Croquet mallets and balls in Aberdeen
The short answer: croquet players in Aberdeen and on Deeside can order an Invictus mallet or Invictus X balls online, delivered to the north-east of Scotland. For cool, slow lawns and a season measured in light summer evenings, our first suggestion is the Invictus Rise.
Croquet in Aberdeen
Two clubs keep the game going in the Granite City. Aberdeen and Crathes Croquet Club, which began as Crathes Croquet Club and joined the Scottish Croquet Association in 2014, plays at Albury Outdoor Sports Centre in Ferryhill and on the lawn at Crathes Castle near Banchory, provided by the National Trust for Scotland. Its 32 members play association and golf croquet, coaching is offered, and a 2015 Lottery grant gave the club enough equipment for new members. Aberdeen Saints Croquet Club, set up in 2016, has moved from Old Torry to the bowling lawn at Westburn Park on Westburn Road, where parking is free.
What Aberdeen's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Aberdeen faces the North Sea, and even midsummer days are mild rather than warm. The grass rarely gets the long, hot spells that firm a southern lawn, so the pace is mostly medium to slow, and an easterly can leave everything damp. The compensation is daylight: in June a game can run late into the evening. Head weight that keeps the ball moving through cool grass, without forcing the swing, matters more here than outright lightness.
Which Invictus mallet suits Aberdeen players
Invictus Rise, £525. Our most popular model. A roughly 3 lb aluminium head and a sweet spot slightly bigger than most make it a little easier to control on a heavy lawn. We normally fit the 11 inch head.
RF Pro, £975. The flagship. World Champion Robert Fletcher helped develop it around a 3D printed aluminium head, brass weights and composite faces; at about 2 lb 12 oz it is the lighter of the two and very precise.
Tell us your handle length and whether you want an 11 inch or a 12 inch head, and the mallet is built to order. The finish is Graphite Black unless you pay £89 for NRA Blue, Rose Gold, Deep Purple or Snow White. You cannot choose the weight. See how to measure for a mallet and Rise against RF Pro.
Balls for Aberdeen clubs
Each Invictus X ball weighs 450 g; the balls carry World Croquet Federation championship approval and are made entirely in Australia. Sets are £479. For guidance, a lawn wants one first-colour set and one second-colour set. Ball colours explained sets out the pairs.
Delivery to Aberdeen
Mallets are made individually after your order and sent on to the UK; plan on usually 4 to 8 weeks, which we give only as an estimate. A ball set's delivered price is confirmed with you before payment.
Questions Aberdeen players ask
Is a 12 inch head worth it on slow grass? With the Rise we usually recommend the 11 inch; the 12 inch comes down to personal preference.
What if it turns out wrong for me? Choose the optional satisfaction guarantee, £75, for 30 days of play before deciding.
Does a chilly evening affect the head? No. Wipe the faces after a damp game; our product care page has the detail.
Elsewhere in Scotland: Scottish clubs and towns we cover.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.