Croquet Formats

Croquet comes in two main formats.  Skill in both versions is a combination of flowing strokes and good touch, plus a strong tactical sense.

Golf Croquet is designed a bit like match play golf.  Each team has two balls and competes for each hoop, playing the coloured balls in sequence.  However, unlike in golf, one side can hit away the other side’s balls or block their opponent’s path to the hoop.  It is a contest for each hoop and all players stay on the lawn throughout the game.

Association Croquet, the classical form of croquet, has some resemblance to snooker, with long turns (called ‘breaks’) through multiple hoops.  Each player or team (if playing doubles) has two balls. There is only one player on the lawn at any time

Objective of the Game

The objective of each version of the game is to get the ball through a series of hoops using a mallet. The gap between the ball and the hoop is less than half a centimetre, so getting a ball though is never easy.

Both games have a set playing time

In the shorter game of Golf Croquet, the first person or team to win either the highest number of hoops or the target number of hoops - whichever comes first - in the allotted time wins the game. In most club and competition matches played these days the target number of hoops is seven.

In the longer Association Croquet, a player begins by ‘making a break’, or hitting another ball. This entitles the player to two more strokes.  The first stroke is a ‘croquet’ stroke, which requires the hit ball and the striker ball to be placed together (touching), when played. The second ‘continuation’ stroke is then played.  In this way, the player can manoeuvre his or her balls towards each hoop. Getting the ball through the hoop then entitles the player to continue with another stroke.  The player or team with the most balls through the hoops or who goes through all the hoops and ‘pegs out’ is the winner.