As a competitive sport, recreational hobby, or just a pleasant way to pass a sunny afternoon, croquet offers a combination of casual play and careful strategy that is unique among outdoor games. All one needs is some croquet equipment, a few friends, a level stretch of grass, and an acceptable set of rules.
Since catching the public consciousness in the 19th century, croquet has become one of the world's most popular lawn games. It's also spawned many variations on the traditional game, such as golf croquet and eXtreme croquet. But the two most common forms of croquet remain six-wicket croquet and nine-wicket croquet, known respectively as American croquet and backyard croquet. It's these two forms that we examine in our overview of croquet rules and regulations.
Croquet is an international game, but did you know that there's an "American" version of this popular outdoor pastime? No, American croquet doesn't feature flag waving, Charles Ives symphonies, or red, white, and blue balls. It's a six-wicket form of the nine-wicket game, with a few important rule differences that affect "dead" croquet balls and boundary rules, among other things. Our guide to the rules of American six-wicket croquet explains some of the important differences and similarities.
Everybody could use a little shopping advice now and then. Even though finding the right croquet set for your style and budget is easy at Croquet.com, we put together this brief list of croquet sets and their notable characteristics just to make sure you have the knowledge you need. P.S.: If you're searching for mahogany croquet mallets with brass heads, engraved initials, and suede grips, we have one question: can you put us on your gift list?
It may seem ironic that a game as elegant as croquet uses a hammer to initiate gameplay. Yet croquet mallets are often very elegant themselves, with attractive and tactile materials such as leather and wood. The durability and power of fiberglass has also made it a popular material choice among our croquet mallet shoppers at Croquet.com. This article offers a few specifications and tips that will enable you to choose the right croquet mallet or set.
If you have a good-sized lawn with a reasonably even plane and short grass, then all you'll need is a good croquet set to enjoy this fun and highly competitive outdoor sport. Nine-wicket croquet is one of the most popular forms of croquet in the U.S. It's also the only sport in which the sentence "Blue ran backwards yelling "Godzilla, oi!'" will make the rules clearer. Confused? Don't be. Our Rules of Nine-Wicket Croquet article will explain everything.
