ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- It proved to be a good day for the 3rd Annual Croquet Field Day at the Rochester Golf & Country Club as the fundraising event attracted the most in its short history.
Strikers grabbed their mallets to partake in the 2012 Croquet Field Day. But not before a quick brush up on the rules said Dr. Kathryn Lombardo of Olmsted Medical Center. "So we can play with the correct rules. And everyone can be a little competitive and have fun at the same time."
"I never knew croquet was so complicated though," said first time participant Amy Pierce. "I mean seriously. All these rules I don't know if I can remember them all. Good thing I have teammates and the refs."
"It is fundraising and we're hoping people have a good time and we want to dress it up as much as we can," said event referee Greg Hagen.
It's Croquet for a cause. The funds support women's health at Olmsted Medical Center.
Even if it's your first go-around with the event, participants didn't need to be a professional. "There are prizes for best hat and best costume and other things," said Hagen.
Perhaps vying for best costume, a classic character that goes hand in hand with croquet... participant Wendy Rosenblatt sported an Alice In Wonderland get-up. "She (Alice) was forced to play croquet with the Queen of Hearts using flamingos as mallets," she said holding a garden flamingo decoration.
The tournament is set up as teams of two members and we have fields that will play three teams at a time. By days end, each team will play two games. Even though the storms left the Rochester area Sunday morning, it wouldn't keep a croquet constituent off the course.
"We play rain or shine," explained Dr. Lombardo. "It would only be canceled with lightning so we're very fortunate."
So no matter the skill level, peace of mind, at least for the day, could be found with a mallet.
