Croquet
Croquet is a target lawn game where players hit wooden or plastic balls through hoops using mallets. It is distinguished by tactical positional play and the croquet shot, which lets players send opponent balls off course.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- 19th Century
- ORIGIN
- Ireland / England
- PLAYERS
- 2 or 4 players
- EQUIPMENT
- Mallets, balls, hoops
- PLAYING AREA
- 32 × 25.6 m
- DURATION
- 1 to 3 hours
- GOVERNING BODY
- WCF
- OLYMPIC
- Former (1900)
Association Croquet points
| Achievement | Points |
|---|---|
| Passing hoop in order (per ball) | 1 point |
| Hitting center peg (pegging out) | 1 point |
| Maximum points per ball | 13 points |
| Winning score (both balls combined) | 26 points |
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1830s | Early game documented in Ireland under the name crookey |
| 1856 | Isaac Spratt registers first set of formal printed rules |
| 1868 | All England Croquet Club founded at Wimbledon |
| 1900 | Croquet debuts as an official sport at the Paris Olympic Games |
| 1989 | World Croquet Federation (WCF) established |
How a game works
Players take turns striking their designated balls through a set sequence of hoops using a mallet. Successfully passing a hoop or hitting another ball earns extra shots, enabling extended strategic sequences. The match ends when a player or team completes the circuit and hits the center peg.
Scoring in one line
In standard Association Croquet, each ball scores 1 point for passing a hoop in correct order and 1 point for hitting the center peg, totaling 26 points per side.
Where it came from
Croquet evolved in Ireland in the early 1830s before gaining widespread popularity in Victorian England. Rules were standardized in 1856, leading to the establishment of the All England Croquet Club at Wimbledon in 1868.
Croquet today
Modern competitive croquet is governed globally by the World Croquet Federation. The main international variants are Golf Croquet, which features shorter matches, and Association Croquet, known for deep turn-based tactics.
Run a Croquet tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — 1–3 hours.
FAQ
Is croquet an Olympic sport?
Croquet featured as an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games. It was subsequently dropped from the Olympic program.
What is the difference between croquet and roque?
Roque is an American variant of croquet played on a hard court with rubber cushion walls, allowing bank shots similar to billiards.
How many hoops are used in standard croquet?
Standard Association and Golf Croquet games use six hoops arranged on the court, which are traversed twice in a specific sequence.