Contents...

• Trial 1 - Kwik Croquet
• Trial 2 - One Ball
• Trial 3 - AC Recruitment
• Trial 4 - Short Croquet

Action for AC - 2025 Review and what you can do to help in 2026

We are now nearly a year into this important initiative and have enjoyed a full playing season. There have been some real successes, with many clubs trying new ways of introducing, maintaining, or increasing the amount of AC being played.

We would like to begin by thanking everyone around the country for their efforts to help halt the decline in this variant of our wonderful sport.

Our 2025 Trials

Short Croquet (SC)

Feedback from those who tried SC was overwhelmingly positive. The smaller lawns make it easier to learn croquet strokes, even for experienced GC players, and the shorter length of a game (maximum 1.5 hours) proved popular.

A full-size lawn can easily be divided into two short croquet lawns with the simple addition of string or a line down the middle. Some clubs reported that the extra hoop-setting workload was initially off-putting, but they were glad to have made the effort. Some even found that their GC players preferred the shorter lawns for GC play, making the division of courts well worthwhile.

We hope more clubs will introduce Short Croquet next year. One- and two-day tournaments are being held around the country (see dates below).

2026 - Clubs with competitively minded players of all standards may wish to consider entering a team in the Short Croquet Inter-Club Competition (see the Fixtures Book for more information - teams must enter by 1st March).

List of Short Croquet Events: (as per the provisional 2026 Fixtures Book)

Kwik Croquet

We launched this variant to provide a short and simple way to introduce the basic skills of AC - Roquet / Croquet / Continuation - without using a lot of terminology.

Thank you to all the clubs and players who tried Kwik Croquet. Many enjoyed playing it. However, feedback suggests that it did not, for the most part, significantly help with recruiting players to AC.

We encourage you to keep it as a fun alternative. The leaflets remain available and can be downloaded here: Kwik Croquet How to Play pdf

Recruitment

We asked clubs to try different recruitment methods. Feedback shows that most clubs continued to introduce GC first, with AC only offered later. Very few first-year beginners took up AC, and most of those who did were well-established GC players seeking variety.

It remains a concern that clubs may be missing opportunities to attract players who would prefer the AC variant. We urge clubs to devote more time and effort to advertising and recruiting specifically for AC. Many people approach clubs having played garden croquet (which is very similar to AC), and we have received feedback that some are disappointed when only GC is offered.

One Ball

This is a very short (20-30 minutes) simplified version of AC that can be used by coaches or simply played for fun. It introduces the croquet stroke and how it can be used to string shots together to form a break. Many clubs reported success inviting GC players to try One Ball, with sessions enjoyed by both AC and GC players. However, it rarely seems to lead to GC players continuing with more AC.

This video by Alex Lake is an excellent introduction to One Ball, and we encourage you to share it at your club: https://youtu.be/fD39v9lLO9g

What Else Worked Well?

Targeted Coaching

Players who are already expert at GC need a different approach from complete beginners who have not yet learned basic stroke-play skills.

Thank you to Broadwas for the below feedback:

"Elite GC players do not want to be placed in an AC beginners' class.High-handicap GC players do not want to be matched against low-handicap AC players, even with many bisques.Low-handicap AC players do not want to play high-handicap beginners with their forests of bisques.

The real enjoyment in AC comes from playing opponents of similar ability. If we can establish critical-mass groups at each level, we will make progress."

Dispelling Myths

Many of you noted that negativity about AC is sometimes spread within clubs, making members reluctant to try it. It is true that a full game of AC on a full-size lawn can take a long time, but that is not how we recommend introducing the variant. Encourage the use of Short Croquet on a small lawn. A typical SC game takes only 1.5 hours. The short lawn makes it easier to learn croquet strokes and allows players of differing standards to play together.

A now top-class international AC player recently told me:

"It was two years before I ever played a full game or on a full-size lawn. I learnt to enjoy AC first before indulging myself with the longer version."

Jamborees

Sussex County Croquet Club has found that running jamborees is an effective way to introduce AC, especially Short Croquet.

"We run two SC jamborees and invited local clubs to take part. This worked well, with six or seven clubs participating. There were four rounds of singles, ASD, and a speed doubles. It was great fun and very well received."

Challenges Ahead

AC Coaches - We Need More

The most frequent feedback from around the country is that there are simply too few trained and capable AC coaches.

I strongly encourage all AC players to consider becoming a Croquet England coach. Although many AC players may be willing and able to coach informally, gaining a formal qualification will give both you and your students greater confidence.

"Become a Coach" Courses: (as per the provisional 2026 Fixtures Book)

Opportunities to Play

Where numbers of AC players are declining, existing players report difficulty finding enough opportunities to play, with many now travelling to more distant clubs.

One initiative that has helped is clubs opening their AC roll-ups to players from nearby clubs, allowing them to join these sessions by paying a green fee without requiring full membership. This gives members more opponents and provides modest income - a win-win solution.

Attracting Those Still Working

This challenge affects both AC and GC. We need more "young" people taking up croquet - and by that, we mean 40+.

Clubs need this age group to keep thriving and to provide essential volunteers to mow lawns, run tournaments, and carry out maintenance.

This age group may be looking for a sport they can play competitively once more physical sports become difficult due to age or injury. To attract people who are still working, clubs must ensure they are open and active in the evenings and at weekends.

Debbie Lines

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2025 Activity

Early in 2025 Croquet England ran a Webinar to discuss Action for AC - [Watch the recent webinar]

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Action for AC - Introduction - March 2025

Growth in Golf Croquet is not reflected in matching growth in AC, with many clubs increasingly introducing new players only to GC. Over the past 5 years, the number of AC players in the rankings has declined by 11%. This decline amongst top players is likely to be reflected in an even larger drop at grassroots level amongst beginners and high handicaps. Coaching courses held at our Academies are struggling to fill AC courses and some are ceasing to run them, whilst clubs are increasingly reporting a lack of AC coaches capable of introducing the game to new players.

The growth of GC means that croquet as a sport is vibrant and healthy, with many of our clubs reporting full membership and busy lawns. However, most clubs still have empty lawns a lot of the time. We have the capacity to grow AC alongside GC to provide an offering to our members that includes both variants. This richer and fuller experience can only be a benefit in the long term, attracting a broader range of people to our clubs and our sport.

Is your club open and used in the evenings? Do you have mornings or afternoons when the club is closed and largely empty? Do you sometimes hear new recruits express a wish for something closer to what they've played in the garden? Are your existing AC players beginning to feel isolated and unloved? Would your GC players like to 'give AC a go'? If so, then we hope this initiative will be of interest.

The aim is to encourage everyone who loves AC to spend just a bit more time next summer encouraging its growth. This could range from as little as offering one or two hours of hands-on coaching to active and on-going support with one of our 2025 trials (see below).

The success will depend on volunteers to be active at club level to help us try different approaches, understand what works and share experiences.

If you wish to know more about this group, or wish to offer assistance, please contact Debbie Lines at debbie.lines#croquetengland.org.uk

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2025 Trials

The trials run in 2025 were:

Trial 1 - Kwik Croquet

A new 'learners' game, incorporating some aspects of AC and GC, which we hope can be used as an introduction, with players moving on to Short Croquet after a few months.

• One hour time-limit
• Everyone can be on the lawn all the time
• Balls are played in sequence: blue, red, black, yellow, blue, etc.
• Six hoops, not 12
• Ideally smaller or half-size lawns
• Only three hits on the other balls per turn, so no sitting out, turns are quick

To find out more, download the Kwik Croquet How to Play pdf

Trial 2 - One Ball

Ideally aimed at those who already play GC, the aim is to find out whether teaching 'One Ball' is an effective method of introducing the shots and concept of AC to GC players.

• Two players
• One ball each
• Extra shot after scoring a hoop
• Roquets, Croquet and Continuation

Clubs can sign up, or even individuals. Just let us know if it works.

Trial 3 - AC Recruitment

New AC players often end up playing some GC as well, but this is less effective the other way around. So, we want to experiment with different ways of recruiting croquet players:

1. Recruit and teach only AC
2. Recruit and teach both GC and AC from the start
3. Encourage GC players to play AC as well

Pick one or more method above. We'll find volunteers to help you plan and execute, if needed.
At the end of the year, tell us how it went.

Trial 4 - Short Croquet

We know many clubs are already playing this shorter variant of AC. We want to encourage more people to try it during 2025. New players struggle to play AC on full-size lawns. Smaller lawns make all the shots easier.

We want to encourage clubs to try Short Croquet, which is played on smaller or half-size lawns.

We can help:

• Supply coaches who can explain the game
• With lawn set-up and how to manage having different-sized lawns in use at your club

Get in touch if you want to know how to play more Short Croquet in your club or Federation next season.