About croquet

Croquet, played on specially built courts using precision mallets, balls and hoops, is an addictive game of skill and strategy. It combines strategy and precision and is a bit like snooker on grass, or a combination of chess and golf.

Croquet at Stephens

A watercolour of players across two courts divided by a painted line, one player about to hit a blue ball — A pennant day on the courts

A watercolour of a member in a green sun hat and pink shirt lining up a shot, a red ball in the hoop beside her — Lining up a shot

A watercolour of four members playing Golf Croquet under tall trees, coloured balls around a hoop — The 103rd birthday games

A watercolour of two players in whites taking shots on the lawn, the red-roofed clubhouse behind them — A game in front of the clubhouse

The basics are easy to learn, and yet there is always a new level for those who seek a challenge.

Croquet is a competitive sport with a relaxed, sociable atmosphere, and a strong tradition of sportsmanship. A system of handicapping is in place so that players of differing abilities are able to compete on an equal footing against each other.

It is one of the few outdoor sports in which men and women compete equally.

Three games at Stephens

Association Croquet. The "original" form of croquet, traditional and more complex than Golf Croquet.

Golf Croquet. A more recent, simplified version of the traditional game, easy to learn and can be played in under an hour. Most new players start here.

Ricochet. An Australian variant that simplifies Association Croquet by removing the croquet shot. Not as straightforward as it may first appear.

About croquet

Croquet at Stephens

Three games at Stephens

Further reading