Croquet mallets and balls in Herefordshire
The short answer: Herefordshire players can have an Invictus mallet built to their own handle length and sent out to the Welsh Marches, whether they play at Eardisley or further afield, and a club can add tournament balls one set at a time. Start by looking at the Invictus Rise.
Croquet in Herefordshire
The county's best-documented croquet home is Eardisley Tennis and Croquet Club, at The Wharf in a Wye Valley village in the north-west of the county. The croquet section belongs to Croquet England and the West Midland Federation, and it enters that federation's association and golf croquet leagues.
On its own pages the club lists two full lawns and a half lawn, with a pavilion, an equipment hut and two qualified coaches. Golf croquet runs on Monday and Thursday afternoons, with association croquet on Tuesdays. Its 2023 report recorded 28 players at one club afternoon, a record turnout.
What Herefordshire's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Eardisley's own reports show how much a Marches summer can change a lawn. In August 2022 the club wrote that its grass had turned very brown and was running super-fast; a year later, after a dry June, rain had left the lawns well-watered and looking good. So a player here may meet two different games in one year. On parched grass the ball keeps travelling, and a short, gentle stroke does the work. After rain you need a fuller swing.
Which Invictus mallet suits Herefordshire players
Invictus Rise, £525. Our most popular model pairs an aluminium head of about 3 lb with a slightly larger sweet spot. That little extra margin is welcome on a lawn gone quick and brown. An 11 inch head is what we usually recommend.
RF Pro, £975. World Champion Robert Fletcher helped develop this flagship. A 3D printed aluminium head carries brass weights and composite faces, at about 2 lb 12 oz, so it swings lighter and rewards a very precise player.
Your mallet is made once ordered, to your handle length, with an 11 or 12 inch head. Graphite Black comes as standard, and Snow White, NRA Blue, Rose Gold or Deep Purple cost £89 more. Weight is not an option. The fitting guide explains how to measure, and the side-by-side comparison sets out the differences.
Balls for Herefordshire clubs
Invictus X balls are World Croquet Federation championship approved, weigh 450 g and are made entirely in Australia. Each set is £479. A useful rule is one set of first colours and one of second for every lawn; see choosing balls for a club.
Delivery to Herefordshire
Allow usually 4 to 8 weeks from order for a made-to-order mallet to reach the county. Please treat that as an estimate.
Questions Herefordshire players ask
Must I buy a mallet to join in? No. Eardisley keeps 16 modern mallets of various lengths and weights for members.
What should I wear on the lawn? Flat footwear. Eardisley's guidance is that shoes must not dig in, so no heels.
What if the mallet does not feel right? Add the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee at £75 when ordering.
Nearby: Worcester. All towns: croquet mallets and balls in England.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.