About the group
The croquet group meets (weather permitting) from the first Friday after the clocks go forward in Spring until they change again in October. We play at Buckingham Cricket Club (opposite the fire station on Bourton Road). Play starts at 2.00 p.m. and so it helps to get there a bit before that time so that courts can be set out and playing partners chosen.
No previous experience is required as the game we play, called golf croquet, is a simple game (see below for basic rules). The main aim is to have an enjoyable social afternoon in the fresh air. We do not play in the rain.
We have a number of mallets available for members’ use and sufficient equipment for three courts so there is no need for group members to bring any equipment unless they want to. We do not have a particular dress code (the weather usually dictates what we wear). Games last approximately half an hour and two games can be played simultaneously on the same court, so we can play up to 24 games per session with everybody getting to play up to three games.
Once a year we have a group picnic at the cricket ground.
The main objective is to have a social afternoon in the fresh air; get a bit of gentle exercise and get better at playing the game.
BasicRules
The rules for golf croquet are few and simple. Two or four people play a game together, either as singles or pairs. The game is played using four coloured balls, each player having one or two balls. Balls are struck in a set order, so each player has a turn. The object of the game is to score points by hitting your ball through a hoop. There are six hoops, each hoop is played in order and the first ball through the hoop scores the point for that hoop. Only one ball is required to pass through a hoop, then play moves on to the next hoop. It is perfectly permissible to knock your opponent’s ball out of the way so the game can become quite vicious at times (in a friendly, Buckingham sort of way).
For further information please contact the Group Coordinator – details above.