Croquet mallets and balls in Northumberland
The short answer: Northumberland players, from Bamburgh and Alnmouth down to Belsay, can order an Invictus mallet or Invictus X balls online for delivery anywhere in the county. On cool, breezy lawns that rarely run fast, the Invictus Rise is the mallet we point to first.
Croquet in Northumberland
Northumberland's clubs play beside a castle, at cricket grounds and in a country house garden. Bamburgh Croquet Club, founded in 2008, plays on two full-size lawns on the green beneath the castle ramparts, with association and golf croquet from April to October, all equipment provided and matches against nearby clubs. Alnmouth Croquet Club began in 2010 at Alnwick Cricket Club, joined the Croquet North golf croquet league in 2011, and since 2014 has played at Alnmouth and Lesbury Cricket Club. Inland on the A696, Belsay Hall Croquet Club plays in the grounds of Belsay Hall and Castle, an English Heritage site, from 1 May to mid-September during opening hours; Friday mornings are kept clear while the grounds staff mow and re-mark the lines. Introductory courses and tasters are offered there, and all three clubs belong to the Croquet North Federation.
What Northumberland's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
This is England's far north-east. Summers are short and mild, the North Sea keeps coastal afternoons cool, and a sea fret can roll in and dampen the grass at Bamburgh or Alnmouth. Lawns stay medium to slow for most of a season that, at Belsay, lasts barely four and a half months. That puts a premium on a mallet with enough head weight to move the ball without forcing the swing.
Which Invictus mallet suits Northumberland players
Invictus Rise, £525. Our most popular mallet. There is about 3 lb in its aluminium head and its sweet spot is fractionally larger, so it is a little easier to control. We advise the 11 inch head with it.
RF Pro, £975. Our flagship, honed with help from World Champion Robert Fletcher. Composite faces, brass weights and a 3D printed aluminium head add up to roughly 2 lb 12 oz, which keeps it lighter and very precise.
Supply your handle length, choose an 11 or 12 inch head, and we make it to order. It comes in Graphite Black, or in Rose Gold, Deep Purple, NRA Blue or Snow White for £89. Neither model lets you pick the weight. Read the fitting guide and our side-by-side.
Balls for Northumberland clubs
Invictus X sets cost £479. Every ball is 450 g, made entirely in Australia and approved by the World Croquet Federation for championship play. For a two-lawn club like Bamburgh, the guide is two first-colour sets and two second-colour sets. Our page on choosing club balls has more.
Delivery to Northumberland
Mallets are made after your order and sent to the UK; expect delivery usually 4 to 8 weeks from ordering, as our estimate. Ball sets are offered at a confirmed delivered price that you agree before paying.
Questions Northumberland players ask
Our season is short. Which head size? The 11 inch, which is our usual recommendation with the Rise.
Can I use it for a month before deciding? Yes: add the 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Does a sea fret harm the head? No. Wipe the faces dry after play; product care has details.
Other English counties and towns: our England page.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.