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Merit Award Scheme


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The Merit Award Scheme aims to encourage enterprising play and to develop skills. Awards for achievement in Association Croquet have been established for many years, and the scheme has now been extended to Golf Croquet.

Since the two schemes are independent of each other, players are eligible to apply for both AC and GC Merit Awards.

Click here for a full list of Merit Award winners

The Association Croquet Targets

Appropriate Badges and Certificates are awarded to players on the first occasion they achieve each of the following (subject to the Conditions noted below):

BronzeA break of 10 or more hoop points, including any peels on partner ball, using bisques (if needed) to start or maintain the break, or to tidy up the leave. This is your target once you have grasped the idea of using your bisques to build and continue a break, thereby starting to attack opponents positively and confidently.
  
SilverA break of 12 or more hoop points, including any peels on partner ball, without using bisques during this visit to the lawn until after the 12th point (of the turn in question) is scored. This target comes at the stage in your development when you are conceding bisques most of the time, or are taking the first steps into the Advanced game.
  
GoldA Triple Peel: a break whilst peeling a ball through its last three hoops (4-back, Penult and Rover) and pegging it out; then, if your partner ball was the one peeled, pegging out your ball to win the game in the same turn. Bisques may not be used during this visit to the lawn. A triple peel is most often seen in Advanced play as the standard tactic to avoid giving your opponent a second lift, but it is also used in handicap games by players facing a lot of bisques.
  
PlatinumA Sextuple Peel: a break whilst peeling a ball through its last six hoops (1-back to Rover) and pegging it out; then, if your partner ball was the one peeled, pegging out your ball to win the game in the same turn. Bisques may not be used during this visit to the lawn. A sextuple peel is most often seen in Advanced play to avoid giving a lift or contact, affording your opponent only one very long shot.

Conditions for AC Merit Awards

  1. Any game for which an AC Merit Award is claimed must form part of a Croquet England Fixtures Calendar event (including representative matches and team events).
  2. The game must be a singles game played on a full-size court under the Regulations for Tournaments (including hoop settings).
  3. You must win the game.
  4. You must be an Individual Member or Associate of Croquet England (this includes Standard membership) when the claim is made.
  5. Further Awards claimed must be of a higher category, e.g. once a Silver Merit Award has been achieved, you are no longer eligible for a Bronze or Silver Merit Award.

How to Claim Your AC Award

After your game, ask either download or ask the Tournament Manager for a copy of the Merit Award Application Form. Complete the form and have it signed by both your opponent and the Tournament Manager (or, for a team event, the Club Secretary or team captain in lieu of the Tournament Manager), then send it to the Croquet England Office. The form can be sent electronically or by post; alternatively, forward an email string covering all the details.

The Golf Croquet Targets (updated 2025)

Appropriate Badges and Certificates are awarded to players on the first occasion they win any of the following (subject to the Conditions and Minimum Numbers noted below):

Bronze- a Golf Croquet C-Level (7+) Series Tournament, or the C-Level Series National Final
 - the CqE GC All-England Handicap Final
  
Silver- a Golf Croquet B-Level (4+) Series Tournament, or the B-Level Series National Final
  
Gold- a Golf Croquet A-Level (0+) Series Tournament, or the A-Level Series National Final
 - the GC Veterans (O60) Championship*
  
Diamond- a CqE GC Championship Series Tournament (ENSC Qualifier)*
 - a CqE GC Open Series Tournament*
 - the GC Third Eight (The Suzanne Roberts Memorial)
  
Platinum- the GC Open Singles Championship*
 - the GC English National Singles Championship*
 - the GC First Eight (The Ricki Savage Memorial)
 - the GC Second Eight (The Kate Jones Memorial)

Conditions for GC Merit Awards

  1. Any event for which a GC Merit Award is claimed must be one of the Croquet England Fixtures Calendar events specified above.
  2. The event must consist of singles games played on full-size courts under the Regulations for Tournaments (including hoop settings).
  3. You must win the event, which must field the minimum number of players stated below. There is no minimum requirement for any of the Eights.
  4. You must be an Individual Member or Associate of Croquet England (this includes Standard Membership) when the claim is made.
  5. No retrospective claims (before 2025) are permissible for the events marked * above.

Minimum Numbers for GC Merit Awards (refers to the number of players STARTING play on Day 1)

  1. Bronze and Silver - 12 players
  2. Gold and Diamond - 16 players (except the Third Eight - no minimum)
  3. Platinum - No minimum

How to Claim Your GC Award

After your game, either download or ask the Tournament Manager for a copy of the Merit Award Application Form. Complete the form and have it countersigned, then send it to the Croquet England Office. The form can be sent electronically or by post; alternatively, forward an email string covering all the details.

John Harris