Principles and Overview of Croquet Handicapping

Croquet has a handicapping system that allows players of different abilities to play competitively with an approximately even chance of winning. To achieve this, the weaker player (or, in Doubles, the weaker side) is given extra turns by the stronger player/side. The weaker player/side may choose to play one or more of these extra turns at the end of their regular turn.

In Association Croquet (AC) a turn can comprise a number of strokes, and an extra turn is usually called a Bisque; AC also has Half-Bisques, which have limitations on their use.

In Golf Croquet (GC) a turn is a single stroke, and so an extra turn is called an Extra Stroke. (GC does have an alternative method of handicap play, known as Advantage Play, which instead gives a head start to the weaker player/side in the number of points to be scored.)

The number of Bisques/Extra Strokes that the weaker side gets to use for each game is calculated from the difference between the handicaps of the two sides. Players may wish to use the online Handicap Calculator; however, as this is not maintained by Croquet England, if there is a discrepancy with the calculation using the method described in the latest GC Rules, AC Laws or Tournament Regulations, the Croquet England method is paramount.

Every player should have a handicap based on that player's ability: a high number indicates a weaker player, and a low number indicates a stronger player; zero and negative handicaps indicate very strong players.

Linked pages for both AC and GC deal with the following handicapping matters and more:

• The Automatic Handicapping System (AHS)
• Setting an initial handicap
• Handicap cards
• Managing handicaps (including Club, Federation and National Handicappers powers and duties)
• The relationship between handicaps for AC and GC
• Playing on smaller courts
• Short Croquet (SC)
• One-Ball

Follow the link below to view a video presentation by Brian Fisk on The Challenge of Handicapping - a Guide for Club and Federation Handicappers. This is recommended viewing for all new and existing handicappers.

• The Challenge of Handicapping (a VIDEO PRESENTATION by Brian Fisk, Handicap Committee)

For further details of the guidelines and procedures of the two systems, see:

• Association Croquet - including Short Croquet and One-Ball
• Golf Croquet

Information on the Most Improved Player Awards and past winners can be found in the Tournament Honours Section.