Croquet

lawn game · strategy · classic sport

Hoops are everything. In croquet, you don't just hit a ball anywhere. You must pass your ball through hoops called wickets in the exact order and direction the game requires. Getting through them perfectly is how you score points and win.

Mallets do the work. Players swing wooden, plastic, or composite mallets to hit their balls. The mallet is designed to let you control exactly where your ball goes, so strategy and precision matter way more than just hitting hard.

It's a grass court game. Croquet is played on a smooth grass playing area with hoops embedded right into the ground. The flatness of the lawn and the arrangement of the hoops change how balls roll and bounce.

Turn-based and tactical. Players take turns hitting their balls, and the game rewards clever planning. You have to think several moves ahead, deciding which hoop to aim for next and how to position your ball to help (or block) other players.

Games have a set path. Before anyone plays, all the hoops and their order are decided. Every player follows the same course through the wickets, just trying to get through them faster and more perfectly than their opponents.