Croquet has a reputation for being complicated. It isn't. At its heart it's a simple idea: use a mallet to knock a ball through a series of hoops in the right order, before your opponent does the same. Everything else is just detail you pick up as you play.
This guide covers the version most new players start with and explains how a game flows. If you'd like the rules set out step by step, see our croquet rules for beginners.
The aim of the game
The goal of croquet is to be the first to move your ball (or balls) through all the hoops on the lawn in the correct sequence, and finish by hitting the central peg. Each hoop you pass through in the right direction scores a point. Whoever completes the course first wins.
It sounds simple, and the basics really are — but croquet rewards a bit of tactical thinking, which is why skill and cleverness beat brute strength. That's also why it's one of the very few sports where a child and a grandparent can compete as genuine equals.
What you need (spoiler: nothing, to start)
When you come to one of our taster sessions you don't need to bring a thing. We provide the mallets, balls and hoops, and someone will show you the ropes. For the record, a standard set-up uses:
- Mallets — one per player, used to strike the ball.
- Balls — traditionally four: blue, red, black and yellow.
- Hoops — metal arches set into the lawn that you aim to pass your ball through.
- A centre peg — the finishing post you hit to complete your turn.
How a turn works
Play passes from one side to the other. On your turn you take a single shot by striking your ball with the mallet. Here's the part that makes croquet moreish: if your ball passes through the correct hoop, or hits another ball, you earn an extra shot — so a good turn can keep going. Running a hoop earns one continuation shot; hitting another ball (a "roquet") earns two, and lets you use that contact to reposition. String a few together and you start to feel like you know what you're doing.
The two main versions of croquet
There are two games you'll hear about, and it helps to know the difference:
Golf croquet — the beginner-friendly one
Golf croquet is where almost everyone starts. Everyone aims for the same hoop at the same time, and play is quick, sociable and easy to follow. You can learn it in a couple of minutes and enjoy it from your first game. This is what we'll teach you first.
Association croquet — the tactical one
Association croquet is the longer, more strategic version, where players run multiple hoops in a single turn. It takes more practice but is hugely rewarding once it clicks. Plenty of our members happily play both.
Croquet for beginners: how to actually get started
Reading about it only gets you so far — croquet is best learned with a mallet in your hand. With South East Community Croquet, getting started is simple:
- Register your interest online (it takes about 30 seconds).
- Come along to a free taster session at your local club in Dunmore East, Passage East or Cheekpoint.
- Borrow a mallet, learn the basics, and play your first game that day.
A few quick tips for your first game
- Stand square to your shot. Line your body up behind the ball, facing where you want it to go.
- Swing, don't jab. A smooth, gentle pendulum swing controls the ball far better than a hard hit.
- Think one shot ahead. Where does this shot leave you for the next hoop?
- Don't worry about getting it wrong. Everyone misses hoops. It's a friendly game and good company is the whole point.
That really is enough to enjoy your first game. The rest you'll pick up on the lawn — and we'll be there to help.
Fancy giving it a go?
We're forming community croquet clubs across the Waterford coast and welcoming founding members of every age and ability. No experience needed.
Register your interest