In the North America, as in the
United Kingdom, golf croquet is played on a six wicket, 1 stake
court layout as outlined at right.
The Rules of Six Wicket Croquet
relating to singles and doubles play apply subject to the following
modifications:
1. The Course.
a)ﾠﾠ The balls are played into the
game from along the "north" boundary line, from the
third corner (black flag) to the midpoint of the court and are
placed 9" inches inside the line.
b)ﾠﾠIn a short version, 7 points are
contested; the first 6 wickets and then
the stake.
c)ﾠﾠ In a medium version 13 points
are contested; the 12 wickets and then
the stake.
d)ﾠﾠ In a long version, 19 points
are contested; the 12 wickets as in the medium version and then
the first 6 wickets followed by the stake.
2. The Game.
a)ﾠﾠ All balls are always for the
same wicket in order. The point is scored for the side whose ball
first runs the wicket.
b)ﾠﾠ The game ends as soon as one
side has scored a majority of the points to be played (i.e., a
7 point game is determined by the side that scores 4 points first).
It is customary to keep the score by declaring a side to be one
or more points up or down or all square as the case may be.
c)ﾠﾠ Each turn consists of one shot.
A player may chose to waive (pass) the turn and not strike the
ball. The rules relating to roquet, croquet and continuation shots
do not apply.
d)ﾠﾠ The game is played between 2
sides. One side plays blue and black while the other side plays
red and yellow. Play begins with the blue ball followed by red,
black and yellow (the order of colors descending on the center
stake) and that shall be the proper order of play until the game
ends.
3. Running a Wicket.
A ball scores the wicket point when
it passes through the proper wicket in the correct direction,
and comes to rest clear of the plane of the playing side of the
wicket. If a striker ball partly runs
a wicket, it may on a subsequent turn run the wicket to score
the point, unless the point has already been scored. The wicket
point can be scored by a ball that is cannoned, peeled or knocked
through a wicket by an opponent or partner.
4. Jump Shot.
A player may not play a shot that
causes the striker ball rise from the ground. If the striker does
so accidentally or in ignorance of this rule, and runs a wicket
for the striker ball or its partner's ball, the point shall not
be scored. If, a ball is displaced by a jump shot, the ball may
be replaced at the option of the opponent.
5. Advancing prematurely to the Next
Wicket.
A player may get a head start on
the next wicket to be played, but the wicket cannot be scored
if the previous wicket has not yet been scored.
6. Playing Out of Turn or with a Wrong
Ball.
If the striker plays out of turn
or with the wrong ball, that shot and any subsequent shots are
null and void. All balls shall be replaced; the right ball shall
be played by the correct player, and the other balls shall follow
in proper sequence. No points scored during the period of error
shall be scored.
7. Handicapping.
Handicaps shall be allotted in the
following manner, according to known handicaps:
Golf Croquet Handicap
Known
Handicap |
7 point
Game |
13 point
Game |
19 point
Game |
| O |
O |
O |
O |
| 1 to 2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| 3 to 4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 5 to 7 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
| 8 to 11 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
| 12 to 15 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
| 16 to 20 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
Notwithstanding the above provisions,
special Golf Croquet handicaps may be given.
8. Advanced Play.
In advanced play the foregoing rules
apply, with the following exceptions:
I ) Rule 3 is modified so that if
a striker causes one of the balls of its side partly to run a
wicket during a shot, such a ball must begin to run such a wicket
afresh before it can be scored by that ball in any subsequent
shot. However, the provision that if an adversary causes a ball
partly to run a wicket during a shot, such a ball may run that
wicket in a subsequent shot remains valid.
However, a partner ball which has
failed to clear the wicket on its own shot may not be so driven
through by its partner unless that ball was put into the wicket
by an opponent.
2) Rule 5 is changed so that all
players must contest the wicket they are for and cannot advance
prematurely to the next wicket thereby trying to gain an advantage
at the next wicket to be played.
