How to... » How to set up and play a game of croquet:
Croquet is a great backyard game! It is slow game of patience and precision, allowing plenty of time to chat with friends, family or guests as you play. Children can play the game as well, as long as they are big enough to hit the ball with a mallet.
Our
croquet sets start at less than $40 and you can play a two to
six player game in less than an hour. A set will consist of
multicolored balls, long-handled mallets, about nine hoops (or
wickets), and two wooden pegs.
The nine wire wickets are stuck into the ground in whatever pattern you choose, but
the standard set-up is two diamond
shapes—one on top of the other. Set your peg in the ground first
with two wickets in front of it. Then a few feet ahead set two more
wickets a few feet apart across from each other and another wicket
aligned with the first two wickets you set in front of the peg. The
shape should form a diamond. Repeat this pattern to create a second
diamond on top of the first with the last point having two wickets
and another peg behind the wickets.
The wickets should span over an area no more than 40 feet wide and
75 feet long. The wooden pegs mark the beginning and end of play.
The balls must be struck through the wickets using the wooden
mallets. The balls are also made of wood and are quite heavy. They
are either solid in color or striped. You choose one ball and
matching colored mallet and start the play at the wooden peg. You
keep striking the ball through the wickets until you miss. Once you
miss, you turn the play over to the next player. If someone's ball
is in your way, you can knock it out with your own ball, but be
careful not to knock your ball out in the process.
One point is scored for each hoop you hit your ball through as long as you make the hoops in the proper order. You also score a point when you hit a wooden peg.
Each ball in the game can score a total of 16 points. There are 14 wicket points and 2 points for hitting the pegs. When you reach the end of the pattern and hit the peg at the end, you have to go back through those last two hoops again to score two more points. You can play with more than one ball per team. If you are playing the four-ball game, you can score a total of 32 points; if you are playing the six-ball game you can score a total of 48 points.
The order of play is designated by the color of the balls.
- Six-ball game: Order of play is blue, red, black, yellow, green, and then orange. In teams one side plays blue, black, and green while the other side plays red, yellow, and orange.
- Four-ball game: Order of play is blue, red, black, and yellow. In teams one side plays blue and black while the other plays red and yellow.
- Singles: Use the four-ball version.
- Doubles: Two players per side—each playing one ball. Use the four-ball version.
- Triples: Three players per side—each playing one ball. Use the six-ball version.
- Individual (Cutthroat): Use the six-ball
version.
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