The club was formed in the 1990s in the grounds of John Innes Park (for directions, please see our finding us page). The club has a single full-size lawn. The club also has a small club hut adjacent thereto, though with space for little more than storing equipment and tea making facilities.
Our playing season runs from the start of April to the end of September, and membership is open to people of any age. Outside the playing season, we organise a range of social events to keep the club active and connected.
New recruits are always welcome – though we currently have a waiting list for full time membership, and new full time memberships are offered in order from this list primarily around the start of each season, evening and weekend membership is currently open and available at any time. During the season, we can also offer a limited number of “pay and play” sessions for those who want to give croquet a try (please see our public pay and play sessions page to express your interest).
All members have the use of our equipment as well as access to coaching from our more experienced players. We routinely play, and encourage members to learn, all codes of the game, including association croquet, golf croquet and short croquet.
Despite only having one lawn, Merton Croquet Club organises a range of internal events, but there are also regional and national leagues and tournaments for those who wish to play competitively. These cater for all levels of player from beginner to expert.
Why play croquet?
Croquet is one of the finest outdoor sports. It is a friendly game combining ball skills as well as tactics, it’s relatively easy to understand, and it’s fun to play both socially and competitively. Croquet is an inclusive game, bringing together people of all ages and genders to play on a level basis.
There are two principal forms of the game – Association and Golf.
Association croquet (AC) is a turn-based game of strategy and technical skill. AC is similar in many ways to games like snooker whereby one successful shot grants the player further shots and the opportunity to build a break so that that player can sustain momentum over their opponent. In AC, each player has to make their own way through the course of hoops using a variety of one ball and two ball strokes (the latter being the eponymous croquet stroke). Short croquet (SC) is broadly the same concept as AC, though is played on a half-size lawn, with half the number of hoop points, and with both players receiving their full handicap.
Golf croquet (GC) is similarly turn-based, though is generally seen as faster paced given that each player takes a single one ball stroke at a time. In GC, both players are contesting the same hoop until the hoop is scored. GC is similar in many ways to games like curling relying on consistent accuracy and placement with frequent shifts in momentum as the game progresses.
Both forms of the game may be played as singles or doubles and many people enjoy playing both, as skills learned in one form of the game may be readily applied to the other.
Both association and golf croquet use handicap systems designed to level the playing field, allowing players of different standards to compete meaningfully while still rewarding skill and improvement.
Croquet appeals to a wide range of people, from those who discover it early to those who come to it later in life, often after stepping away from more physically demanding activities. The game offers depth and challenge for those who enjoy honing skill and strategy, while still remaining welcoming and relaxed for players who simply enjoy good company and time spent outdoors.
Interested in playing?
Please see our page on how to get involved for details on the opportunities to play and becoming a member, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you want any more information.