Merit Award Scheme

The Merit Award Scheme aims to encourage enterprising play and to develop skills. Awards for achievement in Association Croquet have been established for many years, and the scheme has now been extended to Golf Croquet.

Since the two schemes are independent of each other, players are eligible to apply for both AC and GC Merit Awards.

Click here for a full list of Merit Award winners

The Association Croquet Targets

Appropriate Badges and Certificates are awarded to players on the first occasion they achieve each of the following (subject to the Conditions noted below):

Bronze	A break of 10 or more hoop points, including any peels on partner ball, using bisques (if needed) to start or maintain the break, or to tidy up the leave. This is your target once you have grasped the idea of using your bisques to build and continue a break, thereby starting to attack opponents positively and confidently.
Silver	A break of 12 or more hoop points, including any peels on partner ball, without using bisques during this visit to the lawn until after the 12th point (of the turn in question) is scored. This target comes at the stage in your development when you are conceding bisques most of the time, or are taking the first steps into the Advanced game.
Gold	A Triple Peel: a break whilst peeling a ball through its last three hoops (4-back, Penult and Rover) and pegging it out; then, if your partner ball was the one peeled, pegging out your ball to win the game in the same turn. Bisques may not be used during this visit to the lawn. A triple peel is most often seen in Advanced play as the standard tactic to avoid giving your opponent a second lift, but it is also used in handicap games by players facing a lot of bisques.
Platinum	A Sextuple Peel: a break whilst peeling a ball through its last six hoops (1-back to Rover) and pegging it out; then, if your partner ball was the one peeled, pegging out your ball to win the game in the same turn. Bisques may not be used during this visit to the lawn. A sextuple peel is most often seen in Advanced play to avoid giving a lift or contact, affording your opponent only one very long shot.

Conditions for AC Merit Awards

1. Any game for which an AC Merit Award is claimed must form part of a Croquet England Fixtures Calendar event (including representative matches and team events).
2. The game must be a singles game played on a full-size court under the Regulations for Tournaments (including hoop settings).
3. You must win the game.
4. You must be an Individual Member or Associate of Croquet England (this includes Standard membership) when the claim is made.
5. Further Awards claimed must be of a higher category, e.g. once a Silver Merit Award has been achieved, you are no longer eligible for a Bronze or Silver Merit Award.

How to Claim Your AC Award

After your game, ask either download or ask the Tournament Manager for a copy of the Merit Award Application Form. Complete the form and have it signed by both your opponent and the Tournament Manager (or, for a team event, the Club Secretary or team captain in lieu of the Tournament Manager), then send it to the Croquet England Office. The form can be sent electronically or by post; alternatively, forward an email string covering all the details.

The Golf Croquet Targets

Appropriate Badges and Certificates are awarded to players on the first occasion they win any of the following (subject to the Conditions noted below):

Bronze	- a CA Golf Croquet C-Level (7+) Series Tournament, or the C-Level Series National Final
	- another event specified for the Bronze Merit Award in the Table of Qualifying Events
Silver	- a CA Golf Croquet B-Level (3+) Series Tournament, or the B-Level Series National Final
	- another event specified for the Silver Merit Award in the Table of Qualifying Events
Gold	- the GC Third Eight (The Suzanne Roberts Memorial)
	- a CA Golf Croquet A-Level (0+) Series Tournament, or the A-Level Series overall
	- another event as specified from time for time for the Gold Merit Award in the Table of Qualifying Events
Platinum	- the GC First Eight (The Ricki Savage Memorial)
	- the GC Second Eight (The Kate Jones Memorial)

Conditions for GC Merit Awards

1. Any event for which a GC Merit Award is claimed must be one of the Croquet England Fixtures Calendar events specified in the Table of Qualifying Events.
2. The event must consist of singles games played on full-size courts under the Regulations for Tournaments (including hoop settings).
3. You must win the event, which must field the minimum number of players stated in the Table of Qualifying Events.
4. You must be an Individual Member or Associate of Croquet England (this includes Standard Membership) when the claim is made.
5. Further Awards claimed must be of a higher category, e.g. once a Silver Merit Award has been achieved, you are no longer eligible for a Bronze or Silver Merit Award.
6. The minimum number of players (where specified) refers to those STARTING play on Day 1.

Table of Qualifying Events 2023

Bronze Merit Award - Minimum 8 players at the start
All Croquet England Golf Croquet C-Level (7+) Series Tournaments (24 events for 2023), and the Series National Final
The GC Grass Roots Competition final
Silver Merit Award - Minimum 12 players at the start
All Croquet England Golf Croquet B-Level (3+) Series Tournaments (25 events for 2023), and the Series National Final
The GC All-England Handicap Final
Gold Merit Award - Minimum 12 players at the start
All Croquet England Golf Croquet A-Level (0+) Series Tournaments (15 events for 2023)
GC Third Eight (The Suzanne Roberts Memorial) [NB Minimum entry size n/a]
Platinum Merit Award
GC First Eight (The Ricki Savage Memorial)
GC Second Eight (The Kate Jones Memorial)

How to Claim Your GC Award

After your game, either download or ask the Tournament Manager for a copy of the Merit Award Application Form. Complete the form and have it countersigned, then send it to the Croquet England Office. The form can be sent electronically or by post; alternatively, forward an email string covering all the details.

December 2023

John Harris