RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NEW CROQUET.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XXIII, 2 December 1899, Page 1015

RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NEW CROQUET.

By Our Own Croquetlist. LATEST REVISED EDITION, 1899-1900. Mr Leona rd Williams has published a guide-book to the new incarnation of the game: aud readers of this handbook will be surprised to find what an elaborate and skill-exacting-game it is. "The Daily News Weekly” offers some rules of its own, which the “Graphic” quotes: — 1. Grounds. — Speaking generally there can be no adequate grounds for playing croquet. They must, at any rate, be very considerable. e.g.. (a) that you yourself are absolutely ignorant or incapable of any other form of employment or pastime; (b) that you have under your roof a particularly tiresome guest who will bore your life out of you. if not permanently occupied; or (c)—which is the best ground of all—that a couple, or possibly two couples of “young people” want some excuse for seeing a good deal of one another without any distracting demands on their attention.

Mallets.— Mullets may be of any size, weight, or material. ’Die shape doesn’t matter, but it should be different from that of other people’s. Two heads are always better than one. Indiarubber may Ih* attached to one end for the purpose of erasing any “foul strokes” made on the con rt.

Choice of Balls.—At all critical periods of the game it is better for the player to choose a ball which is in a good position than one, e.g., which happens to be behind a wire, if the ball so selected happens to be his own so much the better.

Ball Driven Partly Through Hoop. —When a ball has been driven so far through its hoop that it can be touched by a straight edge or anything else (e.g., the toe of your boot) placed against the wires, it is better to touch it at once, and send it quite

through. if this can be done while tiie “non-playing side” are looking at another game. The Turn.—A player when his turn Comes round may roquet each ball once in succession without making a single point or in any way furthering the game, and he may do this again and again at every subsequent turn. In such a ease the only remedy is to avoid asking him again. The style or play of such a person, however exasperating, cannot be strictly said to ‘‘give you a turn.” Commencement of the Game.—lt is often difficult to tell from the demeanour of the players when a particular game of croquet began. If both parties look fairly bright and fresh it may be assumed that they have not been “at it" for more than six or seven hours. In tournaments every game should, if possible, be begun before breakfast. In case of games continued after dinner candles should not be balanced on the hoops, hut inserted in the clips invented for that purpose.