Play Garden Croquet
How to Play Garden Croquet
Playing croquet in a garden differs from playing on club lawns as the size and shape of your lawn is likely to vary, plus different qualities of grass will impact the way the game is played. That being said, the principles of the game are much the same as other forms of croquet.
The basic layout of the hoops is shown in the diagram. The dimensions are suggestions and should be adapted to the size and shape of your lawn. The hoops and balls may also differ from garden to garden, but no matter – the game is still the same.
How much space is needed to play?
The beauty of Garden Croquet is that the game and court can be adapted to suit the space you have available.
If you haven’t got much space at home, then try playing in the park or on a beach. You will soon find other people come to watch.
Where can I buy a croquet set for my garden?
If you don’t have your own equipment, we sell Family Garden Croquet sets in our shop. We offer equipment that is suitable for young players and smaller gardens. We also sell books to help you learn more about the game, as well as accessories and clothing.
Can I play other versions of croquet in my garden?
You can play Association Croquet in a garden, but this is unusual as the quality of the lawns and equipment make this difficult. Garden Croquet is a simpler version of the game. It is much easier to learn and play on different types of lawns.
Alternatively, Golf Croquet can be played in your garden as any equipment limitations will matter a lot less than they would in Association Croquet.
How to play Garden Croquet
Croquet can be played in many different forms. Serious croquet is played at international level including world individual and team championships. Mostly though, it is played as a casual, social game by millions of people around the world in their own gardens.
How to win a game of Garden Croquet
The winning side is the first to score six hoop points and then finish by scoring one peg point for each of its balls.
How to earn extra shots
You can earn extra shots in two ways:
- By scoring the next hoop in order (earning one extra shot)
- By striking your ball so that it hits one of the other balls (earning two extra shots)
Basic rules of Garden Croquet
A summary of the game is given below. To read the full list of rules in more detail, learn more about Garden Croquet rules.
The game is played by two sides. One side has the black and blue balls and the other side has the red and yellow balls. The object of the game is to advance the balls around the lawn by hitting them with a mallet, scoring a point for each hoop made in the correct order and direction.
The winning side is the first to score the six hoop points and then finish by scoring one peg point for each of its balls. See diagram for the positioning, order and direction of scoring hoop points. The winning side will therefore score 14 points.
The sides are made up of either one player per side (singles) or two players per side (doubles). The rules are the same for singles and doubles.
The players take turns. At the beginning of a turn, the player (called the “striker”) has one shot. After that shot, the turn ends unless extra shots are earned. The turn ends when the striker has no more extra shots to play, after which it’s the opponent’s turn to play.
Tactics involved with Garden Croquet
Various strategies are possible to make hoops for your own balls and to make it more difficult for the other side to make hoops. The best strategy is usually to use the other balls (including the opponent’s) to earn extra shots and score a number of hoops in one turn. This is called ‘making a break’.
Garden Croquet Membership
Croquet England has a membership category for the garden player offering shop discount, free bimonthly croquet magazine and the chance to meet and compete with other garden players. For more information click here.
