WCF Synopsis of Croquet

THE SPORT. Croquet it one of the few entirely amateur sports and therefore does not suffer the enormous gulf in other sports that separates the amateur from the professional. Croquet is believed to have developed in Ireland before arriving in England in 1850 and then spread to many other countries in the world. There are many variants played around the world, including, short croquet, two ball croquet, extreme croquet and ancient croquet. The WCF regularly hold World Championships in two disciplines, Association Croquet and Golf Croquet.

THE LAWN
A full size lawn is 35 by 28 yards. Size can vary, especially for garden croquet, but it is a good idea to keep to the 5:4 ratio.

WHO CAN PLAY? Everyone. It is a sport suitable for all ages and both sexes and one of the few sports that men and women can play on equal terms. It has a really good handicapping system which, more than any other sport, allows players to play each other on a level basis. For example a weaker player can play an international player and have even chance of winning.

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ASSOCIATION CROQUET

ASSOCIATION CROQUET is a challenging and intriguing sport requiring tactical ability, judgment and skill rather than strength and fast reflexes. The game is played as singles or doubles but in either case the blue and black balls always play against the red and yellow balls. In singles, each player uses both balls, in doubles one each. To dispel the myth that croquet is a vicious game of hitting your opponents’ balls into the shrubbery, any ball that is hit off the lawn is immediately replaced onto the ‘yard’ line.

THE OBJECT OF THE GAME is so make both balls, of your side pass through all the hoops in order (starting with hoop 1) and then hit the peg before your opponent. The first hoop has a blue top and the last hoop to be run, ‘rover’, has a red top. After the sixth hoop, you run the six hoops again in a reverse direction; hence they are named ‘one back. two back’, etc., until the ‘penultimate’ hoop and finally rover. See the diagram for the course. Coloured clips are placed on the hoops to remind players and spectators which hoop a ball has to run next. They are placed on top for the first time through, on the side for the return journey.

TO BEGIN A GAME the balls are played onto the lawn one at a time, alternately by each side, from either A or B
baulk (see the diagram). After that, a player can choose which ball to play during each turn. At the beginning of a turn a player has only one stroke but, depending on what you do, you may earn extra strokes. If you run a hoop in order you gain one more stroke. If your ball hits another ball it is called a ‘roquet and you earn the right to take ‘croquet’, the stroke that is unique to the game and where the fun really begins.

THE CROQUET STROKE is played immediately following a roquet. You pick up your ball and place it touching the ball you have roqueted. You are then entitled to two more strokes. For the first, you strike your ball in any direction you choose, but ensuring that the other ball moves and, providing that neither ball goes off the lawn, you can play a second, or continuation, stroke. The croquet stroke is the most exciting stroke in the game and can be played in numerous ways to control both balls. By varying the angle at which you strike and the degree of force and follow-through applied, a skilful player can send both balls to very accurate positions on the lawn which will enable the break to be continued.

BUILDING A BREAK is made possible by earning these extra strokes. At the beginning of a turn you may roquet all three other balls and take croquet from them just once, but the moment you run a hoop in order you may roquet all three balls again. Thus it is possible to make several hoops in one turn. Skilful players often make all twelve hoops in one turn; they may even manage to send their partner ball through some of the hoops. This is called ‘peeling’ and forms an important part of the Advanced form of the game.

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GOLF CROQUET

GOLF CROQUET is a simpler variation to understand but still requires tactical ability, judgment and skill. The game is played as singles or doubles but in either case the blue and black balls always play against the red and yellow balls. In singles, each player uses both balls, in doubles one each.

THE OBJECT OF THE GAME is to make either of your balls of your side pass through the next hoop in order. (Starting with hoop 1). If you do this first you score a hoop point. Games are usually played best of 13 points, so the first to 7 points is declared the winner.

TO PLAY A GAME the balls are played onto the lawn one at a time, alternately by each side, from the fourth corner (the one with the yellow flag) (see the diagram). The sequence of play, Blue, Red, Black then Yellow must be strictly observed throughout the game. There are generally only three shots that need to be considered, take a certain position, run a hoop or knock your opponent out of the way. If you hit any other ball you do not gain any extra shot and all balls are played from where they lie, except that any that go off the lawn are replaced on the lawn boundary. As soon as a hoop point has been scored, play moves onto the next hoop in order, keeping the same sequence of play.

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A COMPLICATION - DOUBLE BANKING

Because a full size lawn can accommodate it, from time to time you may see two games taking place on the same lawn. This is called "double banking". Both games are independent of each other. In this case you will see White and Pink playing against Brown and Green. Players of both sides are usually tolerant of each other and avoid getting in each others way.

CROQUET. A game for young and old, male or female, in all weathers.

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THE LAWN or COURT

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