The classic game of Croquet! We are fans. Mainly Merek. Merek creams everyone we play. It drives me (Cassidy) nutty, and anyone we play against probably. Too bad Merek’s croquet skills don’t transfer over to his golf skills. Croquet is a game of big whacks and revenge.
How do you play Croquet?
From what we have learned, everybody plays a little differently. There are many different “house rules” that occur in a friendly game of Croquet. For example, I did some research on how to play croquet and we personal play it very differently from the “official” rules. Welp, I quite enjoy the way that we play better. We will outline how to play the fun way (our way) first, and then below will detail the official Croquet rules.
- Time to set up: We set up the wickets wherever we want and usually end up having a weaving and winding course for all to explore. It should only take approximately 4-5 minutes to set up. That involves pounding in the stakes and wickets, rounding up all the people who are going to be playing, and then explaining which way you are going to follow the course. (Starting stake, and ending stake.)
- Duration of game: A round usually takes around 15-20 minutes. Actually, for a more honest answer, the duration of the game depends on how vengeful people get. Sometimes, everybody gets off course from knocking each other around. And when I say off course, I mean your ball has been smacked into oblivion and you are trying to claw your way back to the course. A little more time for a little more fun and competition!
- Number of players that are needed/can participate: Croquet sets can typically accommodate anywhere from 4 to 8 players, depending on the set you buy. You can play with 2 players or even by yourself if you want to get some practice in before the next family game night. When it comes to croquet, we say, “The more the merrier!”
- Where can Croquet be played? We have only ever played Croquet on grass, but we suppose that it can be played wherever the wickets will stick. I imagine that if you play on the beach, you’ll spend more time hitting the sand than the actual ball. Grass seems to be the popular place to play, but don’t let us hold you back from croquet-ing at the beach!
- How do we play? I apologize to anyone reading this who grew up playing Croquet a different way. Upon researching the rules of croquet I found many variations, so I will be very basic while outlining the “fun” way that we like to play. After setting up the course, be sure to explain the order and directionality for each of the wickets. There will normally be a stake at the beginning and end of the course that signifies the order in which each person will take their turn. The stake has each color on it from top to bottom and each person will proceed according to the order on the stake. Each player will place the ball up against the stake and hit the stake, aiming to hit the ball through the first wicket. With each turn, players will receive one opportunity to strike their ball toward the upcoming wicket. Players may be awarded an additional hit if their ball makes contact with another player’s ball or if they hit their ball through the next wicket in the sequence. The player that is able to hit their ball through all the wickets and to the other side of the course and back first is the winner. Merek’s strategy is to hit as many balls as possible and get through wickets seamlessly to win the world’s longest turns.
Backyard Buffs’ Rating: 13
Ease of storage/portability: 3. It really depends on which set you buy, but generally croquet is not the poster child of storage and portability. The nicer the set, the more difficult it is to find a place to store it. The more expensive sets do tend to come with a fancy rack that just screams, “Play me!” and doubles as classy outdoor decor. If you have an awesome covered backyard space, this could be the way to go!
Durability (packaging or game pieces): 3. The durability also varies depending on the set you buy. Overall, we think that croquet is a game that is generally durable because tons of grandparents have a set that looks like it’s been around since The Great Depression. That being said, most of these older sets have some broken mallets and mangled wickets. So we had to take off a point for that. Even if you just think of how many croquet sets have gone through your family through the years, I know my parents are up to set number 4 or 5 at this point.
Friendly for all Ages/Skill Levels: 4. This one would have had a perfect score if it weren’t for the semi-dangerous nature of croquet. While the game is friendly for all ages to play, it can be unkind if not supervised by an adult. Kids can and do enjoy playing it, but sometimes they can get carried away and inadvertently strike a bystander. It’s nothing that can’t be avoided by a little lesson about mallet etiquette and best practices.
Fair Pricing: 3. As was mentioned above, the more expensive sets tend to be more durable and bulkier. We recommend buying an intermediate set because they are generally the best bang for your buck. The most expensive sets almost look too nice to even play with, and the cheap sets look like they might break too quickly.
What are the Official Rules for Croquet?
Ah, how satisfying to read “The Official Rules of Garden Croquet” by the Croquet Association. (Which I found they actually referenced from the World Croquet Organization. Who knew there were so many fancy Croquet organizations?)
Here are the basics of official croquet rules: First, set up your court according to the diagram below.
You play in singles or doubles, one team plays with Blue and Black, the other team plays with Red and Yellow. (So if you are playing singles, you play both of the colors, by yourself for that “team.”)
To win, you must score six hoop points for each ball and then hit the stake with both colored balls. (Hoop point is just a point for passing through the wicket/gate/hoop. Whatever you prefer to call it, but apparently the official term is a hoop.)
Conclusion: Unfortunately, our rating doesn’t reflect just how much we enjoy playing this game because we really do enjoy it! The parameters that we use to make our rating are just hard to give perfect scores on when it comes to croquet. Bottom line: The more you pay for your set, the more durable and less portable it is. We suggest buying an intermediate set if there are going to be a fair amount of adults playing it over the years. However, that does mean that the set is going to be bulkier and harder to store. If it’s just for the kids, then a beginner set will work great! Overall, croquet is definitely a game that we recommend having in your garage to play in the yard. Because it’s not usually very portable, there are other games that we would recommend bringing if you are thinking about taking croquet to the park. Additionally, please “mind the mallet”. Maintain your distance from other players during their turn, especially on their backswing. We have lots of stories to pass down to our posterity about bruises and bloody lips gained while playing croquet inattentively. For some reason, kids like to pretend they are teeing off from hole 12 at the Masters. Set rules beforehand and you save some lives (mallets included). We mention this not to scare you but to make you aware of the dangers of any game that resembles hitting a ball like it’s a piñata. Go have some fun and take a whack at it!
