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Golf Croquet Advantage Play


Introduction

Advantage Play is a new variant of Golf Croquet (Rule 21) which allows players of different abilities to play more competitive games. It is an alternative to the longstanding Handicap Play using extra strokes (Rule 20).

In Advantage Play, the starting scores are adjusted depending on the players' handicaps so that the stronger player may have to score more than 7 hoops to win a 13-point game and the weaker player fewer than 7 hoops. In a closely contested game, it may be necessary to play a 14th hoop (hoop 4 again) or even a 15th hoop (hoop 1 again) to get a result.

In doubles, the handicaps of the two players are added together and divided by two (halves are rounded up) and the starting scores are then taken from the table.

2023 Update

There are no changes to Advantage Starting Scores for 2023 but the new documentation includes scoring scales which allow players to verify their progress at any stage of a game. The scales also enable unfinished games to be decided without calculation.

The Croquet England GC Rules Committee confirms that use of the scales is NOT an infringement of Rule 14.2 (No Reference to Written Information).

2024 Update

Percentages are now shown on the Scoring Scales.

The Tournament Play paragraph concerning the ordering of tournament blocks has been revised.

New tournament regulation F2g has been introduced, which details how (complete and incomplete) blocks are ordered in Advantage GC events.

All Advantage documentation is now available in one file and can be downloaded here:

Advantage GC 2024 How To Play - Complete

For the majority of UK users the most appropriate Starting Scores table will be the First-to-7-points game, handicaps -6 to 14 (also included in the complete download above).

A recommended complementary slide-based Advantage rules module is available as a

PowerPoint slide show or as a PDF document.

A scoring scales briefing PDF which explains their purpose and use is available here.

Advantage feedback is always welcome.
Please use the dedicated email address set up for this purpose advantagegc#worldcroquet.org