THE GAME There are several variations of croquet, but the main ones are Association Croquet and Golf Croquet, both of which are played at the club, and for both of which free and expert coaching is available.
Association Croquet is more the game for the thinking person, who is happy to take longer to learn the game and all its subtleties. This game is often described as being akin to Snooker played on grass; planning ahead as in Snooker, or in Bridge, or Chess: as you become more proficient so you are able to build breaks and use both attacking and defensive moves.
Golf Croquet is easier to learn, and at Club level at Southwick is a very popular sociable game, and one that is played at a faster pace. Both Association and Golf require great skill to compete at the top level and both are played to European and World International level.
Unlike most outdoor sports, both men and women are able to play croquet socially and competitively and on equal terms. At Southwick we have a membership covering all ages and in more or less the same proportions of men and women. It is a game, too, that can be played to a high standard by those who are not as active as they once were. Some quite severely disabled people enjoy playing croquet.
More information about all aspects of the sport can be found by going to the Croquet Association web site - use the hyperlink in the side column.