Let’s clear something up straight away: croquet is not a polite game. It looks polite. Picture white clothes, manicured lawns and the gentle tock of mallet on ball. But anyone who has played will tell you that sending an opponent’s ball sailing off into the garden beds is one of life’s great pleasures.
Croquet in Adelaide is having a moment. With more than a dozen clubs across the metro area, free come-and-try sessions and summer twilight games, there’s never been a better time to find out what Alice was complaining about in Wonderland. You’ll be glad to know Adelaide’s clubs use mallets, not flamingos.
How to play croquet
Players use mallets to hit coloured balls through a course of six hoops set out on a lawn. That’s the basic idea, but it gets tactical quickly.
Golf croquet is the easiest way in. Everyone takes turns playing one shot, all competing for the same hoop, and whoever gets through first wins the point before everyone moves on to the next. It’s quick, social and very easy to learn. It’s also the version most likely to make you shout across a lawn.
Association croquet is the long game. Players earn extra shots by hitting other balls, and a skilled player can string together a run of shots that’s part chess and part snooker. Most clubs also play Aussie croquet, a shorter, friendlier variation.
What to wear and bring
Almost nothing. Clubs provide mallets and balls for beginners. The one essential is flat-soled shoes, because heels and grippy soles damage the lawns. Casual clothes are fine. Club whites are only required for some competitions, so you won’t need to raid the linen cupboard.
Bring a hat and sunscreen, and possibly a competitive streak you didn’t know you had.
Croquet clubs in Adelaide to try
Croquet SA lists 33 clubs across South Australia, including 14 in metro Adelaide, from Aldinga Bay to Salisbury. Here are four good places to start.
South Terrace Croquet Club
Founded in 1911, this club sits among the gum trees in the south-east corner of the Adelaide Parklands, off Beaumont Road. Golf croquet runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings from 9.30am, with Wednesday evening sessions during daylight saving. New players get two free introductory sessions with equipment and coaching included. Visitors pay $10 a session after that.
North Adelaide Croquet Club
The North Adelaide club in Menzies Crescent, Prospect, gives newcomers their first three sessions free. Its lawns are popular with visiting players and regularly host regional competitions. Play runs from Tuesday to Thursday and on weekends.
Norwood Croquet Club
On Portrush Road, Norwood runs learner sessions for non-members on Thursday mornings and Friday evenings. Its accredited coaches teach both golf and association croquet. The club’s advice: “Croquet is a social game, bring a friend.”
Millswood Croquet Club
Millswood’s three full-size lawns are lit for evening play. On Friday nights from 5pm to 9pm, its Wine Down sessions combine casual croquet, lawn games and a glass of something. It’s a civilised way to finish the working week.
Why croquet is worth a go
Croquet rewards precision and strategy over speed or strength, so players of any fitness level can compete. You’ll be outdoors, in good company, and spend a fair bit of time chatting between shots.
It also has a way of surprising people. Newcomers often arrive expecting a genteel garden-party game and leave plotting how to send their new friends’ balls to the far side of the lawn.
Pick a club, book a free session and pack your flattest shoes. A morning on the lawns might make croquet your new favourite sport.
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