Croquet

• Six 28" Hardwood knurled handles
• Matching 8" Knurled Mallets with Decals and High Impact Caps
• Two 24" Hardwood stakes with high visibility colored stripes
• Six 3" durable polymer balls
• Nine vinyl coated steel wickets

The Court and Equipment

The standard court is 100' by 50'. This can be scaled down to fit the available space and lawn characteristics. It should be possible to hit a ball the length of the court, so on long grass it may be necessary to scale down the court. 

Overview of the Game of Croquet:

1. The object of the game is to race your opponent(s) around the course of wickets (usually shaped in two end-to-end diamonds) and hit the finishing stake before your opponent(s).
2. Play is made by striking a ball with a mallet. The player who is playing a turn is called the "Striker", and the ball in play for that turn is the "Striker Ball". Each player or team selects a color and turns are played in the sequence blue, red,  yellow, green, orange and black throughout the game. This sequence of colors is painted on the stakes.  Each turn is initially one stroke, but extra strokes are earned when the striker ball hits another ball or scores a wicket point. By making good use of these extra strokes it is possible to score many points in one turn.
3. The striker ball may cause other balls to move and score points. However, the striker must never strike any ball other than the striker ball. The mallet must contact the ball crisply - scooping, pushing, and hitting the ball more than once during the stroke are not allowed.
4. Each player plays with one ball in singles, doubles, triples or cut throat (three or more players each playing for themselves).  However, in singles play, each person can play with all balls on one side if desired.  Each ball is played individually with both players and balls alternating turns.
5. Each ball in a game can score 16 points for its side, 14 wicket points and 2 stake points.
6. Points do not have to be used in a game but are helpful if  the game has a time limit.  the player with the most points at the end of the time limit is the winner!

1. A coin toss is used to determine which side goes first
2. All balls start one-half the distance between the starting stake and the first wicket
3. Play progresses by hitting the ball through wickets 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 in order and then hitting the turning stake.  The ball is then played through wickets 8-9-10-11-12-13-14.  The game is completed by hitting the finishing stake.
4. All balls must be played from where the ball comes to rest.
5. In partnership play, a player may decide not to hit the finishing stake and make his or her ball a "rover" to hinder their opponents
6. How to Score Points - A)  A single point and stroke (additional turn) are won for each wicket and stake that is made in the proper order.  B) two points and two strokes (two additional turns) are won if a ball is  hit through wickets 1 and 2 and/or 6 and 7 with one stroke of the ball
7. A ball shall be deemed to have not passed through a wicket if a straight edge laid across the wicket touches the ball
8. Bonus strokes may not be accumulated.  Once a wicket is made or a stake is hit the previous bonus strokes are lost.  The exception is wickets 1 and 2 and 6 and 7 as stated in rule 6 B.
9. A player's turn is over if the ball does not go through a wicket, hit a stake or another ball and has no additional strokes remaining
10. A player's ball hitting another ball (roquet) has 4 options: (1) Take 2 bonus strokes from where the ball comes to rest, (2) Place their ball one mallet head length away from the struck ball (where it comes to rest) and then take two bonus strokes, (3) Place their ball in contact with the ball that was struck (where it comes to rest), then strike their ball to send both balls in the desired direction. The player then has one bonus stroke remaining, (4) Place their ball in contact with the ball that was struck (where it comes to rest) and place their foot on their own ball so it is immobile, and strike the ball so as to send the other ball in the desired direction while the striker's ball remains in place.  The player then has one bonus stroke remaining.
11. A player can hit (roquet) another ball only once per turn, except as described in rule 10 (3) and (4)
12. (A) The player's ball that hits (roquets) another ball is "dead".  It does not become "alive" and is not able to hit (roquet) another ball until it goes through a wicket or hits a turning stake in the proper order, except as described in rule 10, (3) and (4).  (B) A rover ball (see rule # 5) may become "alive" by going through any wicket in any direction
13. If a player hits (roquets) more than one ball in a stroke he or she will get bonus strokes from the first ball roqueted with the other ball(s) remaining where they came to rest.
14. Hitting another ball (roquet) a second time without becoming "alive" as describe in rule 12 is not a fault, however, no strokes are received for the second croquet.  Play then proceeds from where the ball(s) comes to rest.
15. A rover may be driven into the finishing stake and taken out of the game by any legal stroke by any player at any point in the game
16. A rover can only score a pont by hitting the finishing stake and is then removed from the game.
17. A ball that goes out of bounds should be placed 36" inside the boundary line at the point of exit.  if the player has an additional stroke he or she then plays it.
18. if another player (partner or opponent) puts your ball through its proper wicket or turning stake, your side gets the point but no bonus stroke
19. If a ball is played out of turn it is not a fault.  The ball(s) are replaced and the proper ball plays.

• If you push the ball with the mallet instead of striking it squarely
• if your mallet strikes another ball instead of the ball you are playing
• If you mallet hits a wicket or stake.