7th win of the event. Rounding out the day with wins in her last two matches of the event against Dave White on a 5 handicap from Thames Valley, and Maurice Young from South Canterbury with a handicap of 11, Nik would finish the event with a clean sweep on 8 match wins, as John Connor unfortunately had to withdraw at the start of the last day due to illness.
Well done, Nik, on your CNZ Bronze Merit Award, your new AC handicap of 16, and congratulations, on your CNZ Arthur Ross Championship title win!!
The full results from last week can be found on the following link: https://croquetscores.com/2026/ac/cnz-arthur-ross-memorial-event
