The Best Croquet Ball Sets

Buying Guide

Croquet is an outdoor game played on a court or a lawn where players use mallets with long handles to hit balls on the ground through hoops (also called wickets). You can play with two, four or six players.

The objective is to hit the balls in a set sequence, according to the different colors of the balls and wickets. In professional play, the order of colors is blue, red, black and yellow, but for casual play, you don’t have to worry so much about strictly following the rules.

If you’re not sure how to play, shop for croquet sets that come with their own rule books. Another good feature is a carrying bag since you won’t want to leave all the pieces out on your lawn after you’re finished playing. There are indoor croquet sets out there, but you’ll need a lot of space without any obstructions to play.

The mallet height varies, and just like golf clubs, you’ll want the right fit. These can range from about 20 to 35 inches, and you’ll want shorter ones if young children are playing. The standard head shape is rectangular, with a length of 9 to 9 1/2 inches.

Home mallets weigh around 2 pounds apiece, while professional ones weigh about 3 pounds and feel sturdier. They’ll be made of hardwood, like ash, and can help make your shots more accurate. The most expensive mallets have brass rings or fitted endplates.

Regulation croquet balls weigh 1 pound apiece, so you’ll want heavier mallets if you’re using these. The same thing goes for croquet hoop wires; the thicker, the better. For tournament play, the wickets are generally smaller.

According to the international rules of association croquet, the playing area must measure 105 feet by 84 feet, with stakes at both ends of the field. You put two wickets in front of each stake facing the field’s center, with a third wicket in the middle of the field. The other wickets are then placed to create a double-diamond pattern. This setup varies depending on the type of croquet you are playing.

• Croquet wickets have long legs that you can push into the ground; make sure that they’re all the same height before you start playing.
• High-end croquet sets can also come with a wooden stand (trolley) to hold all the pieces of the set.
• Keep your croquet indoors when not playing to keep it safe from inclement weather.
• Some mallets have heads that unscrew for storage, while others do not.
• Although regulation play only uses four colors of balls, six-player sets use more.
• Don’t worry about sticking so closely to the rules unless you are playing competitively; you can make up your own and stick to them.