The game of Croquet

There are several different forms of croquet including Association, Golf Croquet, Aussie Croquet, Garden Croquet and Ricochet.

We use two of these forms at York Croquet Club.

1. Golf Croquet

This is a social game, played with all 4 balls and two teams. When playing a singles game, there is one person on each team, one side playing with the blue and black balls and the other side playing with red and yellow balls. When playing a doubles game, there are two people on each team, one team still playing with the blue and black balls, and the other side playing with the red and yellow. In doubles each person plays only with their colour, e.g. blue, red, black or yellow, never striking any of the other colours with their mallet. There is a second set of balls - green, brown, pink and white which are used when two games are being playing on the one court.

The hoops are set out with the first 4 in a square, and the other two dividing the square into two. There is a peg in the centre. The balls are struck by the mallet face every time in order blue, red, black, yellow. When one ball is hit through a hoop, that team has won that hoop, and everyone then moves on to the second hoop. The hoops are played in order one way, then through the back of each hoop the other way.

In a 13 point game the first team to go through 7 hoops wins the game. Should there be a 6 - 6 draw, then a 13th hoop is played, the team winning that hoop wins the game.

Competitions in Golf Croquet are held throughout the state, nationally, and internationally, and are very popular. York Croquet Club has one member in the state team playing nationally, and several members who compete in the state tournaments.

Dorothy Bull (2nd from Left) Presenting Club Championship Golf Croquet Trophies to Birgit Schreuder, Frits Schreuder and Walter King.

Birgit Schreuder is in the State Golf Croquet Team.

The Western Australian 2008 State Croquet Team in Queensland.

2. Association Croquet.

Association Croquet is a more challenging game.

The hoops are layed out in the same manner as for Golf Croquet. Once again each team play with either the blue and black balls or the red and yellow balls.

In Assocation Croquet the one player attempts to hit (roquet) one of the other balls on the field, after which the striker ball is placed touching the roqueted ball for the next shot. Depending on the position of the two balls and the angle they are hit, the two balls can be sent to different positions on the field. The player then has one more hit at the striker ball, and should that ball roquet another ball or go through the next designated hoop for that ball, that players turn continues, if not, the turn ends and the other team goes on the field.

The winner is the first team who gets both their balls through all the hoops in both directions and hits them both against the centre peg.

Competitions in Association Croquet are held throughout the state, nationally, and internationally, and are very popular. York Croquet Club has one member in the state team playing nationally, and several members who compete in the state tournaments.

Note: This is a brief summary of these two games, and is not intended to be taken as complete. For further information regarding these games please go to How To Play

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Doug Hall (Centre) presenting Bill Roy (left) and Eric Ayling (Right) Trophies for Association Croquet

Eric Ayling is in the State Association Croquet team.

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill!