About Us
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The Sandwich Croquet Club (SCC) is a friendly, fun-loving club dedicated to playing a very old game involving skill and mental craftiness. We welcome new players who will find croquet easy to learn rather quickly.
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We provide expert instruction with the goal of getting new members actively playing the first day, and with a little practice, new players can achieve a surprising level of competency.
Our club is highly social, allowing for good-humored play among players at all skill levels. Everyone soon knows everyone else, and typically games last a half hour with teams changing partners several times during a day's session.
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We play from May through October on most days of the week. Following play, we often dine at the Clubhouse Grill or other local restaurants.
Our History and the Opening of Our First Court
The Sandwich Croquet Club began in 2011 in response to the growing interest in croquet on Cape Cod and what were, at the time, limited venues to play this wonderful sport.
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A steering committee formed to develop a program, provide ongoing leadership and begin long term planning. They included Ed Gardella Bill and Grace Day, and Bob and Nancy Spalding.
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Ed Gardella located a potential court site at Sandwich Hollows Golf Club. Together, Ed and Bill Day explored the possibility of establishing a croquet court with the golf club administrators. The concept was enthusiastically received and plans began to develop a croquet club. Ed, Bill, and Dave Polidor, SHGC Golf Course Superintendent, identified a site and measured out two small courts.
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Still uncertain of its future, the Sandwich Croquet Club was launched on May 3, 2011, when an informal group of seven winter-hardened souls met for a bone-chilling afternoon of play on the new courts.
Word quickly spread, and through the hard work and enthusiasm of its members, the club grew to 24 members by the end of its second season. The Heritage Croquet Club loaned equipment at the beginning, and soon equipment began to be purchased, lessons provided, and two golf croquet tournaments held.
Fund raising efforts and a growing membership helped to provide the club with further needed equipment. Volunteers built and provided a picnic table with umbrella, deadness boards, mallets, clips, and wickets.
Excavation of new fill for our new courts.
Before the second season had ended, the steering committee approached the golf club’s administrators about building a full-sized croquet court. Working together with the golf club’s administrator, John Johnson, a prime site was identified for possible development. At this point a contract was developed with the Town of Sandwich to enable the club to move forward as an established part of the Sandwich Hollows community.
The new court final grade, ready for seeding.
Above center, major donor Debbie Crowell cuts the ribbon at new-court opening. Bob Spalding (left), Bill Day, and Ed Gardella (right), all steering committee members and club founders.
Through the extraordinary generosity of the Crowell Construction Company and the financial support of many club members, a full-sized championship croquet court was excavated, leveled, and set for planting by December 2011. During 2012 club members and the staff at Sandwich Hollows Golf Club watered the newly sprouting grass, often daily.
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Finally, in early September of 2012, the gorgeous new court was ready for play with a grand-opening tournament and much celebration.
After a summer of busy watering and TLC, the courts are ready for play the morning of the opening tournament.
Let the tournament begin...
Tournament winners, Ed Gardella (middle) 1st place; Bob Kroeger (left), 2nd place; Mike Walsh (right), 3rd place.
The club now had a full sized court, which could be split into two half-size courts, plus the small courts area used for Golf Croquet or Nine Wicket Croquet. This means that currently we have enough space and equipment for 24 people to play at one time.