Croquet mallets and balls in Cootamundra
The short answer: a Cootamundra player can order an Invictus mallet built to their handle length and sent to the Riverina, and the club can add championship balls a set at a time. Because play here is on fast bowling greens, the Invictus Rise is the mallet we would suggest first.
Croquet in Cootamundra
The Cootamundra Croquet Club plays at the Cootamundra Country Club on Hurley Street. Local press has described the bowling greens being turned into croquet courts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, with play starting at 9.30am on Tuesday and 9am on the other two days. The club told the Cootamundra Herald that newcomers can borrow a mallet and that free lessons are on offer. Times can change, so check with the Country Club first.
Cootamundra is known well beyond the Riverina as the birthplace of Sir Donald Bradman and as the town that gives its name to the Cootamundra wattle.
What Cootamundra's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
A bowling green is cut shorter and rolled flatter than most croquet lawns, so a ball runs a long way for little effort. Dry South West Slopes summers make the greens quicker still, while a frosty winter morning holds them back until the sun reaches the grass. Here the hard part is touch: approaches and hoop runs that stop where you mean them to.
Which Invictus mallet suits Cootamundra players
Invictus Rise, A$990. This is the mallet most of our players choose. The aluminium head weighs about 3 lb, and its slightly larger sweet spot makes it a little easier to control, a help when a soft tap is all a shot needs. We usually recommend it with an 11 inch head.
RF Pro, A$1,980. Our flagship was developed with World Champion Robert Fletcher. Its 3D printed aluminium head carries brass weights and composite faces, and at about 2 lb 12 oz it is lighter and very precise.
Each mallet is made to order to your handle length, with an 11 or 12 inch head. Graphite Black is standard; Snow White, NRA Blue, Rose Gold and Deep Purple cost A$130.90 extra. Weight is not one of the choices. See mallet fitting for your length and compare mallets for the two side by side.
Balls for Cootamundra clubs
Invictus X balls are approved by the World Croquet Federation for championship play, weigh 450 g and are made entirely in Australia. A set costs A$990. As a guide, plan on one first-colour and one second-colour set per lawn; see choosing balls for a club.
Delivery to Cootamundra
Mallets are built after you order, and delivery to Cootamundra is usually 4 to 8 weeks from order. Please treat that as an estimate rather than a promise.
Questions Cootamundra players ask
Is it worth owning a mallet if the club lends them? If you play weekly, yes: your own is cut to your height and feels the same every game.
What if it does not suit me? Add the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee for A$99 and take it onto the Hurley Street greens before deciding.
11 or 12 inch head? Most players are happy with 11 inches; a 12 inch head adds a little steadiness.
Other New South Wales towns: croquet mallets and balls in New South Wales.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.