Croquet mallets and balls in Derby
The short answer: Derby and Derbyshire players can order an Invictus mallet or Invictus X balls online and have them delivered to the city, Buxton or anywhere else in the county. For a young club whose members mostly learnt the game from scratch, the Invictus Rise is where we would begin.
Croquet in Derby
Until April 2022, the club itself notes, Derby was one of the largest cities in England without a croquet club. That changed when founders asked Derby West End Bowls Club, at 80 Markeaton Street, to take on croquet as a second sport. The bowls club agreed to lend one of its lawns, with bowls keeping priority during its major competitions, and the new club joined the Croquet Association, now Croquet England, and the East Midlands Croquet Federation. The governing body and the federation gave or lent hoops, mallets, balls and flags to get it started. On the borrowed green, two lawns were set out at five-sevenths of full size, and the club soon had 16 members, most of whom had never played. Today it plays association and golf croquet from April to September, uses the shared clubhouse and bar, and offers coaching and tasters. Elsewhere in the county, Buxton Croquet Club plays on one lawn in Ashwood Park.
What Derby's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Derby sits on the Derwent where the Midlands plain meets the first rise of the Peak District, and Buxton, high in the hills, is cooler and wetter still. In April and September the lawns hold dew and play slowly. On a five-sevenths lawn, touch matters as much as power, so a mallet that is forgiving and easy to control is worth more than raw weight.
Which Invictus mallet suits Derby players
Invictus Rise, £525. The Invictus mallet we sell most. The aluminium head is about 3 lb, and a slightly enlarged sweet spot makes it a little easier to control. We usually recommend it with an 11 inch head.
RF Pro, £975. Our flagship, developed alongside World Champion Robert Fletcher. Its aluminium head is 3D printed and fitted with brass weights and composite faces, at around 2 lb 12 oz, making it lighter and very precise.
You order, we build: your handle length, an 11 or a 12 inch head, and Graphite Black as standard or Rose Gold, NRA Blue, Snow White or Deep Purple for £89 more. Weight cannot be chosen. Read the fitting guide and compare mallets.
Balls for Derby clubs
Invictus X has World Croquet Federation championship approval; the balls weigh 450 g, are made entirely in Australia and cost £479 a set. Our guide is a first-colour set and a second-colour set per lawn. Our page on choosing club balls covers more.
Delivery to Derby
Mallets are made only after ordering and sent to the UK, usually arriving 4 to 8 weeks from order; that is an estimate. For ball sets, we confirm the delivered price and you agree it before paying.
Questions Derby players ask
Our lawns are short. Does head size matter? Not much; we usually recommend the 11 inch with the Rise.
Can I play with it before I decide? Yes, if you take the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee, at £75.
Will Peak District rain hurt it? No. Dry the faces after a wet session; see product care.
Other English towns: our England hub.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.