Association Croquet Skills Test
Contents...
These skills tests were developed initially by the Association Croquet Regeneration Working Party, and are undergoing continued trial and development. Gabrielle Higgins welcomes your comments on these exercises.
Download a PDF Croquet Skills Tests Record Card.
Level 1
Each exercise comprises 10 attempts. To pass the test, a minimum of 70% success rate must be achieved. Practice is permitted (even encouraged!).
Having failed an exercise, a player may not re-attempt it on the same day, but may attempt a different exercise.
Exercise 1 - Hoop Running
Player successfully runs a hoop from one yard directly in front of the hoop.
Exercise 2 - Hitting-In
Player successfully roquets a ball 3.5 yards away.
(This can easily be measured by placing one ball by hoop 5 and the other between hoops 1 and 4, or by placing one ball by hoop 6 and the other between hoops 2 and 3.)
Exercise 3 - Rushing
Player successfully plays a 10-yard straight rush by rushing a ball on any corner spot to a marker placed one yard in front of the nearest hoop. The striker's ball should be placed one foot (one mallet head) behind the other ball. Player is allowed a 20% margin of error (i.e. the rushed ball must finish within two yards of the marker in any direction).
Exercise 4 - Taking-Off
Player successfully plays a 9.5-yard take-off by taking-off from a ball level with Hoop 5 to a marker placed on the south boundary yard-line. Player is allowed a 10% margin of error (i.e. the striker's ball must finish within one yard of the marker in any direction).
(Player may alternatively use north boundary and Hoop 6.)
Exercise 5 - Ratios
Player plays a stop-shot from the south boundary yard-line in front of Hoop 1 (or Hoop 4) to leave the striker's ball within one yard of Hoop 1 (or Hoop 4) in any direction (i.e. it doesn't have to be in hoop-running position) and the croqueted ball within 4 yards of Hoop 2 (or Hoop 3) in any direction. (Player may alternatively use north boundary and Hoops 1-back and 2-back or 4-back and 3-back.)
Exercise 6 - Split-Shots
Player plays a split-shot from one yard in front and one yard to the side of a hoop. The striker's ball must come to rest in hoop-running position no more than two mallet heads from the hoop and the other ball must come to rest at least 2 yards beyond the hoop. Player must then run the hoop.
Exercise 7 - Breaks
Player takes croquet one yard in front of Hoop 1, with a pivot ball midway between Hoops 1 and 2, and a pioneer ball 3.5 yards in front of Hoop 2 (i.e. level with Hoop 6). Player must run Hoop 1, roquet the escape ball and send it towards Hoop 3, use the pivot ball and then make Hoop 2 off the pioneer. The ball near Hoop 3 must be the Hoop 3 side of Hoop 6 and no more than 3 yards beyond Hoop 3.
Exercise 8 - Break-Building
Player takes a shot from either baulk line, as if playing turn 4, with two balls a yard apart on the East boundary yard-line and the third ball on the West boundary yard-line level with Hoop 5. Player must get one pioneer ball in front of Hoop 2, one pivot ball between Hoop 1, Hoop 2 and the peg, and end by taking croquet to approach Hoop 1 and then running it. The Hoop 2 pioneer should be within a box 5 yards square as shown on the last diagram. Player has 2 bisques to achieve this.
Illustrations
Exercise 2 - Hitting-In
Exercise 3 - Rushing
Exercise 4 - Taking-Off
Exercise 5 - Ratios
Exercise 6 - Split-Shots
Exercise 7 - Breaks
Exercise 8 - Break-Building (start)
Exercise 8 - Break-Building (finish)
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