Croquet mallets and balls in Albany
The short answer: Albany players can order an Invictus mallet made to their handle length, and the Gomm Park club can order Invictus X balls, online for delivery to the Great Southern. On Albany's cooler, often damp lawns we would usually point players to the Invictus Rise.
Croquet in Albany
Albany plays at the Gomm Park Croquet Club on Lower King Road, a Croquetwest member. Its four full-size courts have no lights, so play is by daylight: Wednesday and Saturday mornings, plus Monday afternoons. Golf croquet is the main game; association players can take a court of their own or join in. Visitors pay a small fee that includes morning or afternoon tea, and the club provides equipment, so newcomers can play before buying anything.
What Albany's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Albany is on the south coast, and it is one of the cooler, wetter corners of Western Australia. Summers are mild, and winters bring frequent rain and drizzle off the Southern Ocean. So expect lawns to stay softer and slower for longer than in Perth. Head weight and a forgiving sweet spot are the practical choice.
Which Invictus mallet suits Albany players
Invictus Rise, A$990. The natural fit for slow southern grass, and the mallet we sell most of. Around three pounds of aluminium sits in the head to carry the ball on a damp morning, and the sweet spot is slightly enlarged, which makes the Rise a little more forgiving to steer. We normally build it with the 11 inch head length.
RF Pro, A$1,980. The top of our range, worked out with World Champion Robert Fletcher. Inside the 3D printed aluminium head are brass weights, with composite on both faces, and the total is close to 2 lb 12 oz. Lighter and very precise, it rewards players on firm summer lawns.
Send us your handle length and say whether you want the 11 or the 12 inch head, and we make the mallet to match. It comes in Graphite Black; Snow White, NRA Blue, Rose Gold and Deep Purple are A$130.90 extra. You cannot specify a weight. Measure up with the fitting guide.
Balls for Albany
Invictus X balls are World Croquet Federation championship approved, 450 g, made entirely in Australia, and A$990 a set. With four courts, Gomm Park would normally hold four sets of first colours and four of second as a guide. Read how to choose croquet balls for a club.
Delivery to Albany
Mallets are built to order, and Albany deliveries usually land 4 to 8 weeks after you order: an estimate, not a guarantee. Ball sets travel by courier, with the delivered price confirmed before you pay.
Questions Albany players ask
Will the wet winters affect an aluminium head? No. It will not swell or rot as timber can. Dry the faces after a damp game; see product care.
Is the Rise too heavy for golf croquet? Not necessarily; its weight is a help on slow lawns. If you prefer a lighter feel, compare it with the RF Pro on compare mallets.
What if I'm not happy with it? Choose the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee (A$99) and play your Wednesday and Saturday games with it before you decide.
More in Western Australia: croquet mallets and balls across WA.
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