Croquet mallets and balls in Geneva
The short answer: Geneva players can have an Invictus mallet made to measure, or buy Invictus X championship balls, with delivery from Australia. For grass courts that play slowly in a wet spring and quickly in high summer, the Invictus Rise is a good all-round choice.
Croquet in Geneva
The City of Geneva says plainly that croquet is still a minority sport there, but the region has an active club. The CERN Croquet and Lawn Bowls Club plays on two grass courts at CERN's Prévessin site, just across the border in France. Membership is open to anyone, not only CERN staff, and the club runs courses for beginners and for more experienced players, including a short golf croquet course from early May on request. Its season runs from April to October.
The club is also a venue for national events. In 2024 the Swiss Golf Croquet Open and the Swiss Association Croquet Open were both played there, and the Swiss Croquet Association promotes the game across the country.
What Geneva's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Geneva has warm summers, cold winters and rain spread through the year, which is why outdoor croquet runs from spring to autumn. Early in the season the grass is lush and soft; by July and August a dry spell can make a court firm and fast. Soft spring grass favours a heavier head; a firm summer court rewards precision. Heat, cold and wet do not affect aluminium.
Which Invictus mallet suits Geneva players
For most club players we suggest the Invictus Rise, at US$695 our most popular model. Roughly 3 lb of aluminium in the head and a sweet spot a little wider than normal make it slightly easier to control. Pair it with the 11 inch head unless you have a reason not to.
Players chasing precision on a quick July court may prefer the RF Pro, US$1,295, the flagship that World Champion Robert Fletcher helped us create. Its head is printed in aluminium on a 3D printer, then fitted with brass weighting and composite striking faces, and it comes in near 2 lb 12 oz, so it is lighter and very exact.
Neither is sold from stock. Tell us the handle length you need and choose between 11 and 12 inch heads. Graphite Black is the default colour; Snow White, NRA Blue, Rose Gold and Deep Purple are a US$119 option. Each model's weight is fixed. See the fitting guide and compare mallets.
Balls for Geneva clubs
Our Invictus X carries the World Croquet Federation's approval for championship play. A ball weighs 450 g, the whole thing is made in Australia, and a box of four costs US$635. For each court, a club generally keeps first colours and second colours as separate sets; how many ball sets a club needs does the arithmetic.
Delivery to Geneva
Mallets are started only when ordered and are shipped from Australia. The usual wait is four to eight weeks from the order date, offered as an estimate. On ball sets, you see the delivered price to Switzerland or France and approve it before paying.
Questions Geneva players ask
Should I buy my own mallet as a beginner? Not straight away if your club lends equipment. Once you play regularly, a mallet fitted to your height and stroke helps consistency.
When is the best time to order? In winter, so the mallet arrives before the April start of the season.
What if it is not right for me? For US$99 you can add a satisfaction guarantee that runs 30 days, long enough for several club sessions.
Other European pages: Invictus in Europe.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.