2026 Woodlawn Big Lobster
Sep 11-13, 2026
Woodlawn Croquet, Ellsworth ME
Since 1997, with occasional off years, the Woodlawn Croquet Program in Ellsworth, Maine, has offered a competitive Down East getaway on the weekend after Labor Day for both 6-wicket and 9-wicket players. As in recent years, the 2026 “Big Lobster” featured a two-day 9W doubles competition followed by three days of A6W singles.
Locals Perry Mattson and Don Parker are the longtime organizers and managers of the Lobster. This year Webster Bull served as tournament director.
Webster’s better half, Katie Bull, teamed with Ellen Fox to win the first flight of 9-wicket doubles handily. Five teams competed in this first flight. Bull & Fox’s 7 wins were 3 better than second-place takers Fred Beck & Christine Smith. In fact, Beck & Smith were the only team to beat Bull & Fox in a five-team competition that saw each team play every other team twice.
While the first flight in 9W doubles wasn’t close, championship flight came down to a tense final match that could have left any one of three teams (out of five total) in first place. Going into this match between Bill Trower & Kathryn “Kat” Robertson and Dave Nelson & Don Parker, both teams had 4 wins, while a third team, Perry Mattson & Bob Van Tassel, stood alone in front with 5 wins. Since the winning team in the final match would also have 5 wins, first place came down to net points.
Trower & Robertson needed a win by 5 points to pass Mattson & Van Tassel, while Nelson & Parker needed 17 points. Trower & Robertson won—by just 2 points—and Mattson & Van Tassel hung onto their first-place trophies.
At least one long-time observer said that the three flights in American 6-wicket, Friday thru Sunday, resulted in the most entertaining trio of finals in Big Lobster history. These Sunday finals followed Saturday afternoon knockouts.
The second flight 6W final pitted block winner Ellen Fox (5-0) against Whitney Small (4–1). Although Fox showed a greater mastery of 6-wicket tactics, Whitney’s “Small Ball” strategy took the winner’s trophy by a score of 19–17.
The first flight saw Kat Robertson, who had led the block, outpoint Christine Smith (0-5 in the block) by a one-hoop margin, 16-15.
By late morning, the Down East rain showed no sign of letting up; and in a sopping final that one wag called the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes, Neil Houghton (& Mifflin) bested Bob Pulitzer (Prize) 16-13.
—Webster Bull, tournament director
6-WICKET
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
| 01. |
Neil Houghton |
| 02. |
Bob Pulitzer |
| 03. |
Bob Van Tassel |
| 04. |
Lucas Van Alen |
| 05. |
Bill Trower |
| 06. |
Don Parker |
FIRST FLIGHT
| 01. |
Kathryn Robertson |
| 02. |
Christine Smith |
| 03. |
Katie Bull |
| 04. |
Jan Fisher |
| 05. |
Fred Beck |
| 06. |
James Peasley |
SECOND FLIGHT
| 01. |
Whitney Small |
| 02. |
Ellen Fox |
| 03. |
Les Heilakka |
| 04. |
Sue Sergeant |
| 05. |
Marie Richardson |
| 06. |
Suzanne Madeira |
9-WICKET
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
01. Perry Mattson & Bob Van Tassel
02. Kathryn Robertson & Bill Trower
03. Dave Nelson & Don Parker
04. Luke Van Alen & Neil Houghton
05. Skip Strong & Alden Strong
FIRST FLIGHT
01. Katie Bull & Ellen Fox
02. Fred Beck & Christine Smith
03. Jan Fisher & Les Heilakka
04. Janet Pearson & Barbara Entzminger
05. Marie Richardson & Sue Sergeant