Choosing Croquet Balls
Regulations
A regulation croquet ball must be 3 5/8″ diameter, and weigh 16oz. To meet the Croquet England tournament regulations within specified tolerances. There are also regulations specifying the bounce height of the balls, and how much these parameters may differ within a set. Full regulations can be found on the Croquet England Website under Ball Specification and Approvals or in the Laws of Association Croquet booklets
What are croquet balls made of?
Almost all croquet balls made today (including all tournament quality balls) are of a solid plastic construction, these are often called composite balls. These are far more durable than the traditional wooden balls. The balls differ in the type of plastic used, which affects weight, bounce and durability. Some of the less expensive sets are supplied with wooden balls which come with the proviso that the paint will chip from first use and will deteriorate.
All balls supplied in our Croquet Sets (with the exception of some balls in children’s sets) are of approximate regulation size, and have a ‘milling’ pattern on them. This is a pattern of grooves on the surface of the ball which affects how well they grip each other on impact.
Balls listed in this category are tournament approved and have been tested by Croquet England, and meet the Croquet England tournament regulations for balls. If you want to buy balls for frequent use (e.g. club use) then we strongly recommend you opt for tournament quality balls as they are also more durable.
Garden Balls listed as Regulation Weight and Size
Balls listed as regulation weight and size will be approximately 16 oz and 3 5/8″ diameter, but may fall outside of the strict tolerances allowed for tournament approved balls. This is unlikely to affect most garden players. These balls will have different bounce characteristics differ from tournament balls giving them a different ‘feel’ to them (e.g. it may be harder or easier to play a roll shot or stop shot than with tournament quality balls). This is not likely to make a big difference to players who do not play at a club or in tournaments. Go to Garden Balls
Lighter Garden Balls
Some lightweight and family Croquet Sets have 12oz balls, a better choice when young children are likely to be using them, as they travel further making for an easier game and are preferable when playing with light-weight mallets. Buying heavier balls when you have light mallets may damage your mallets. These can also be found under Garden Balls
