Venue Hire and Corporate Events at Kelburn Croquet Club

Welcome to Kelburn Croquet Club

Looking for something a bit different for your next group event in Wellington? Kelburn Croquet Club offers a refreshing outdoor alternative to standard indoor venues, making it an ideal spot for team building afternoons, Christmas functions, corporate events, and social gatherings.

Most people arrive expecting traditional croquet, but quickly discover that Golf Croquet is fast, strategic, and surprisingly competitive. There’s no steep learning curve, everyone starts playing straight away. Because skill levels doesn’t necessarily dictate who wins, it levels the playing field, bringing out a friendly rivalry where sporty types, complete beginners, and anyone in between can all enjoy themselves equally.

Our central Wellington location features five lawns and a classic clubhouse, with friendly helpers on hand to guide your group so everything runs smoothly. When you book, you get exclusive use of the lawns and clubhouse, along with the flexibility to bring your own food and drinks or hire caterers.

If you're looking for a relaxing, fun way to get everyone out of the office and spendingtime together, we’d love to host you.

How the Day Runs

We don't do rigid schedules. Our volunteer helpers are on hand to show you the ropes, set up games, and keep things moving at whatever pace suits your group.

Arrive & Settle In: Grab a drink, then check out and choose a mallet. If not already done so, this is the time to sort your teams out.

The Quick Briefing: Our lead helper will give you a quick welcome and introduction to the club.

Play or Relax (Your Choice): With five lawns at your disposal, you can set the tone. Some groups like to keep the games rolling all afternoon, while others prefer to play a round, grab a bite, or put the BBQ. Our helpers are there to keep the games running as long as you want them, or step into the background whenever you just want to sit back and socialise.

Wind Down & Wrap Up: From hosting lots of groups, we've found it works best to start winding down games in the last 20 to 30 minutes. While you’re welcome to play right up to the end of your booking, shifting the focus to finishing off drinks, packing up your food, and relaxing in the clubhouse makes for a much smoother departure.
Before you head off, we just ask that the clubhouse is left clean and tidy, and all food, bottles, and rubbish are taken with you (as we don't have rubbish collection on site). Our volunteer helpers will love you for it, and it helps ensure everyone heads home on time.

Venue, Food & Drink

BYO Food & Drink: We don't operate a club bar, so you're welcome to bring your own selection of drinks and food. Whether you want to stock the chilly bins with craft beer, wine, soft drinks, organise a food truck, or bring in private caterers, the choice is entirely yours.

Bring Your Own Tableware: Please make sure to bring your own plates, cutlery, and plastic cups to suit what you're serving. You'll have full access to our kitchen, but you supply the tableware.

Kitchen & BBQ Access: You’ll have full use of our kitchen facilities, including the fridge, double oven, and microwave. Our BBQ is available to hire for $50, and if caterers need to arrive early to set up, there is a $40 early-access fee.

Lawns & What to Wear

Protecting the Lawns: Our grounds team puts a lot of love into keeping these lawns in top shape. We just ask that mallets aren't dragged across the turf, and that guests stay mindful of hoops, pegs, other people, and moving balls while out on the grass.

What to Wear: Keep it comfortable. You'll be bending over, swinging mallets, and walking on grass all afternoon, so shorts, pants, or relaxed gear work best. If you're heading out into town afterward, you're more than welcome to bring a change of clothes with you.

Shoes & Glass on the Lawns: Soft-soled flat shoes or sneakers are essential to protect the lawns —no high heels, dress shoes, or hard soles on the grass, please. For safety, glass bottles and glassware need to stay inside the clubhouse or on the deck, so it's plastic or reusable cups only out on the lawns.

Rates & Availability

We host events from mid-November through April (we are closed for the Christmas break between 20 December and Wellington Anniversary Weekend).

Pricing & Capacity

Per Person Rate: $35 per person for up to 4 hours. Our minimum group size is 20 people (smaller groups are welcome, provided the $700 minimum spend is covered).

Peak Season Minimum: Demand for Friday slots in November and December is exceptionally high. As a volunteer-run club, we apply a $1,000 minimum spend for these premium dates to ensure they directly support the year-round care of our clubhouse and lawns.

Capacity: We can comfortably host up to 40 people playing across our 5 lawns at once, with a maximum limit of 50 guests inside the clubhouse.

Extra Time: Need a bit longer? You can extend your booking by up to 2 additional hours for $150 per hour. Extra time must be requested when booking so we can make sure our volunteer helpers are available to stay on.

The Essentials: Booking & Payment

Full payment is required to lock in and secure your date. Here is how our provisional hold process works:

Confirm Your Numbers First: Please finalise your guest numbers before submitting your booking form. We use these numbers to generate your invoice, and payment is based on your submission.

Provisional Holds: Once we receive your booking form, we are happy to hold your requested date provisionally, even for a few months while you sort out your internal arrangements. If another group asks for your exact date while you're on hold, we’ll reach out to you straight away, so you get first priority. We’ll just ask that you let us know within 3 business days (or before the 6-week cut off, whichever comes first) whether you'd like to confirm with payment or pass the date along to the other group.

The 6-Week Cut off: Full payment is due at least 6 weeks prior to your event date. We’ll send you a friendly reminder as this deadline approaches, so you don't lose your spot. If payment isn't received by the cut off date, the provisional hold drops and the date re-opens to other groups.

No Obligation: If your plans change and you decide not to proceed, no worries at all,please just flick us a quick email so we can release the hold for someone else. (Please note: Kelburn Croquet Club is not GST registered).

Headcounts & Changes

Before Payment (Decrease in Numbers): Please let us know immediately if your numbers drop before payment is made. Because holding a spot for a large group prevents us from taking other bookings, a significant drop in numbers may require us to re-evaluate or cancel the slot. We always want to make things work where we can, so keeping us in the loop early helps us find the best option for everyone.

After Payment (Increases): If your group grows after you’ve paid, no problem at all, provided we stay within our 50-person maximum venue capacity. Just send us an email to double-check space, and we can easily invoice you for the extra heads.

After Payment (Drops & Refunds): If your group size decreases after payment is made, we cannot issue refunds. However, you are more than welcome to bring along partners, friends, or family members to fill those paid spots and make the most of your booking.

Weather & Cancellations

Weather Policy

• A light Wellington drizzle won't stop play—we recommend bringing both a raincoat and a sunhat.
• Before your event: If heavy rain makes the lawns unplayable prior to your start time, we’ll work with you to reschedule or issue a full refund.
• During your event: If heavy rain cuts your event short after play has started, we’ll work with you on a fair arrangement or pro-rata credit/refund for the unused time.
  

Client Cancellations

• 28+ Days Before Event: Cancel anytime for a full refund—no worries at all.
• Under 28 Days: Because filling a last-minute vacancy is tough for our small club, cancellations within 28 days are non-refundable. However, if another group snaps up your cancelled spot, we will happily pass the refund back to you.
  

House Rules & Practical Info

Running Late? Your booking window stays the same and can’t be extended on the fly, but we’ll jump straight in to get you out on the lawns as quickly as possible. If you know you’re running behind, just drop us a quick text or email so our volunteers know when to expect you.

Smoking & Vaping: Strictly prohibited anywhere on the lawns, verandas, or inside the clubhouse.

Children & Minors: Children under 13 are welcome as spectators, but for safety around equipment and lawn care, they are not permitted on the lawns or to play croquet. If children under 13 are attending, a non-playing adult must stay with them at all times, whether inside the clubhouse or on the grounds. Older teenagers (13–17) are welcome to enjoy the clubhouse and grounds, provided they are well-behaved and mindful of other guests and club property.

Music: Portable speakers are fine. Just keep the volume sensible so we stay on good terms with our neighbours.

Decorations: Corporate branding and simple table setups are totally fine, just nothing that marks the clubhouse surfaces, and please no confetti, glitter, or items that could damage the lawns.

Liability: We want everyone to have a safe and stress-free time, so please look after your group and keep an eye on personal belongings while on site. Kelburn Croquet Club cannot take responsibility for any injuries, lost gear, or misplaced personal items during your event.

Ready to Book?

Thank you for taking the time to read through our booking info.
Got Questions? If there's anything we haven't covered here, drop us an email anytime at Kelburncroquet.bookings@gmail.com—we’re always happy to help.
Ready to Book? Once you’ve confirmed your preferred date, time, and attendee numbers, please complete our Booking Form to get the ball rolling.

We look forward to welcoming your team to our clubhouse. Don';t stress about your croquet skills, our friendly host team will be on hand to show you the ropes (and we promise not to comment on bad shots unless they're truly spectacular!).

Contact our Bookings Co-ordinators

Thank you for taking the time to look through our Corporate Events information.If you do not find the answer to your question on this page, please email us at Kelburncroquet.bookings@gmail.com. We will respond promptly by phone or email according to your preference. Alternatively, if you are ready to proceed and have confirmed all the details with your group regarding time, date, and number attending, please complete the Enquiry Form for Booking a Function (at the top of this page), and we will respond as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

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