Southport Croquet Club Use Technology to Save Time & Attract Volunteers
Overwhelmed by club admin? See how Southport Croquet Club used simple tech to reduce volunteer workload, streamline payments, and make management easier.
For many new retirees, the daily routine is different, more relaxed. There is no work to rush off to. For Charlie Ernst, it meant more time for a morning coffee on his apartment balcony, overlooking the lush green courts of the Southport Croquet Club.
Day after day, he’d watch the players in white moving across the lawn hitting brightly coloured balls. But the more he watched, the more frustrated he became.
“I couldn't understand what they were playing,” Charlie recalls. “I could see they were using a mallet to hit a ball, but sometimes they picked the ball up, other times they didn’t.
It just got the better of me one day, so I came down and asked about playing.”
That curiosity was the the beginning of a journey that would lead him to discover a new passion with croquet and a new post retirement purpose.
Like many newcomers to the sport, Charlie quickly discovered that croquet was more involved than simply hitting a ball through a hoop. It was the hidden tactical depth of the game that truly hooked him.
“I find it very much a thinking game,” he explains.
“It’s not simply having a hit, but you actually have got to do a little bit of strategic thinking about how you are going to achieve your goal.”
As he became more involved in croquet, Charlie saw an opportunity to use the skills he’d honed throughout his professional career. He had a background in management, and he could see ways to help the club run more smoothly and make the experience even better for members. He put his hand up and, in September 2023, became the club president.
“I chose to become president because I considered I had some good skills in managing people, which is a role I did in my occupation,” he says.
“I enjoy working with people and helping them develop their skills in the game.”
For Charlie, the journey from a curious neighbour to a club president has been a fulfilling one.
Retirement is an opportunity for a new beginning that is filled with new challenges, new friends, and the satisfaction of helping croquet thrive.
Charlie’s story started with a curious question. What will yours start with?
Curious about croquet? It’s easier than ever to give it a try. Find a club near you and come down for a visit. You never know where it might lead.
[Link to Croquet Queensland ‘ComeAndTry’ Page]
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