Croquet mallets and balls in Northampton
The short answer: Northamptonshire players can buy an Invictus mallet made to their handle length, or sets of Invictus X balls, online with delivery to Northampton, Roade and the county. On young lawns that are still bedding in, the forgiving Invictus Rise is the mallet we suggest first.
Croquet in Northampton
Northampton Croquet Club was founded in 1986 at Becket's Park, where members paid by the hour for two overlapping lawns, neither full size. In 1992 it moved to a site in front of St Andrew's Hospital, where croquet had been played in Victorian times, and later added two more lawns there. Told to leave in December 2019, it became a registered charity in October 2020 and turned an overgrown field at The Leys in Roade into its new home, moving there in 2023 and adding a clubhouse and fourth lawn in 2024. Mix-in sessions three times a week draw partners for doubles games of about 40 minutes, golf croquet is the usual way in, and the club has a large stock of mallets for members. Roade already hosts golf croquet series from B to D level and GC International Performance Development Squad weekends, and the AC All-England Handicap Final is pencilled in for May 2027.
What Northampton's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
Northamptonshire is inland and fairly dry by English standards, but spring and autumn bring dew and slow grass, and the Roade lawns are new, laid on a former field; new lawns take a few seasons to settle. A mallet that forgives a slightly off-centre strike, with enough weight to move the ball on soft grass, makes those early seasons easier.
Which Invictus mallet suits Northampton players
Invictus Rise, £525. Our most popular. Its aluminium head is roughly 3 lb, and the sweet spot is a touch bigger, so it is a little easier to control. We recommend it, as a rule, with an 11 inch head.
RF Pro, £975. The flagship, created with World Champion Robert Fletcher's help. It has a 3D printed aluminium head carrying brass weights, with composite faces, and weighs about 2 lb 12 oz: lighter and very precise.
Built to order to your handle length, each has an 11 or 12 inch head. Graphite Black is the standard finish; NRA Blue, Rose Gold, Deep Purple and Snow White cost £89. The weight is fixed by model. Use the fitting guide and compare mallets.
Balls for Northampton clubs
Invictus X is a 450 g ball with World Croquet Federation championship approval, made entirely in Australia; £479 a set. For four lawns the guide is four sets in first colours and four in second. See how many ball sets a club needs.
Delivery to Northampton
Each mallet is built after you order and then sent to the UK; please allow usually 4 to 8 weeks from order, which is an estimate. Ball sets are offered at a delivered price we confirm before payment.
Questions Northampton players ask
I play mix-ins on club mallets. Is it worth having my own? Yes, once you play weekly; one made to your handle length fits your stance every time.
Can I try it before committing? Yes. The 30-day satisfaction guarantee is optional and costs £75.
Will damp autumn grass harm the head? No. Dry the faces after play; read product care.
More across England: our England page.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.