Croquet is one of the finest outdoor sports. It is a friendly game combining ball skills as well as tactics, it’s relatively easy to understand, and it’s fun to play.

We are always pleased to receive new members, of any age or level of experience from complete beginners to advanced players. If you are an experienced club or match player, please click on our club section to learn more about the club and how to get in touch.

Many people have said to us, “If I’d known how much I was going to enjoy croquet, I would have started much sooner!”

So, if you are thinking of taking up croquet from scratch, please keep reading this section for a brief introduction to the game and its benefits.

And don’t forget, you can start right now!  See Contacts.

Why play croquet?

Croquet is an enjoyable, sociable game that can be played by people of any age and of either sex.  It can be played as a simple friendly game or can be made as competitive as you wish.

Furthermore, it is unusual because it does not require strength, speed, ability or endurance, like many other sports, just good hand-eye coordination and the ability to think tactically.

Remember, croquet is not just a game for “old folk”, it attracts people of all ages – and as with other sports, the top players tend to start in their teens or early adulthood.

There are two principal forms of the game – Association and Golf croquet

Association Croquet is a game of strategy which requires some skill to play to a high standard. It can be compared to games like snooker or pool, where the player makes “breaks” to build up their score, although the lawns are rather larger than a snooker table.

Golf Croquet is quicker to learn and to play games, but also requires accuracy and tactics to advance to competition level.

Both forms of the game may be played as singles or doubles and many people enjoy playing both, as skills learned in one form of the game may be applied to the other.

Croquet has an effective handicap system, which recognises smart thinking as much as physical skill, so everyone has a good chance of winning.

As with any game, the best players probably start young, but many take up croquet after retiring from more energetic pursuits. It can be as skilful as you want it to be – advanced players can take it very seriously, but most club members probably see it as a relaxing and friendly way of passing a morning, afternoon or as long as you wish to play.