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Regulations for Tournaments 2004

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Regulations for Tournaments

These Regulations, which were approved by Council in October, 2000 and amended by its Tournament Committee in 2001 2002, 2003 apply from 1st January, 2003 and will apply unchanged to 2004 season. They are arranged and numbered within Sections identified by a letter. Those of most relevance to players, rather than officials or clubs, are those in section P. They apply to both Golf and Association Croquet, except where stated.

The main changes made in October 2002 and January 2003, were:

  1. Appendix 4: Definition of A Class Championships amended to allow for qualifying blocks.
  2. H1(a): Clarified when changes of handicap should take effect
  3. H1(e): No-one with a handicap greater than 20 may enter an event organised by the CA
  4. H1 (f): New section to clarify eligibility for handicap restricted events
  5. H2 Amended to clarify who may act as tournament handicapper, and to introduce a section on appeals
  6. Appendix 1: Hoop setting conditions modified to remove reference to "Exceptional Conditions"
  7. P4(e) and M1(f) Practise before start of play permitted by default
  8. Various minor changes to clarify where the regulations apply to Golf croquet.

Contents

I. INTRODUCTION
I1 Introduction
C. CLUBS AND OTHER TOURNAMENT ORGANISERS
Cl Calendar Fixtures
C2 Tournament Programme
C3 Procedures For Dealing With Entries
F. FORMATS FOR EVENTS
Fl Knock-Out Events
F2 American Events
F3 Swiss Events
F4 Progressive Swiss Events
F5 Flexible Swiss Events
F6 Egyptian Events
F7 Class Events
H. HANDICAPS
H1 Handicaps
H2 The Tournament Handicapper
H3 Golf and Short Croquet
M. THE MANAGER
M1 Powers and Duties of the Manager
O. OFFICIALS
O1 Officials

P. PLAYERS
P1 Eligibility to Compete in Calendar Fixtures
P2 Conduct
P3 Entries
P4 Conditions of Play
P5 Handicaps
P6 Trophies
R. REFEREES
R1 The Tournament Referee
R2 Referee in Charge
R3 Referee on Call
R4 Referee on Appeal
R5 Spectator Referee
R6 Assistant Referee
R7 Umpire
R8 Golf Croquet
T. TIME LIMITS
T1 Permitted Time Limits
T2 Expiry of Time Limit
T3 Limit on Number of Turns
T4 Golf Croquet
APPENDIX 1 - Hoop Setting, Ball Specification and Inspection Requirements
APPENDIX 2 - CA Trophies>
APPENDIX 3 - Titles for Events in the CA Domain>
APPENDIX 4 - Definitions for Association Croquet Championships

INTRODUCTION

  1. JURISDICTION. The Council of the Croquet Association and the governing bodies of croquet in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America, have agreed that regulations for tournaments held within their respective jurisdictions are a domestic matter for the governing body concerned.
  2. TERMINOLOGY. The Croquet Association and its Council are referred to herein as the "CA" and "Council" respectively; the latter may delegate its powers to its committees. The publication entitled "Fixtures Calendar" is referred to as the "Calendar". A tournament or competition advertised therein to be played within the domain of the CA is referred to as a "Calendar Fixture" and the club or other body responsible for it as the "Organising Body"; "CA Events" are those organised by the CA or by clubs on its behalf.
  3. SCOPE. These Regulations shall apply in all Calendar Fixtures, together with any conditions consistent with them that are specifically published for a particular tournament or event. Games shall be played under one of the following set of Laws:
    1. for Association Croquet, the 6th edition of the "Laws of Association Croquet", or
    2. for Golf Croquet, the "Laws of Golf Croquet" as published by the CA in March. 2000, or
    3. if specifically advertised for Golf Croquet, the "Rules for Golf Croquet" published by the World Croquet Federation in December, 1998.

C. CLUBS AND OTHER TOURNAMENT ORGANISERS

C1 CALENDAR FIXTURES

  1. REQUIREMENTS. If a tournament is to appear in the CA Calendar, the Organising Body must:
    1. submit, no later than 31st August, the proposed dates of the tournament to the CA Secretary or other nominated person, to enable Council to agree the Calendar for the following year;
    2. send, no later than 30th September, a tournament programme which complies with Regulation C2 for insertion in the CA Calendar to the CA Secretary or other nominated person;
    3. provide standard or modified courts laid out and equipped in accordance with the Laws, with hoops set to the standard specified in Appendix 1;
    4. provide balls of identical manufacture and type;
    5. agree with the Manager the maximum number of entries that the capacity of the courts available will allow;
    6. process entries according to Regulation C3;
    7. include in the entry fee for each event such amount for the benefit of the CA, known as Levy, as is determined from time to time by Council.
    8. unless otherwise stated, provide lunches and teas.
    9. unless otherwise stated, make players honorary members of the host club for the duration of the tournament.
  2. RETURNS. The Organising Body must arrange with the Manager or another suitable person to send to the CA Secretary, or other nominated person, as soon as possible after the tournament:
    1. the full results of the tournament in the form notified by the CA;
    2. the total sum of Levy;
    3. any tournament report;
    4. receipt forms for any CA trophies held;
    5. a list of any handicap changes;
    6. details of any incidents alleged or dealt with under Regulations P2, P3(h), P5(b), P6(b), R2(j), or M1(n).

C2 TOURNAMENT PROGRAMME

  1. CONTENTS. A tournament programme must give the following information:
    1. the dates and venue of the tournament;
    2. the nature of each event, any qualifications or restrictions, including handicap or grading, and the entry fee (inclusive of Levy);
    3. notice of any seeding (see Regulation F1(a));
    4. notice of any authorised variations (see (b) below);
    5. the dimensions of any modified courts;
    6. the type of ball to be used;
    7. the width of the hoops if not as in Appendix 1;
    8. the time play will begin on the first day;
    9. the dates by which entries must be received by the Tournament Secretary:
      1. for inclusion in the initial allocation of places (the allocation date, which is recommended to be 4 weeks before the event for championship events and 8 weeks for others);
      2. for inclusion in the list of entries passed to the manager (the closing date, which is recommended to be 2 weeks before the event);
    10. the date and time of the draw, if known; and
    11. the names of the Manager, Tournament Referee and Tournament Handicapper (if known) and the name and address of the Tournament Secretary.
  2. PERMITTED FORMS OF PLAY. Authorised variations for Association Croquet include full bisque handicap play, alternate stroke doubles play; short croquet (see Appendices 3, 4 and 5 respectively of the Laws) and advanced handicap play; for Golf Croquet, the alternative game specified in Law 15 and any other variations approved by Council.
  3. CHAMPIONSHIPS. No event in a calendar fixture may be described as a championship without the permission of Council. The conditions for so doing are given in Appendix 3. Use of certain other titles is also restricted as specified in Appendix 4.
  4. ALTERATIONS. No alterations may be made to the tournament programme without the agreement of the Manager (see M1(j).
  5. DOUBLE BANKING. The expectation is that double banking will be used.

C3 PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH ENTRIES

  1. ACCEPTANCE.
    1. Entries received before the allocation date should be held and considered together on or as soon as possible after that date.
    2. If the number of entries then exceeds the number of places available, the Manager and current trophy holders shall be given priority, after which the players with the highest CGS grade at that date should be selected for championship events and places allocated by ballot for others. For this purpose, the CGS grade of a player who has played less than 10 ranking games during the previous calendar year shall be reduced by 50 points for each year since he last did so.
    3. If not oversubscribed at the allocation date, all the entries submitted should be accepted. Entries received subsequently should be accepted in order of receipt until the event is full or the closing date is reached.
    4. After the closing date, entries may only be accepted with the agreement of the Manager, and a surcharge of 50% of the entry fee may be imposed.
  2. WAITING LIST. Surplus entrants should be notified as soon as possible and, if requested on the entry form placed on a reserve list in the order they would have been accepted if additional places had been available.
  3. REFUNDS. Entry fees must be refunded to unsuccessful applicants in full and to those who withdraw before the closing date less an administrative charge not exceeding £5.
  4. REFUSAL. An Organising Body may refuse an entry on grounds other than those of over-subscription or ineligibility but must give the reason(s) to the person refused on request.

F. FORMATS FOR EVENTS

The following text is intended to apply only to Association Croquet events. Normal practise in virtually all International and national Golf Croquet events has been to use American blocks initially with one or more leading players in the block then competing in a knock out. This has been found to meet most needs in the Golf Croquet calendar, however the Manager may adopt one of the alternative formats described below if he feels that it could apply to his particular circumstances. For deciding the placing in American blocks the following regulation F2(b) shall apply unless alternatives are published otherwise before the start of the tournament

F1 KNOCK-OUT EVENTS

  1. SEEDING IN FIRST CLASS EVENTS. Seeding is permitted in a first-class event if notice is given in the tournament programme. A first-class event is an event played under the conditions of advanced play with unrestricted entry except for restrictions excluding men or women, non-Associates or players with handicaps exceeding a stated number of bisques or other restrictions approved by Council.
  2. SEEDING IN OTHER EVENTS. In other events the draw may be adjusted only in order to avoid as far as possible an early meeting between:
    1. players from the same club; or
    2. close relatives; or
    3. players already drawn to meet in the first round of another event.
  3. SINGLE-LIFE EVENTS. Subject to (a) and (b) above, the draw is compiled by the Bagnall-Wild method as follows:
    1. Subtract the number of entries from the power of 2 (i.e. 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256) greater than or equal to the number of entries. This gives the number of byes.
    2. Subtract the number of byes from the number of entries. This gives the number of players in the first round.
    3. If the number of byes is even, either half are placed at the top of the draw and half at the bottom or, if the number of byes is not divisible by 4 (i.e. 2, 6,10, 14,18 etc.), two more byes may be placed at the bottom than at the top; if the number of byes is odd, one more bye is placed at the bottom than at the top. Within each half the byes may be distributed between the two quarters according to the same principle; similarly within each quarter between each eighth, etc.
    4. The names of the players are then drawn at random and entered on a draw sheet in the order in which they are drawn, starting at the top and numbered accordingly.
    5. If a bona fide entry is omitted, the name of the player is inserted on the draw sheet at the position an additional name would occupy if the number of entries were one greater and any necessary consequential adjustment is made. If there is more than one omission or more than one possible position the matter is decided by lot.
    6. If an entry is included in error, it is struck out and the draw remains valid. Example: 21 entries give 11 byes and 10 players (5 matches) in the first round. Unless the byes are to be more evenly distributed, 5 byes are placed at the top of the draw and 6 at the bottom. Thus the first 5 players to be drawn receive byes, the next 10 players compete in the first round and the last 6 receive byes.
  4. TWO-LIFE EVENTS.
    1. The draw for the first life, known as the Draw, is made in accordance with (c) above.
    2. The draw for the second life, known as the Process, is compiled by entering on a second draw sheet the appropriate series of numbers from the table set out below. Next to each number is entered the name of the player next to that number in the Draw (see (c)(4) above). Any player who is paired with a blank opponent receives a bye. Process order
        Entries                
      1 to 4
        1   3   2   4  
      5 to 8   1 5 3 7 2 6 4 8
      9 to 16 1st 8 1 9 5 13 3 11 7 15
        2nd 8 2 10 6 14 4 12 8 16
      17 to 32 lst 8 1 17 9 25 5 21 13 29
        2nd 8 3 19 11 27 7 23 15 31
        3rd 8 2 18 10 26 6 22 14 30
        4th 8 4 20 12 28 8 24 16 32
      33 to 64 lst 8 1 33 17 49 9 41 25 57
        2nd 8 5 37 21 53 13 45 29 61
        3rd 8 3 35 19 51 11 43 27 59
        4th 8 7 39 23 55 15 47 31 63
        5th 8 2 34 18 50 10 42 26 58
        6th 8 6 38 22 54 14 46 30 62
        7th 8 4 36 20 52 12 44 28 60
        8th 8 8 40 24 56 16 48 32 64
      For 65 to 128 players, additional columns are generated by adding 64 to each number for 33 to 64 entries and insetting the result immediately to the right of that number.
    3. If the entry is mid-way between powers of two, to avoid an unbalanced draw and a large number of isolated byes in the process, a draw may alternatively be made as though the entry were the nearest higher power of two; the required number of byes inserted in the positions required to minimise this; the draw, including the byes, processed as in the table above; and finally the byes removed by moving the player paired with them to the 2nd round. For example, for a draw with between 31 and 17 competitors inclusive, byes should be inserted in order up to the number required in positions 31, 2, 21, 12; 29, 4, 23, 10; 25, 8, 19, 14; 27, 6, 17, 16.
    4. The winner of the Draw plays an extra match against the winner of the Process to decide the event winner. If the same player wins both halves of the event, the defeated finalists in the Draw and Process may play off for second place.
  5. TWO-LIFE VARIATIONS.
    1. These variations reduce a two-life event to a single-life event, so may only be introduced in a first-class event (as defined in (a) above) in an emergency.
    2. VARIATION A. This is introduced when both lives have reached the semi-final stage and there are fewer than eight players involved. The draw is compiled on a draw sheet containing positions numbered from 1 to 8.
      1. 7 players: the player in both lives is placed in position 1 and receives a bye; position 2 is blank and the other players are drawn by lot to fill positions 3 to 8.
      2. 6 players: the two players in both lives are placed in positions 1 and 8 and receive byes; positions 2 and 7 are blank and the other players are drawn by lot to fill positions 3 to 6.
      3. 5 players: the three players in both lives are drawn by lot to fill positions 1,3 and 8 and receive byes; positions 2,4 and 7 are blank and the other players are drawn by lot to fill positions 5 and 6.
      4. 4 players: all players are drawn by lot to occupy the four semi-final places.
    3. VARIATION B. This is introduced when both lives have reached the final stage and there are fewer than four players involved.
      1. 3 players: the player in both lives plays the winner of a game between the other two players.
      2. 2 players: they play each other once.
  6. XY AND XYZ EVENTS.
    1. THE X EVENT. The players are drawn in accordance with (c) above.
    2. THE Y EVENT. Players who lose their first match in the X enter the Y automatically in the same order as they were drawn in the X.
    3. THE Z EVENT (if played). Players who lose their second match in the X or their first match in the Y enter the Z automatically, but in any order the Manager thinks fit.
    4. Byes and, in XY events, walkovers do not count as a win. Competitors who scratch from the X or Y may not enter the Y or Z.

F2 AMERICAN EVENTS

Unless otherwise advertised in advance or announced before the start of the event, the method of determining a block winner is as follows:

  1. PRIMARY CONDITION. The winner is the player who has won the most games.
  2. TIE-BREAKS. If there is a tie on games
    1. between two players, the winner is the winner of the game between them; or
    2. between more than two players, the winner is the player who has won most of the games between the players in the tie; or
    3. if there is still a tie, Regulation M1(i)(6) may be applied.
  3. INCOMPLETE BLOCKS.
    1. The results of a player who, for any cause, has completed less than half of the largest number of games completed by a player in his block will be deleted from the block.
    2. A player who has lost all the games he has completed shall be deemed to have lost the remainder. The results of any remaining incomplete games will be randomly determined by the Manager, such that the probabilities of each player winning a game are in the same ratio as the percentage of their completed games that they have each won. E.g. if A has won 6/8 and B 3/6, A will be given a 60% chance and B a 40% chance when determining the result of the game between them.
    3. Whatever the outcome of (2) above, any player who failed to complete one or more games in his block will be treated, for the purpose of assessing his own results (but not that of his opponents), as having lost them, unless the Manager is satisfied that he was prevented from completing them by events outside the player's control.
    4. Having applied (1)-(3) above as necessary, players will be ranked as in (a) and (b) above, except that F2(b)(1) and (2) shall only apply when all the relevant games have been completed.

F3 SWISS EVENTS

  1. NUMBER OF ROUNDS. The number of rounds should normally be at least two greater than the number of rounds required in a single fife knock-out event for the same entry.
  2. DETERMINATION OF PAIRINGS. The following rules are applied in the order in which they appear.
    1. Positions in the draw for the first round are determined by lot.
    2. No player may play the same opponent more than once except in the final round as a tie-break under Regulation M1(i)(6).
    3. After each round all players are grouped in order of their cumulative scores. The players within each group are then ordered as in the previous round.
    4. Pairings for the next round are generated by pairing players as follows:
      1. the top two players
      2. the bottom two players
      3. the top two unpaired players
      4. the bottom two unpaired players and so on until all players are paired.
    5. A player who cannot be paired under (4) above is paired instead with the unpaired player whose record is closest to his own.
  3. BYES AND DEFAULTS
    1. If the number of players is odd, or becomes odd by a player withdrawing, then, for pairing purposes, an imaginary player named Bye is introduced whose score is permanently zero. If a real player is paired with Bye in any round, he is deemed to win by the maximum margin. Bye is withdrawn if the number of real players later becomes even.
    2. If a player defaults in any round, his opponent is deemed to win by the maximum margin.
    3. No player may be paired with Bye more than once.
  4. DETERMINATION OF THE WINNER.
    1. The winner is the player who has won the most games.
    2. If there is a tie between two players who have played each other, the winner is the winner of the game between them.
    3. If there is a tie between more than two players all of whom have played each other, the winner is the player who has won the most games in the games between the players in the tie.
    4. If there is a tie between more than two players, not all of whom have played each other, the winner is the player who has defeated all the other players in the tie.
    5. If there is still a tie, Regulation M1(h)(6) may be applied.

F4 PROGRESSIVE SWISS EVENTS

  1. CONCEPT. A Progressive Swiss is a Swiss played as a consolation event for a single-life knock out competition, which players enter as they are eliminated from the main event.
  2. DETERMINATION OF PAIRINGS. After each round, the players eliminated from the corresponding round of the main event are included, credited with their record in the main event. They are inserted in draw order, above any players in the plate event with the same number of wins. Pairings are then determined as in a Swiss.

F5 FLEXIBLE SWISS EVENTS

  1. CONCEPT. A Flexible Swiss is similar to a Swiss in that players are paired against those with similar records, with the exception that players need not play the same number of games. A player may, with the Manager's agreement, choose to declare himself unavailable for the time being.
  2. SUITABILITY. A Flexible Swiss format may be used for consolation, qualifying or other events where determining a single winner is not of prime importance.
  3. DETERMINATION OF PAIRINGS. When the Manager decides that games are to be started, the available players who have been waiting longest, up to the number required to fill the available lawns, are ranked according to the percentage of games they have won in the event (including any main event for which this is a consolation) so far. They are then paired as in Regulation F3(b)(4-5).
  4. DETERMINATION OF THE WINNER. The winner, or qualifiers, shall be those with the greatest percentage of games won, subject to any minimum number of games declared by the manager. In the event of a tie between two or more players who have all played each other, the winner is the player who has won most of the games between them. If this does not resolve the tie, Regulation M1(i)(6) may be applied or the title shared.

F6 EGYPTIAN EVENTS

An Egyptian event is played as a Flexible Swiss except that players are assigned an index which is adjusted according to a published procedure according to the result of each game. Players may be paired arbitrarily when games are to be started and the winner is determined according to ranking rather than percentage of games won.

F7 CLASS EVENTS

  1. DRAW. When there are events played in classes according to handicap, players must be drawn in such classes as their official handicaps entitle them to enter, subject to Regulation M1(h)(5).
  2. SUBSEQUENT CHANGE. If a player is correctly drawn in a class but becomes ineligible before he begins to play therein, he must be removed from that class and treated as an entry accidentally included therein and accidentally omitted from the class to which he now belongs (see Regulations F1(c)(5-6)).

H. HANDICAPS

H1 HANDICAPS

  1. HANDICAP EVENTS. In a handicap event a competitor must play each game at his correct handicap as it was at the start of the tournament. For tournaments which run over several weeks, such as the Longman or Mary Rose, each round shall count as a separate tournament for the purposes of this regulation. A player may not enter a calendar fixture without an official handicap.
  2. HANDICAPPING PROCEDURES. Council is empowered to issue procedures for giving new handicaps and altering existing handicaps, which are published from time to time and appear on the CA web-site.
  3. OFFICIAL HANDICAPS. Once assigned an initial handicap, players are responsible for recording their results and calculating any change in their handicap resulting from operation of the published procedures. They must ensure that any change is notified, via a Tournament or Club Handicapper, to the CA Secretary. Handicaps of Associates will be recorded on the CA database and may be published in the CA Directory. (Note: No provision has as yet been made for Golf Croquet handicaps to be recorded by the CA office.)
  4. HANDICAP RANGE. For Association Croquet, handicaps range from -3 to 5 in half-bisque increments and from 5 upwards in whole bisque increments (though only even handicaps are assigned automatically above 12 by the procedures currently defined under (b) above). For Golf Croquet handicaps range from -4 to +6 in single stroke increments.
  5. HANDICAP MAXIMUM LIMITS. No player whose handicap is over 20 when they enter may play in an event organised by the CA. This limit does not normally apply to events organised by clubs, although any limit may be advertised in advance. For Association Croquet doubles, the maximum handicap a player may have is 20. Subject to this, singles handicaps are used for doubles.
  6. ELIGIBILITY FOR EVENTS. Limits on the handicaps of players eligible to take part may be set for some events. Where this is the case, a player whose handicap falls outside of the set limits will still be eligible to play provided that their handicap was within the set limits at the closing date for entries, or, if no closing date is published, one week prior to the start date of the tournament. For inter-club tournaments such as the Mary Rose and the Longman played over several weeks, each round is considered a separate event and the closing date to be one week prior to the round being played.

H2 THE TOURNAMENT HANDICAPPER

  1. APPOINTMENT. Where an Association Handicapper is available to act he shall be appointed as Tournament Handicapper. Where an Association Handicapper is not available but a Club Handicapper is he shall be appointed as Tournament Handicapper. Where neither an Association nor Club Handicapper is available, another suitable person shall be appointed by the Organising Body, who shall have the powers of a Club Handicapper for the duration of the tournament.
  2. POWERS AND DUTIES. The powers and duties of a Tournament Handicapper are as follows.
    1. REPORTING. To record changes to players' handicaps and report them to the CA Secretary.
    2. ALTERING. To alter official handicaps after an event, when necessary, according to published procedures.
    3. ENFORCING. To act as necessary under Regulation P5(b).
  3. APPEALS. An Appeals Committee established under O1(c) may only overturn the decision of a tournament Handicapper if it is chaired by an Association Handicapper.

H3 GOLF AND SHORT CROQUET

The reporting requirements in this section do not apply to Golf Croquet or Short Croquet, for which separate handicapping regulations apply.

M. THE MANAGER

M1 POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE MANAGER

The powers and duties of the Manager of a tournament are as follows.

  1. ENTRIES. To advise the Organising Body of the maximum number of entries that can be accommodated.
  2. DRAW. To superintend or make the draw or to nominate another to do so on his behalf.
  3. ORDER OF PLAY. To decide the order in which events are played.
  4. COURTS. To allot courts to competitors and to declare any court to be unfit for play.
  5. HOURS OF PLAY. To decide when play shall start and finish each day of the tournament.
  6. PRACTISE. To decide when players may practise on the courts and inform them if they are not permitted to practise in accordance with Regulation P4(e).
  7. ADJOURNMENT. To adjourn an unfinished game, provided that no hall is in a critical position (see Law 6(d)), and to record the state of the game or to nominate another to do so on his behalf.
  8. LEAVE. To grant or refuse leave of absence to players.
  9. PROGRAMME. To alter the tournament programme at his discretion, namely:
    1. to impose time limits under Regulation T1;
    2. to shorten games in accordance with Section 3D of the Laws;
    3. to play the final game of an event in which the games have been shortened or subject to a time-limit as a full game;
    4. to play a single-life event as two-life, best of three, American or Swiss, or play later rounds of an event advertised as best of three as best of some larger odd number;
    5. to alter handicap limits in class events and make consequential adjustments to entries;
    6. to impose tie-breaks of such form as he thinks fit, advertising the procedure to be used before the event starts where the possibility of a tie can reasonably be anticipated;
    7. to introduce a two-life variation under Regulation F1(e);
    8. to introduce double-banking;
    9. to allow extra time for double-banked games or in an emergency;
    10. to specify the width of the hoops within the range advertised for the event, in the light of the conditions and standard of play.
  10. CONSULTATION. To agree with the Organising Body other alterations to the tournament programme which do not contravene the Laws and these Regulations.
  11. INFORMATION. To keep players and spectators informed of any alterations to the programme and of the progress of the event. If so agreed with the Organising Body, to submit results and other information for wider publication and to assist anyone reporting or sponsoring the tournament.
  12. TROPHIES. If so agreed with the Organising Body, to make arrangements for the presentation of any trophies and to obtain receipts for them.
  13. DISQUALIFICATION. To disqualify a player if he is found to be in breach of Regulations P1, P2 or P3(d).
  14. SANCTIONS. To impose such sanction as he sees fit, including, in the last resort, disqualification, on any player who is found to be:
    1. absent or unable to play when called upon by the Manager; or
    2. practising on the courts without the Manager's permission; or
    3. refusing to play in flat-soled footwear; or
    4. guilty of misconduct.
  15. EMERGENCIES. To take such other actions as may be appropriate in an emergency to safeguard the well-being and interests of players, spectators, the Organising Body and any host club.

O. OFFICIALS

O1 OFFICIALS

  1. APPOINTMENT. Every tournament must have a Tournament Referee, Handicapper and Manager appointed by the Organising Body. The appointment of the Tournament Handicapper must be made in accordance with H2(a). A person may be appointed to more than one of these posts.
  2. POWERS AND DUTIES. These officials are together responsible, each so far as his powers and duties are herein defined, for the interpretation and enforcement of the Laws and Regulations and the administration of the tournament.
  3. APPEALS COMMITTEE. The Organising Body may also appoint an appeals committee to hear appeals against decisions of the Manager or (in accordance with H2(c)) Handicapper, or allegations that the Tournament Referee is acting improperly.
  4. DIRECTOR. The Organising Body may appoint a Director to liaise with the host club about arrangements before and during the tournament, such as for trophies and publicity, and with the Manager under Regulations M1(j-k).

P. PLAYERS

P1 ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE IN CALENDAR FIXTURES

  1. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CROQUET ASSOCIATION.
    1. Subject to (2) and (3) below, only Individual Members of the CA paying the Standard, Junior or Overseas rate of subscription (see page 16), and of any overseas associations for which reciprocal arrangements apply, compete in Calendar Fixtures.
    2. Council may remove or relax this restriction for certain Calendar Fixtures ("exempt fixtures"). The following are currently exempt: Open Championships. Golf Croquet Open Championships. Men's and Women's Championships, All-England Handicap Championship, All-England Handicap Golf Croquet Championship, Longman, Secretary's Shield, National Short Croquet, Junior, Student and Schools Championships.
    3. A player in his first ever non-exempt calendar fixture is not subject to (1) above.
  2. PROFESSIONALS.
    1. A professional croquet player ("a professional") may not compete in a calendar fixture if notice has been given in the tournament programme in accordance with Regulation C2(a)(2) that professionals are excluded therefrom.
    2. A professional is defined as a player who has received and retained total prize money (including appearance money) exceeding the aggregate prize limit in the twelve months preceding the relevant calendar fixture.
    3. The aggregate prize limit will be determined from time to time by Council. It is currently £5,000.
  3. ASSUMED NAMES. An Associate may compete in a tournament under an assumed name if he has registered it with the CA Secretary and paid a fee of such amount as is determined from time to time by Council. The fee is currently £5.

P2 CONDUCT

  1. DOPING.
    1. Doping is forbidden, in order to protect the rights and health of players and to protect the values of fair play in sport.
    2. The substances and procedures prohibited are those included in the International Olympic Committee List of Doping Classes and Methods, with the exclusion of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine and their metabolites.
    3. Paragraphs (4) and (5) below apply only to players during:
      1. Competitions designated by Council; or
      2. other Calendar Fixtures, where the substance or procedure has not been prescribed by a doctor.
    4. An offence under this Regulation is committed when:
      1. a prohibited substance or procedure is found to be present in a person's body tissue or fluids; or
      2. a person is found or admits to having used a prohibited substance or method; or
      3. a person is found or admits to having assisted, induced or caused another player to use a prohibited substance or method; or
      4. a person fails or refuses to comply with, or interferes with or obstructs, the provisions of (5) below.
    5. A player must submit to a doping test at any time when requested by an official designated by Council. Testing will be carried out by bodies approved or accredited in accordance with the requirements from time to time of the Medical Commission of the International Olympics Committee and in accordance with their recommended procedures.
    6. A player found to have committed an offence under (4) above, or comparable regulations of other Associations recognised by Council for this purpose, shall be disqualified from any events in which he was competing at the time of, or subsequent to, the offence and shall remain ineligible to compete in calendar fixtures for such period as shall be determined by Council.
  2. GAMBLING.
    1. A player may not accept bets on himself nor place them on his immediate opponent.
    2. A player or official may not bet nor take bets or positions of a significant amount on an event whose outcome he could influence.
    3. A player or member of the CA, whether or not he is competing in an event, may not offer any inducement to another player or official to influence it, nor may such an inducement be accepted.
  3. MISCONDUCT. A player who contravenes these Regulations is liable to disciplinary action by the CA, which may include disqualification or a period of ineligibility to play in future calendar fixtures, in addition to any sanction imposed during the event. Any action taken by the Manager under Regulations M1(m) or M1(n), a Referee under Regulation R2(j), or the Tournament Handicapper under Regulation H2(c), shall be reported to the Secretary of the CA for this purpose.

P3 ENTRIES

  1. PROCEDURE. Unless otherwise stated, entries for each individual tournament must be made to the advertised Tournament Secretary on a separate copy of the official CA form, giving all the information requested thereon. Copies of the form are printed at the back of the Calendar or can be downloaded from the CA website. Any subsequent changes to the information supplied must be notified to the Tournament Secretary before the closing date, if possible, or to the Manager thereafter.
  2. TIMING. For best chance of acceptance, entries should be sent so as to arrive before the allocation date (see Regulation C2(a)(9)): all the places may be allocated on that date if sufficient entries are received. Between then and the closing date, entries will be accepted or placed on a waiting list in order of receipt. Thereafter, entries will only be accepted at the discretion of the Manager, who should be approached directly, and may be subject to a surcharge of 50% of the entry fee. The surcharge will generally be applied to CA events.
  3. DOUBLES. Entries for doubles events should include the name of the partner, failing which the Manager will allocate one if available.
  4. PAYMENT. Unless otherwise stated, entries should be accompanied by the advertised entry fee, in the form of a cheque payable to the host club, for all events entered. The entry fee includes the CA Levy and groundsmen's gratuities where appropriate. An entry may be refused if the fee has not been paid prior to the advertised date of the draw. If, however, the entry is accepted, the player becomes liable to pay the total fee and may be disqualified for non-payment.
  5. CONFIRMATION. Acceptance of entries will be confirmed only if accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope, or as otherwise stated. If acknowledgement of receipt is also required, a second s.a.e. should be sent.
  6. REFUSAL. Entries to events which are oversubscribed will be dealt with under Regulation C3. Tournament organisers reserve the right to refuse an entry on other grounds, but are required under Regulation C3(d) to give their reason(s) to the entrant on request.
  7. WITHDRAWAL. If an entrant who has been accepted withdraws before the closing date, the entry fee will be refunded, less an administrative charge not exceeding £5 for each refund. A player who withdraws after the closing date is not entitled to a refund, and none will be made for CA events.
  8. LATE WITHDRAWAL. Only in the case of illness, injury or personal emergency, and then after giving as much notice as is practicable, may a player withdraw after the advertised date of the draw, or default during an event. Any contravention of this regulation shall render the player liable to disciplinary action and shall be reported by the Organising Body to the CA Secretary for this purpose.
  9. OVERCOMMITTAL. All entries are accepted on the condition that a player may not continue to compete in more than one event if the Manager considers that the progress of the tournament is thereby being unduly delayed. However, if a player is scratched from an event for this reason before he has played a match, his entry fee must be refunded.
  10. UNDERTAKING. By entering, players undertake to abide by these Regulations.

P4 CONDITIONS OF PLAY

  1. HOURS OF PLAY. Unless otherwise advertised, play will commence at 9.30 am. The Manager may vary this time at his discretion. Players must be prepared to play until dusk.
  2. REPORTING. All players must report to the Manager on arrival and before leaving each day. Any player who is not present or is otherwise unable to play when called upon to do so is liable to be scratched under Regulation M1(n).
  3. LEAVE. Unless otherwise stated, no leave will be granted until the draw is made. Applications for leave on the first day will be considered immediately after the draw. Leave at other times should be requested as early as possible. The Manager may refuse leave in the interests of the tournament.
  4. ATTIRE. Flat-soled footwear must be worn on the lawns and, unless otherwise permitted, predominantly white clothing should be worn.
  5. PRACTISE. Unless otherwise informed by the Manager, players may assume that they may practise during the five minutes prior to the advertised start of play on the court allocated for their first match, taking care not to loosen the hoops.

P5 HANDICAPS

  1. BEFORE PLAY. Every player is obliged to record on his entry form his current official handicap (see Regulation H1(c)) and, if different, his current club handicap. Any subsequent alteration must be reported to the Tournament Secretary before the draw or to the Manager thereafter, if it may affect the block or class into which the player is drawn, or to the Manager on arrival at the tournament otherwise. A player who enters an event which is restricted on handicap may play in the event if his handicap is outside of the specified range only under the conditions specified in Regulation H1(f). If a player is no longer entitled to play because of a handicap change, he must immediately inform the Tournament Secretary. A player should bring his handicap card so that it is available in case of any query.
  2. DURING PLAY. Every player bears the final responsibility for ensuring that he plays at the correct handicap. If a player plays in a handicap event at a handicap higher than that to which he is entitled or in a class event that his handicap does not entitle him to enter, he may be disqualified. In knockout events in which he has not been defeated, his place is taken by his last opponent. In American, Swiss, or Egyptian events his record is deleted from the event. As an alternative to disqualification, the Tournament Handicapper may allow the player to continue to play at his incorrect handicap, if it is in the interests of the tournament, but the player may not win any prize.
  3. AFTER PLAY. Any player whose handicap has changed automatically at the end of an event must report that change to the Handicapper or Manager before leaving the tournament.

P6 TROPHIES

  1. CONDITIONS FOR HOLDING. Unless otherwise stated, winners of trophies may hold them for one year or until next competed for, whichever period is shorter. Winners of CA trophies may only hold them under the conditions set out in Appendix 2.
  2. FAILURE TO RETURN. Trophy holders are responsible for returning trophies before the end of the period during which they may hold them under (a) above. Disciplinary action, including a ban on holding trophies, may be taken against a trophy holder who fails to do so and any such cases shall be reported by the Organising Body to the CA Secretary for this purpose.

R. REFEREES

R1 THE TOURNAMENT REFEREE

The powers and duties of the Tournament Referee are as follows.

  1. ASSISTANTS AND APPEALS. To nominate, at his discretion, Referees or Assistant Referees from the official list of referees to assist him in the duties specified below. If there are insufficient official referees available, he may nominate other suitable persons. There is no appeal from the decision of a Referee or Assistant Referee except to the Tournament Referee, before the next stroke, on questions of law and decisions under Law 55 or Regulation R2(j). If the Tournament Referee will be absent or unavailable at any time, he must appoint a Deputy, from whose decision, while acting as Tournament Referee, there is no appeal.
  2. COURT SETTING. To check that the accuracy of court settings and tournament equipment is in accordance with the advertised tournament conditions.
  3. REFEREE IN CHARGE. To place himself or a Referee nominated under (a) above in Charge of a game, either at his discretion and after informing the players accordingly or at the request of either side.
  4. OTHER REFEREEING. To be available or to see that an official nominated under (a) above is available to act as a Referee on Call or as a Referee on Appeal or as an Umpire.

R2 REFEREE IN CHARGE

The powers and duties of a Referee in Charge of a game are as follows:

  1. INFORM HIMSELF. If he takes charge of a game already in progress, to ascertain the state of the game. If the players disagree, he must settle the dispute as a Referee on Appeal.
  2. ACT AS EVER VIGILANT ADVERSARY. To give his attention entirely to the game and to act as an ever-vigilant adversary. The presence of a Referee in Charge neither relieves the striker of his obligation nor deprives the adversary of his right to warn that a questionable stroke is about to be played or to draw attention to any error that may have been committed.
  3. ADJUDICATE STROKES. To take up the most favourable position for adjudicating the fairness and effect of a questionable stroke. In Association Croquet the Referee in Charge should not go on to the court unless a questionable stroke is about to be played. In Golf Croquet the referee in charge remains on court for the duration of the game.
  4. GIVE DECISIONS. To decide all questions of fact and law, subject to the right of either player to appeal to the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a). When adjudicating whether one ball is wired from another the benefit of any doubt should be given to the claimant.
  5. GIVE INFORMATION. On request, to give any information to any player concerning the state of the game at any time. However, for Association Croquet, a decision whether one ball is wired from another may not be given unless a player is claiming a wiring lift at the start of a turn.
  6. STATE LAW. To state at his discretion or if appealed to what the law on any matter is. Such information may be given before any stroke likely to be affected is played. He may not otherwise advise a player. He must not state whether a ball has been moved or shaken when a wiring lift may ensue unless asked by a player.
  7. EXPLAIN FAULTS. To explain to a player who has committed a fault the nature of the fault, either at his discretion or on request.
  8. CORRECT SETTING. If practical and not detrimental to any other game on the court:
    1. at the request of either player, to correct the setting of the court and its equipment before the start of a game;
    2. at the request of either player, to reset a boundary marking, hoop or the peg to its previous state following a material change to it;
    3. at the striker's request only, to correct the setting, other than location, of a hoop or the peg, performing tests and adjusting balls as specified in Laws 3(a)(3) and 3(b)(3).
  9. REPAIR DAMAGE. At his discretion, to repair any special damage on the court.
  10. PENALISE BREACHES. To penalise any player for breaches of the Laws or other blameworthy conduct as best meets the justice of the case. In the last resort, he may disqualify a player. These powers should be exercised sparingly and any player aggrieved by a decision of a Referee may appeal to the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a).
  11. EMERGENCY POWER. To do anything else necessary to discharge his duties as a Referee in Charge.

R3 REFEREE ON CALL

A Referee on Call is the Tournament Referee or other Referee nominated under Regulation R1(a) who is asked to act before an event has occurred. Subject as follows, his powers and duties are identical to those of a Referee in Charge while he is so acting. He remains in charge until he quits the court in the belief that his duties have been discharged.

  1. INFORM HIMSELF. He must first inform himself of the state of the game so far as it relates to the matter on which he has been called. If the players disagree, he must settle the dispute as a Referee on Appeal.
  2. WIRING LIFTS. If he is called to adjudicate a wiring lift, he must confirm that the claimant has not yet started his turn and that the adversary is responsible for the position of the relevant ball.
  3. APPEALS. Either player may appeal to the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a).

R4 REFEREE ON APPEAL

A Referee on Appeal is the Tournament Referee or other Referee nominated under Regulation R1(a) who is asked to give a decision on any matter of fact or law after an event has occurred. He may decide the matter by observation or investigation or both. Subject as follows, his powers and duties are identical to those of a Referee in Charge while he is so acting. He remains in charge until he quits the court in the belief that his duties have been discharged.

  1. PERSONAL OBSERVATION. If the Referee on Appeal witnessed the relevant event and is satisfied that he can decide the matter without investigation, he must inform the players that he is deciding the appeal by observation and give his decision accordingly.
  2. INVESTIGATION. In other cases the Referee on Appeal must decide the appeal after investigation. He should hear both sides and, at his discretion, other witnesses. He must inform the players of anything that he has observed that may be relevant. He must then decide the matter to the best of his ability.
  3. COMPROMISE DECISIONS. In the last resort the Referee on Appeal may give a compromise decision. This may involve arbitrary adjustment of the positions of the clips and balls, the number of bisques outstanding or the amount of time remaining and the order of play. The Referee on Appeal may direct that a game must be restarted.
  4. FAULTS. The Referee on Appeal may not decide that a fault has been committed under Law 28(a) unless he is satisfied of the fact by personal observation or by the evidence of the striker or a Spectator Referee who personally observed the fault.
  5. APPEALS. Either player may appeal to the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a).

R5 SPECTATOR REFEREE

A Spectator Referee is a Referee not in charge, on call or on appeal whose powers and duties are confined to the following.

  1. ERRORS. To intervene to ensure that play is lawfully continued after an error is claimed or admitted.
  2. ERRONEOUS INFORMATION. To intervene if he hears a player giving erroneous information on the Laws to his adversary.
  3. BALL WRONGLY REMOVED. To intervene in a handicap game if a ball is wrongly removed from the game in breach of Law 38.
  4. VOLUNTEER INFORMATION. To volunteer relevant information to a Referee on Appeal.
  5. BECOME IN CHARGE. To apply to the Tournament Referee to be placed in charge of a game. If so appointed after he has observed that a particular error has been committed, he may not act in respect of that error or draw attention to a misplaced clip until the error has been claimed or admitted or the Unlit of claims has passed.

R6 ASSISTANT REFEREE (Association Croquet Only)

An Assistant Referee nominated by the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a) may act in a limited capacity as Referee on Call or a Referee on Appeal. When so acting, his powers and duties comprise the following.

  1. ON CALL. To act as a Referee on Call to decide whether:
    1. a ball hits another ball; or
    2. a ball is moved or shaken; or
    3. a ball hits the peg; or
    4. a claim for a wiring lift is valid; or
    5. a fault is committed in a stroke.
  2. ON APPEAL. To act as Referee on Appeal to decide whether:
    1. a ball has run a hoop in order or is in position to do so; or
    2. a ball is off the court.

R7 UMPIRE (Association Croquet Only)

An Umpire is a suitable person nominated by the Tournament Referee under Regulation R1(a) whose powers and duties are confined to the following.

  1. ON CALL. To act as a Referee on Call to decide whether:
    1. a ball hits another ball; or
    2. a ball is moved or shaken; or
    3. a ball hits the peg.
  2. ON APPEAL. To act as Referee on Appeal to decide whether:
    1. a ball has run a hoop in order or is in position to do so; or
    2. a ball is off the court.

R8 GOLF CROQUET

  1. REFEREES
    1. Wherever possible in international and major domestic events, the Referee of the Tournament will appoint a Referee in Charge for each game.
    2. The powers and duties of a Referee in Charge include controlling all aspects of the game, such as when it is to start, the toss, the determination of whether a hoop has been scored and recording the score. He shall remain on the lawn throughout the game in such a position as to observe all play. He shall forestall play if he is not in a suitable position to observe a particular stroke, needs to mark the position of a ball, of notices if any player is about to play out of sequence, but shall not otherwise interfere with it.
  2. PEGS. In Regulation R2(h), "the peg" includes the half-way pegs.
  3. NON-APPLICABILITY. Regulations R3(b) and R6(a)(4) (wiring lifts) and R5(c), R6(a)(3) and R7(a)(3) (pegging out) do not apply.
  4. FAULTS. References to faults are those in the Laws of Golf Croquet under which the game is being played and include both striking and non-striking faults.

T. TIME LIMITS

Regulations T1 to T3 apply to Association Croquet only. Regulation T4 applies to Golf Croquet only.

T1 PERMITTED TIME LIMITS

  1. BEFORE A GAME. The Manager may impose a time limit of not less than 3 hours (2.5 hours in a week-end tournament):
    1. on all games in an event, provided that such a time limit is advertised in advance or announced at the tournament before the start of the event, in which case, subject to Regulation M1(i)(3), it may not be removed; or
    2. on each game in any round of an event.
  2. DURING A GAME. If no time limit has been imposed under (a) above, the Manager may impose a time limit of one hour on any game that has been in progress for at least 2 hours (1.5 hours in a week-end tournament).
  3. OTHER FORMS OF PLAY. The time limits that may be imposed under Regulation T1(a) above for other forms of play are:
    1. For matches that are best of three games, cumulative limits of 4, 7 and 9 hours for the first, second and third game respectively. Time taken to complete a game after time has expired is deducted from that available for subsequent ones. These are known as standard time limits and, unless otherwise advertised, are also the minimum time limits that may be applied.
    2. For 14pt games on full sized courts, not less than 1½ hours.
    3. For short croquet, or 14pt games on courts that are less than ¾ size, not less than 1 hour.

T2 EXPIRY OF TIME LIMIT

  1. GENERAL PROCEDURE.
    1. When a time limit has been imposed on a game, the players should arrange for an independent person or, failing that, one of themselves to be responsible for announcing audibly that the time limit has been reached.
    2. Play then continues for an extension period in which the striker completes his turn and his adversary plays one subsequent turn. For the sole purpose of determining whether the striker's turn ends before or after time is called, it is deemed that his turn ends and the adversary's turn begins as soon as he strikes the striker's ball or is deemed to have played it in the last stroke of his turn.
    3. The side which has scored the greater number of points at the end of the extension period is the winner. If each side has scored the same number of points, play continues and the side for which the next point is scored is the winner (any points scored subsequently in the stroke are ignored).
  2. HANDICAP GAMES. No half-bisque or bisque may he played during the extension period or immediately thereafter by the player in play when the extension period ends. If play continues after the end of the extension period under (a)(3) above, any half-bisque or bisques may then be played.
  3. RESTORATION OR ADJUSTMENT OF TIME. This Regulation is subject to Law 53(g)(2) and Regulation R4(c).

T3 LIMIT ON NUMBER OF TURNS

  1. APPLICABILITY. As an alternative to a one-hour time limit imposed under Regulation T1(b), or to the final hour of a time limit imposed under T1(a), the Manager may limit instead the number of further turns to twelve (exclusive of any bisque turns) to be played by each side.
  2. START. The additional turns shall start after the end of the extension period defined in Regulation T2(a)(2).
  3. END. If the game has not ended before these turns are completed, the side that has scored the greater number of points is the winner. If each side has scored the same number of points, play continues as in Regulation T2(a)(3)

T4 GOLF CROQUET

  1. PERMITTED TIME LIMITS.
    1. BEFORE A GAME. The Manager may impose a time limit of not less than 45 minutes for a 13 point game, or 50 minutes if double banked.
      1. on all games in an event, provided that such a time limit is advertised in advance or announced at the tournament before the start of the event, in which case, subject to Regulation M1(i)(3), it may not be removed; or
      2. on each game in any round of an event.
    2. DURING A GAME. If no time limit has been imposed under (a) above, the Manager may impose a time limit of no less than a further 15 minutes on any game that has been in progress for at least 45 minutes (50 minutes with double banking).
    3. OTHER FORMS OF PLAY. The time limits that may be imposed under Regulation T4(a) above for other forms of play are:
      1. For matches that are best of three games, cumulative limits of 50, 90 and 120 minutes for the first, second and third game respectively. Time taken to complete a game after time has expired is deducted from that available for subsequent ones. If a match consists of more than three games, the time limits shall be extended by 30 minutes for each additional game. These are known as standard time limits and, unless otherwise advertised, are also the minimum time limits that may be applied.
      2. For 19 point games, the minimum time limits specified in T4(a)1 and T4(a)2 above will be 60 minutes or 70 minutes if double banked.
  2. EXPIRY OF TIME LIMIT. When the time allowed expires, play shall continue for a further eight strokes. After these additional strokes, the winner shall be the side which has scored the most points, unless the scores are equal. Unless it has been published before the start of the event that a tied outcome is acceptable, play continues and the side for which the next point is scored shall be the winner (any points scored subsequently in the stroke are ignored). In handicap games, additional strokes may not be taken after the expiry of the time limit, except that unused additional strokes may be taken after any additional strokes played because the scores are level. For the sole purpose of determining whether the striker's turn ends before or after time is called, it is deemed that his turn ends and the adversary's turn begins as soon as he strikes the striker's ball.

APPENDIX 1 Hoop Setting, Ball Specification and Inspection Requirements

1. Acceptance Standards
Hoop Width: The clearance is defined as the difference between the distance between the inside edges of the uprights at half-ball height and the maximum diameter of the largest ball to be used on the lawn. Unless otherwise advertised in the Fixtures Calendar, or as stated below, hoops must be set such that the clearance is as near as possible equal to, but not less than, 1/16" for Championship and other events played under conditions of Advanced Play, and 1/8" for other, including mixed, events, with an upward tolerance of 50%.
On the recommendation of the manager, the organising body may alter the advertised clearance by up to 50% in steps of 1/32" in either direction, provided that this and the reason for it is publicised before play starts that day.
Hoop Rigidity: Hoops must be set firmly and securely such that no perceptible movement occurs when the crown is pushed/pulled with considerable force.
Ground Condition Local to Hoops: Hoops should be set in ground that is level and flat. The jaws of hoops should be free of "rabbit runs" and the hoop approach areas should not contain defects that will deflect a ball from its intended course.
Ball Roundness: The diameters of all balls used on a lawn are to differ by no more than 1/32" for championship conditions and 1/16" for others.

2. Inspection Hoops: The Referee of the Tournament or his agent shall inspect every hoop each morning before play begins for both width and rigidity. Hoops which do not satisfy the acceptance standards should be re-set.

3. New Hoop Holes To satisfy the acceptance standards on hoop width and rigidity and maintain them throughout a tournament, the hoops should be set into new holes immediately prior to the tournament. The size and depth of the initial "core" that is removed is important and depends critically on the nature of the ground. The objective is to generate a tight grip on the carrots throughout the tournament without the need for excessive packing in the later stages. For soft ground, small and shallow "cores" should be cut and substitute carrots driven in partially to form the conical holes before insertion of the hoop proper. In hard ground, the initial "core" can be larger and deeper. During the early setting, the carrots may be left standing slightly proud of the ground (say ½") to allow a margin for further penetration and, therefore, improved ground grip.

APPENDIX 2 CA Trophies

A Guidance Note for Winners of CA Trophies
1. The CA does not, at the present time, insure its various trophies because the cost of doing so has become prohibitive. It is accepted that if loss occurs a replacement will be found, either from the small store of redundant trophies or by purchase of a new trophy.
2. The holder of a trophy who takes reasonable care of it while it is in his or her possession will not be held legally liable for its loss. Those who feel that such loss would nevertheless be an embarrassment to them are advised to include the trophy on their household contents insurance policy schedule.
3. Holders of trophies will be asked to sign an official CA receipt for each trophy, its plinth and any associated carrying box.
4. Holders are also required to look after trophies with reasonable care and to return them to the CA
Office by the lst April of the following year. The trophies will then be retained by the CA who will arrange transport to the next venue at which the event occurs.
5. The CA, so as to maintain consistency and prevent damage, is responsible for and will undertake all necessary engraving of its trophies. Arrangements will therefore be made to engrave all trophies at the same time during the month of April. In no circumstances should holders of trophies arrange to have them engraved without obtaining the approval of the Chairman of the Tournament Committee.

It is CA policy that in no circumstances can a CA trophy be taken outside the boundaries of the CA domain (England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Isles) and Scotland.

APPENDIX 3 Titles for Events in the CA Domain

In order that the names of tournaments run within the CA domain are consistent and players understand the significance of the titles the following will apply:
1) WORLD. This word should only be used when the tournament is being organised by the World Croquet Federation in the CA domain with the assistance of the CA.
2) EUROPEAN. Similarly this word should only be used for European events sponsored by the European Croquet Association. Normally these will have a major input from the CA and the host club.
3) OPEN. Tournaments containing this word will be of a high standard of level play aimed at attracting top players from other countries. The tournament regulation requiring competitors to be full tournament members of the CA will not apply. The permission of Council must be obtain before an event can receive this designation.
4) CHAMPIONSHIP. These tournaments will be the highest standard of national events restricted to full members of the CA. Permission to use the designation must be obtained from the Tournament Committee who from time to time will issue conditions affecting the grading of championships into a series of classes.

APPENDIX 4 Definitions for Association Croquet Championships

The following definitions will apply:
A Class Championships. These events are top level championships organised by or in association with the CA, which may also be designated 'Open' events. They will be advanced play, use hoops set to championship standards and be best of three (or greater) knockouts, possibly preceded by qualifying blocks. Some events will be restricted to male or female entrants only; apart from this entry will be unrestricted, except to eliminate a surplus of entries by ranking.
B Class Championships. These are events designated or approved by the CA. They will be advanced play, use hoops set to championship standards and be best of three (or greater) knockout or draw and process format. Entries will be unrestricted except to eliminate a surplus of entries by ranking.
C Class Championships. These are other events sponsored or approved by the CA. Entries will be restricted to a particular class of entrants. Special conditions may be imposed.

NOTE At this stage of development of the Golf Croquet calendar no grading of championships has yet been agreed

 

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