Cooking, celebrations and pennants at Tweed Heads

Do we need to train a member not only to be a champion croquet player but also a Cordon Bleu cook? At Tweed Heads we cooked for Senior's Week. Not a senior in sight. So there was a rethink on that occasion. We cooked for St. Patrick's Day. Then we were totally spoilt.

Iris Trevethick, a member for 25 years, celebrated her 90th birthday. Her family cooked, decorated and feted Iris, her relatives, friends and members to a sumptuous lunch. Iris, at the head of the table in a royal tiara, proved that she, and in past years also her husband Noel, had indeed had Royal Command at the club. They were innovative, hard working and totally committed. Iris was a coach and referee over many years. She continues to offer excellent advice, while surreptitiously checking the latest rule books, which appear at very regular intervals.

Cheffing came to the fore again for the Gala Day plus 75th birthday on the current site on May 2nd. Perhaps the mouth watering all-day menu produced at Tweed is the main attraction. Who knows? We cater for vegetarians and coeliacs. Despite the rain pouring down, the visitors still turned up. Courts proved playable and after an arduous novelty round on court 1, everyone settled into playing the code of their choice. At lunch time, with assorted wet weather gear hanging to dry, out came the sun for a perfect afternoon.

The club's Patron and local State Member, Geoff Provest, joined with his offsider for lunch. He spoke about the history of the club which has been put together by member Jan Curtis. This outlines the history of the local Border Croquet Club, which takes the club's history to 100 years old in 2025.

Geoff not only cut the birthday cake but expertly served it to many happy diners. The feedback from those who attended has been so complimentary, and Tweed members certainly had a wonderful day.

Tweed Heads is into Pennant Season. Tweed are mostly Golf Pennant players. For Association and Ricochet, Tweed joins with Murwillumbah to make up the Osprey Team. This is a great way of encouraging inter-club play. Members thoroughly enjoy getting out there and sharing with other clubs in other venues. It is so important for new members in particular to improve their play and mix with new friends, not to mention keeping the seasoned players on their toes.

Border Trophy now looms on June 13th. One day NSW will grab that trophy back. Though given the latest rules on playing for the state you were born in, are all those folk from other states and countries being fairly apportioned to either side of the border? My tongue is in cheek over that one.

As a final thought, Tweed Heads holds the Shaw Memorial Spring Festival early September. However next year, 2025, the clubhouse will be in the process of being pulled down and replaced. There will be no events taking place at Tweed for six months. So please make every effort to come and play in the Golf Tournament this year. The prizes are always generous and, of course, the Cordon Bleu cook will be on duty, not to mention all those amazing raffle prizes. Please come and enjoy.

By Danae Tattam, Tweed Heads. From the Croquet Newsletter, May/June 2024, pages 33, 34.