from The Dalesman
Croquet, known as the Queen of Games, is enjoying a UK renaissance. This surge of interest ensures members of Yorkshire’s eleven clubs are in high spirits as they go into the new season, which runs from April to the end of September.
Through the hoopBy common consent, York Croquet Club boasts the county’s finest lawns. Three are in use at the club’s Scarcroft Green headquarters, south of the city centre. “Our membership has doubled in recent years, and looks set to increase further,” says chairman John Harris. “Croquet’s time has come to grow again. It’s a quintessentially English game, delightful on a summer’s day, and a game both sexes and all ages can play on equal terms. It’s strategic, relaxing and enjoyable. We have plenty of capacity and we’re on the lookout for new members.”
The origins of croquet are obscure. It seems to have been played in Ireland during the 1830s. “Where it came from before that is unknown,” says John. “It’s a real mystery.” Croquet was introduced to England in the 1850s and a club established in York circa 1870. A firm in the city, Cordeaux and Ernest, made equipment and published the rules of the game, as played at Sheriff Hutton Park. Its heyday, during which croquet parties were fashionable, was curtailed by the 1870s advent of lawn tennis. Despite a brief revival in the Edwardian era, its popularity continued to decline. Now, it seems, croquet is making a comeback.
Ready to roll
Ready to roll
The present York club was formed in 1988 and has been at Scarcroft Green since 1992. The county’s other clubs, affiliated to the Yorkshire Croquet Federation, are at Ben Rhydding, Beverley, Bishop Monkton, Brodsworth Hall, Huddersfield, Lepton, Pickering, Ripon, Sheffield and Shepley. Sheffield has two clubs, one of which has grown enormously in recent years. All stage a variety of internal and external competitions, and some play in county and regional leagues.
In the UK, the main versions of croquet are association and golf. The York club plays the former, featuring six hoops, four balls and a centre peg. Association’s name derives from the “croquet shot”, played with two balls touching. “Association Croquet is strategic and intricate, whereas golf croquet is short and sociable,” explains John. “You’re thinking ahead, trying to build breaks. It has been likened to chess, billiards and snooker, but there are aspects to the game unique to croquet.”
York Croquet Club has sixty members. It hosts sessions at Scarcroft Green on Mondays (10am-noon), Wednesdays (6.30pm-dusk), Thursdays (4pm-6pm) and Saturdays (10am-noon). Formats include singles, doubles, short lawn, full lawn, timed and untimed. To increase participation and improve skills, it offers free drop-in taster sessions on selected weekend afternoons; refresher sessions, early in the season; and, for more experienced players, weekend courses organised by the Croquet Association.
Green and pleasantRowntree Park is the venue for one of the York club’s taster sessions, which feature a simple version of the game. John describes the response as “fantastic”. He adds: “We’ve got a number of people interested in following up from these and our other sessions. We’ve had a lot of international visitors. Meeting them has been very enjoyable. Some are just intrigued by this curious English game; others have heard of croquet and are keen to find out more,” smiles John. “Some say ‘I’ve been meaning to play this game for some time’ and ‘show me how to do it’. Some really take to it and want to know more. It’s a lovely game for a summer’s day, with the sun shining, relaxed company and a game going on in front of you that you’re part of. It’s very enjoyable. I’d say to people: come and try the game, see how it feels and see if it’s for you. We’d be delighted to see you. You’d receive a very warm welcome.”
Croquet has many fine aspects, not least its handicap system. “The beginner in a short lawn game gets ten bisques, which is ten extra turns,” explains John. “In theory, they could play the world champion and there would be a match on. In practice, you play to your strengths and your ability. You can have an enjoyable game at whatever level of ability you are. Strength has nothing to do with it. Some of the shots are really delicate. The whole point is to so arrange things that all the shots are straightforward. You don’t need big, difficult, heroic shots.”
Despite members playing competitively at various levels, for the York club it is the taking part – not the winning – that counts. “We play for pleasure,” says John. “With the handicap system, we’re always happy for people to get a game in an external league. But it’s about participation and enjoyment. For us, that is more important than being determined to be top of the league at all costs.”
As the new season stretches into the distance, Yorkshire’s croquet community is eager to capitalise on the game’s welcome if long overdue rebirth. “We’re very passionate about croquet,” says John, “so we want to do our bit to help it grow and develop. I feel the game is ready for a big surge forward.”
The Dalesman, April 2016