How to Play Croquet: Rules and Winning Strategy

You’ve got a croquet set, a freshly mowed lawn, and a group of friends ready to play—but nobody actually knows the rules. Sound familiar? Croquet has a reputation as a leisurely garden party game, but underneath that polished exterior lies a surprisingly strategic sport with enough depth to keep you hooked for years. Whether you’re setting up for a casual backyard game or want to play with proper rules, this guide covers everything you need.

Quick answer: In standard 9-wicket croquet, players take turns hitting their ball through a course of wickets (wire hoops) using a mallet, following a set order. You earn bonus strokes for passing through wickets and hitting other players’ balls. The first player to complete the entire course and hit the finishing stake wins. The real strategy? It’s as much about disrupting your opponents as advancing your own ball.

What Is Croquet, Exactly?

Croquet is a lawn game where players use mallets to hit wooden or plastic balls through a series of hoops (called wickets) embedded in the ground. The game has roots dating back to the 1850s in England and was actually one of the first sports to include both men and women as equal competitors. It was even featured in the 1900 Paris Olympics—though it was dropped after that year, partly because only French players entered.

Today, there are several variations of croquet played worldwide. The United States Croquet Association (USCA) recognizes multiple formats, but the most common backyard version is 9-wicket croquet, which is what most people play at home. We’ll focus on that version here, with notes on other formats at the end.

Equipment You Need

A standard croquet set includes:

• 6 mallets — One per player, each a different color. Standard mallets are about 36 inches long.
• 6 balls — Matching the mallet colors (blue, red, black, yellow, green, orange).
• 9 wickets — Wire hoops pushed into the ground.
• 2 stakes — One at each end of the course to mark start and finish.

For a casual game, any croquet set from a sporting goods store will do. If you’re getting more serious, look for sets with heavier balls (around 1 pound each) and sturdy mallets with square or octagonal heads—they offer better control than lightweight recreational sets.

Setting Up the Course

The standard 9-wicket layout forms a double-diamond pattern with a wicket in the center. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Place the two stakes at opposite ends of the playing area. A full-size court is 100 feet long by 50 feet wide, but 50×25 feet works perfectly for most backyards.
2. Place one wicket directly in front of each stake (about 6 feet from the stake).
3. Place the center wicket at the exact midpoint of the course.
4. Place two wickets on each side forming diamond shapes between the stakes and the center. These side wickets create the diamond pattern.
5. Push each wicket firmly into the ground. The gap between the wires should allow about ⅛ inch of clearance on each side of the ball—tight enough to require precision.

In my experience, the biggest setup mistake is making the wickets too wide. If balls roll through easily without requiring aim, the game loses most of its challenge. Tighten those wickets until they feel almost unfairly narrow—that’s about right.

Basic Rules of 9-Wicket Croquet

Order of Play

Players take turns in a fixed color order: blue, red, black, yellow, green, orange. This order is standard across most croquet sets and matches the order printed on the stakes. Each turn, a player gets one stroke (hit) unless they earn bonus strokes.

Starting the Game

All players start by placing their ball one mallet’s length in front of the first stake. On your first turn, you hit your ball toward the first wicket. If you pass through it, you earn a bonus stroke and continue your turn.

The Course

Players must navigate the wickets in a specific order:

1. From the starting stake through the first two wickets heading toward the center.
2. Through the right-side wickets of the first diamond.
3. Through the center wicket.
4. Through the far diamond wickets.
5. Hit the far stake (the turning stake).
6. Navigate back through all wickets in reverse order.
7. Hit the starting stake to finish.

You must pass through each wicket in the correct direction. A ball that rolls through a wicket backwards or out of order doesn’t count.

Earning Bonus Strokes

This is where croquet gets interesting. You can earn extra strokes in two ways:

• Running a wicket: Successfully hitting your ball through the next wicket in your sequence earns you 1 bonus stroke.
• Hitting the turning stake: When you reach the far stake and hit it, you earn 1 bonus stroke and begin heading back.
• Roqueting (hitting another player’s ball): This earns you 2 bonus strokes, which you take in a special way (explained below).

Bonus strokes do not accumulate beyond 2. If you run a wicket and hit another ball in the same stroke, you only get the 2 strokes from the roquet.

The Roquet and Croquet Shot: The Heart of Strategy

When your ball hits another player’s ball (a roquet), the real fun begins. You get two bonus strokes, and the first one is taken as a special croquet shot:

1. Pick up your ball and place it touching the ball you hit. You can place it on any side.
2. Take the croquet shot — Put your foot on your ball (optional in some rule sets) and strike it. The force transfers to both balls, sending them in different directions. This is how you move opponents’ balls to disadvantageous positions.
3. Take your second bonus stroke — This is a regular continuation stroke to advance your own ball.

You can only roquet each ball once per turn. However, after you pass through your next wicket, your roquet ability resets, and you can hit those same balls again. This means a skilled player can string together long turns by alternating between running wickets and roqueting opponents.

Winning the Game

The first player to complete the entire course—all 9 wickets in both directions and both stakes—wins. In team play (2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3), the first team to have all their balls complete the course wins.

Croquet Strategy: How to Actually Win

This is where croquet separates casual knockers from serious players. The game rewards both precision and ruthlessness.

Offensive Strategies

1. Set up your next shot. After every stroke, think about where your ball will end up relative to the next wicket. Short, controlled shots that leave you in front of your next wicket are almost always better than power hits.
2. Use roquets to chain turns. The most powerful move in croquet is stringing together multiple roquets and wicket runs in a single turn. Hit an opponent’s ball, take the croquet shot to position yourself near your next wicket, run the wicket, then roquet another ball. A single turn can cover several wickets if executed well.
3. Position partner balls helpfully (in team play). Use your croquet shot to send your partner’s ball to a useful position near their next wicket, rather than just blasting opponents away.

Defensive Strategies

1. Send opponents to the boundaries. When you roquet an opponent’s ball, use the croquet shot to blast them as far from the course as possible—preferably to a corner of the yard. This wastes their next turn getting back into position.
2. Guard your wickets. If you’re ahead, position your ball just past your next wicket. This makes it harder for opponents to disrupt you while keeping you on track.
3. Don’t leave your ball near opponents. Ending your turn with your ball close to an opponent’s is an invitation for them to roquet you and send you flying. Create distance whenever possible.

Advanced Tips

• Learn the split shot. During the croquet shot, the angle at which you strike your ball determines where both balls go. By adjusting the angle, you can send the opponent’s ball one direction while your ball goes another. This takes practice but is the key to high-level play.
• Control the center wicket. The center wicket is a crossroads—every player passes through it twice. Keeping your ball near the center gives you roquet opportunities on multiple opponents.
• Think two shots ahead. Like chess, croquet rewards forward thinking. Before you hit, consider not just where your ball will go, but where it needs to be for your next stroke after that.

Variations of Croquet

While 9-wicket is the most popular backyard format, there are other styles worth knowing:

Golf Croquet is particularly worth trying if you find 9-wicket games run too long. In Golf Croquet, all players compete for the same wicket at the same time, and the first to score it wins that point. It’s faster, simpler, and creates more direct confrontation.

Practical Tips for Better Croquet

1. Grip the mallet at the top. Hold the mallet with both hands at the top of the shaft, keeping your arms relatively straight. Swing from your shoulders like a pendulum—don’t chop at the ball with your wrists.
2. Stand with your feet together and the mallet between them. This is the “center stance” and gives you the most consistent aim. Some players prefer a “side stance” (like golf), which works too—find what feels natural.
3. Read the lawn. Grass isn’t perfectly flat. Before your shot, look at the ground between your ball and the target for slopes, dips, or thick patches that might deflect your ball.
4. Practice the stop shot. This is when you hit your ball sharply so it transfers most energy to the target ball while your ball stays roughly in place. Essential for precise positioning.
5. Mow before you play. Long grass slows balls unpredictably and makes wicket shots frustrating. A freshly mowed lawn transforms the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Hitting too hard. Croquet is a game of touch, not power. Massive hits usually send your ball past the wicket or into the boundary. Controlled, deliberate strokes win games.
• Forgetting the wicket order. New players constantly hit through wickets out of sequence—which doesn’t count. Keep the course map in mind or mark the wickets with numbered flags.
• Ignoring opponents. Players who focus only on their own course miss the strategic depth of roquets and croquet shots. The best players balance advancing their own ball with disrupting opponents.
• Setting wickets too wide. If every player makes every wicket on the first try, the game is boring. Tight wickets create drama and reward skilled shots.
• Not learning the croquet shot properly. Many beginners skip the foot-on-ball croquet shot or do it incorrectly. This is the most powerful move in the game—take time to learn it well.

Wrapping Up

Croquet is deceptively strategic. On the surface, it’s a relaxing lawn game with a genteel reputation. Underneath, it’s a battle of positioning, planning, and well-timed aggression. The rules are simple enough to explain in five minutes, but the strategy takes much longer to master—and that’s what keeps players coming back.

If you’re looking for more outdoor games to pair with croquet at your next gathering, check out our complete lawn games guide covering equipment, rules, and setup for six popular games. And for a broader list of outdoor entertainment, our guide to backyard games adults actually want to play covers 20 options from athletic to strategic. If bad weather drives you indoors, explore our roundup of the best strategy board games for that same satisfying tactical experience at the table.