Games are played on a lawn (sometimes called a court) which has six fixed hoops and a centre peg. Players use mallets to hit their allocated croquet balls. Games can be played as singles (one against one), or doubles. One side has the blue and black croquet balls and the other has the yellow and red.

 

In Association Croquet the idea is to put both your side's croquet balls though twelve hoops (in a specific order) and then hit the centre peg. You are allowed to use other balls to bounce off and help you get around. You are allowed to hit your opponent balls away with the mallet, and position any ball anywhere to your advantage. If you miss hitting a ball or miss getting through a hoop on your turn then your turn ends. Hitting other balls and going through hoops entitles you to more shots. So, you can keep on going. Some very skilled players can make a big break by taking balls through several hoops in their turn. Sneakily, if the break finishes, a player will position balls so the opponent has a difficult shot when resuming. In this game players often take shots that involve a fine movement of two balls in contact. The judgement of angles is critical. Most hoops are run in a very controlled way from a close distance.

 

In Golf Croquet typically it is the first side to 'take' seven hoops by running either one of its balls through specific hoops. Hoops are played in order, and a turn consists of just one shot at a time so players alternate their shots. Many games finish on a score line of 7-5 indicating that twelve hoops were played before one player had achieved the required seven maximum. Players can hit opponent balls away, promote their own balls, and take other crafty shots. Balls are played in order - blue, red, black, yellow. This is a game of accurate single-ball shots and running hoops from long distances.

 

The club provides a selection of balls. Main colours ('primary') are blue, red, black and yellow. In golf croquet, they are played in that order throughout the game. If two games are on the same lawn, 'secondary' balls are used by one side- green, pink, brown and white.