Croquet mallets and balls in Dunedin
The short answer: Dunedin players can order an Invictus mallet, made for their own handle length, or a set of Invictus X championship balls, and we ship them over from Australia. On Otago's cool, often damp lawns, the 3 lb Invictus Rise is the mallet we would put in most hands first.
Croquet in Dunedin
Dunedin keeps several croquet clubs under the Otago Croquet Association. Forbury Park Croquet Club, once known as Watea, is on Victoria Road opposite the old Forbury Park raceway, and in April 2025 its president told RNZ the club was aiming to double its membership. Punga Croquet Club sits on the corner of Ross and Lawson Streets next to the Bellknowes golf club, Tainui Croquet Club is next to Chisholm Park Golf Club, and Leith Croquet Club is at the end of the road beside Woodhaugh Gardens. A 2018 Otago tournament notice listed a clubhouse at each venue, with all play outdoors.
Both main codes are played. An Otago Daily Times feature described golf croquet as a quick-fire game of 30 to 45 minutes that is drawing in new players, against about three hours for association croquet, and named the New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin as a popular golf croquet event.
What Dunedin's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Dunedin's weather is cool and changeable, with drizzle that can arrive on any day of the season and southerly changes that drop the temperature fast. Lawns tend to stay soft, and a damp morning surface takes pace off the ball. Extra mass in the head moves the ball through that grass without a forced swing, and aluminium is unaffected by moisture, so the head will not swell or split.
Which Invictus mallet suits Dunedin players
- Invictus Rise: our most popular mallet. An aluminium head of about three pounds and a slightly larger sweet spot make it a little easier to control on slow grass. Our usual advice is the 11 inch head.
- RF Pro: our flagship, created with input from World Champion Robert Fletcher. The head is 3D printed from aluminium and fitted with brass weights and composite faces, coming to about 2 lb 12 oz; it is lighter and very precise.
Nothing is pre-made. You send your handle length, choose between an 11 and a 12 inch head, and take the standard Graphite Black or pay extra for Snow White, NRA Blue, Rose Gold or Deep Purple. Weight is not something you can specify. Our fitting guide shows how to measure.
Balls for Dunedin clubs
Invictus X balls are championship approved by the World Croquet Federation, weigh 450 g apiece and are made entirely in Australia. A club with one lawn would normally plan on two sets, a first-colour set and a second-colour set. See how many ball sets a club needs.
Delivery to Dunedin
We begin building once you have ordered, and the mallet comes across from Australia; expect usually 4 to 8 weeks, as an estimate only. Ball sets come with a delivered price that we confirm before you pay.
Questions Dunedin players ask
Golf croquet or association, does it change the choice? Not much. Either code on soft Otago grass favours the Rise; the RF Pro suits players who want a light, exact mallet on firmer lawns.
Can I play with it before deciding? Yes, if you take the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Where do I see current prices? On the product pages linked above, and our compare mallets page sets out the differences.
More New Zealand places: croquet mallets and balls in New Zealand.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.