Croquet mallets and balls in Reading
The short answer: croquet players in Reading and Caversham can order an Invictus mallet or Invictus X balls online and have them delivered across the town. For a one-lawn club that plays almost all year, the forgiving 3 lb Invictus Rise is where we would begin.
Croquet in Reading
Reading's croquet club grew from two disused grass tennis courts. In May 1993, with the borough council's permission, local players formed Caversham Croquet Club in the Albert Road Recreation Ground, a small park in Caversham Heights; the Mayor of Reading attended its first open day that June. The club joined the Southern Federation league in 1996, lost its hut to an arson attack in 2005, and took up Golf Croquet in 2011 when players from Basildon Park, whose own lawn was out of use, joined. Members built a new clubhouse in 2019. Today Caversham has about 65 members, offers try-out sessions and free instruction from qualified coaches, and in July 2026 began installing an irrigation system with four automated sprinklers, a reservoir tank and a pump for overnight watering.
What Reading's lawns and weather mean for your mallet
The Thames Valley has warm, often dry summers, which is exactly why the club is investing in water: a parched lawn plays hard and fast. Since professional lawn treatment began in 2019, the surface has been playable year-round except in extreme cold or wet. So a Reading mallet must deal with slow winter grass and quick summer turf on the same single lawn.
Which Invictus mallet suits Reading players
Invictus Rise, £525. This is the model we sell most. Around 3 lb of aluminium in the head keeps a ball rolling on soft ground, and the sweet spot is a touch larger, making the mallet a little easier to control. Order it with an 11 inch head, as we usually suggest.
RF Pro, £975. Our flagship, produced with World Champion Robert Fletcher. Composite faces and brass weights are set into an aluminium head made by 3D printing, and the mallet weighs about 2 lb 12 oz: lighter, and very precise for players who compete in league and open play.
Tell us your handle length and choose an 11 or 12 inch head, and we build the mallet to order. Graphite Black costs nothing extra; NRA Blue, Snow White, Deep Purple and Rose Gold are £89. See our guide to mallet fitting and mallet comparison.
Balls for Reading clubs
Invictus X is approved by the World Croquet Federation for championships, weighs 450 g and is made entirely in Australia; the price is £479 per set. A single-lawn club would normally hold one set in first colours and one in second colours. Read choosing croquet balls for a club first.
Delivery to Reading
Mallets are made to order and sent to the UK, usually arriving 4 to 8 weeks after ordering, which is an estimate. Ball sets are priced to your door and confirmed with you before you pay.
Questions Reading players ask
Is the Rise suitable for golf croquet? Yes. Plenty of GC players like a 3 lb head, especially on a slow lawn; if you want the lightest touch, look at the RF Pro.
Can I play some club games before committing? Yes, if you add the optional 30-day satisfaction guarantee for £75.
Should I buy my own while the club lends equipment? Not straight away. Once your stroke settles, a mallet cut to your handle length helps; see product care for keeping it in good order.
More English towns: see the England page.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.