8/6/2019 Croquet Tips

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CROQUET TIPS

HOW TO HOLD THE MALLET:

Here are some photos of grips you could try:

Wrist Grip 1 Wrist Grip 2 Golf Grip Golf Grip(Back View) (Front View)

Mike Grip (Front) Mike (Side View) Common Grip

Try to always grip the mallet handle in the same way and position.

Make guide marks on the handle to ensure this.

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR DOMINANT EYE (aiming eye).

With both eyes open point at an object with an extended arm. Now close one

eye, if your finger moves off the object, then the closed eye is the dominant or

aiming eye.

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HOW TO LINE-UP A SHOT:

Approach the ball along the directional line to the target.

Mark, in your mind's eye, a point ahead of the ball along the line in which the

ball must travel to hit the target.

THREE DOTS IN A ROW ISASTRAIGHT LINE. * * *

DIRECTIONAL LINE

IMAGINARY MARK

y Place the mallet on the ground behind your ball as an extension of thedirectional line to the target, leaving the mallet in position, step back,

(the square Carroway mallet head makes this possible) correct by

rotating the rear of the mallet head only, while maintaining the front of

the mallet head centered on the ball.

y When the mallet is aligned, place your feet equidistant and parallel oneither side of the directional line formed by the aligned mallet head ball

imaginary markand target.

y Your toes must be square to the target.y The backswing is taken along the directional line.y When striking the ball remember to follow through to the target.

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HOW TO SET GRIP INDICATOR MARKS ON A MALLET:

What you need:

y 3 rubber bandsy String approx. 2m longy Pencil

Tie one rubber band on each leg of a hoop and join the free ends with the third

rubber band. Tie the free end of this band to the string. Tie the other end of

the string to the mallet handle/shaft approx. of the way up. Take up slack

and place ball in the position to run the hoop. Using the string as indicator to

the centre of hoop, grip the mallet with the top hand in the normal way.Extend the rubber bands on the back swing and strike the ball. Make

adjustments by turning the mallet left and right in your hand. When the ball

consistently runs the hoop, mark the top of handleto creases formed by finger

digits in pencil. Remove the string and check that marks keep striking face

square to target. If so, then mark the top of the mallet. Follow the same steps

for the other striking face, and mark the top of the mallet.

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HOW TO DETERMINE THE LIMITS OF HOOP RUNNING LINES:

y Place your mallet's striking face against a leg of the hoop so that bothlegs and mallet head are in a straight line.

y Rotate the mallet head in the direction of the ball until it forms a rightangle (90 deg).

y If your ball's line of travel misses the inside corner of you mallet's strikingface, it is possible to run the hoop comfortably.

y Bear in mind that the outside of the ball must get by and not its centreline. This guide is based on the CARROWAY mallet head which is

2500mm long.

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HOW TO PLAY VARIOUS TYPES OF SHOTS:

THE BLOCKING SHOT:

The blocking shot is an attempt to place your ball on the directional line

between your opponent's ball and the hoop or partner ball. The options are; to

stop on the line (which in my opinion is the most difficult shot) or aim for the

front of the opponent's ball. The odds seem to favour thiscourse of action.

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HOW TO PLAY VARIOUS TYPES OF SHOTS:

THE STOP SHOT:

The stop shot is a hard, short strike with no follow through. The striking ball

remains stationery after contact and the struck ball is propelled at great speed.

The stop shot becomes difficult to execute at distances of 2m and more.

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HOW TO PLAY VARIOUS TYPES OF SHOTS:

THE JUMP SHOT:

The jump shot is when the ball is struck in such a manner to cause it to jump

over an opponent's ball to run the hoop or overcome a blocking shot. The jump

shot is effected by striking the ball on the top quadrant causing it to be

squeezed into the ground and rebound into the air. With the standard grip it is

quite difficult to strike the ball hard enough at the correct angle to make itrebound. Players attempt to gain more swing by not taking the back swing

between the legs losing accuracy.

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HOW TO BUILD A CROQUET LAWN FROM SCRATCH:

y Select an area of 40m x 40m.y Spray with roundup.

y Level with excavator cut and fill method.y Final levels are done by hand.

y Finished levels should be 50mm above surrounding ground.y Select a bent grass (fine) as used for golf greens.

y This can be installed using sods (instant lawn) which are expensive butquick, or by using seed.

y Seeding: Grass seeds are very light and should be rolled into the soil. Theseed merchant should give best practices for planting. However birds

must be prevented from eating the seeds until they have germinated.

Bird netting raised off the ground on stakes is a good solution.y Water the grass regularly and abundantly-nothing is more important to

success.

y Mow with a rotary mower, without a grass catcher, criss-crossing as thistends to level the grass further.

y Level depressions with clean river/plaster sand- do not attempt to do thiswith soil or compost as this introduces weeds.

y Apply fertiliser LIGHTLY.

yWhen in doubt; Water!