Croquet mallets and balls in Bowral and the Southern Highlands
The short answer: from Exeter to Bundanoon and Bowral, Highlands players can buy Invictus mallets and Invictus X balls online, with every mallet made to order. For the cool, damp lawns of the Highlands, the Invictus Rise is our first suggestion.
Croquet in the Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands Croquet Club was founded in 1992 and since 1996 has played at Exeter, on council-owned land. A founding member, remembered in the club's Nancy Dane Trophy for handicap singles, insisted from the start that the lawns be properly levelled, drained and grassed, and the club now counts them among the finest in New South Wales. Its clubhouse, paid for by members, friends and the local community, opened in 2018. Members play golf and association croquet, and as numbers grew the club added Thursday and Sunday afternoon sessions. It fields four pennant teams against other regional clubs. Newcomers get mallets provided and can arrange a free introduction. Down the road, the Bundanoon Croquet Club has two lawns, lends equipment to visitors, and has hosted Exeter for an interclub morning. In Bowral, the bowling club in Shepherd Street offers croquet too.
What the Highlands' lawns and weather mean for your mallet
At several hundred metres above the coast, the Highlands are cool country. Winters bring frost, fog and drizzle, and a lawn can sit damp and slow for much of a morning; summers are mild, and the courts quicken only in a proper dry spell.
Which Invictus mallet suits Highlands players
Invictus Rise, A$990. Most of our buyers choose this one. The head is aluminium, roughly 3 lb in weight, with a sweet spot cut slightly wider than usual so that the Rise is a little easier to control. We usually recommend the 11 inch head.
RF Pro, A$1,980. World Champion Robert Fletcher worked with us on this flagship. Its aluminium head is produced by 3D printing, then given brass weights and composite striking faces; the result weighs close to 2 lb 12 oz. Lighter, and very precise, it suits pennant players after fine control.
Whichever you pick, we build it around your own handle length and your choice of head, 11 inch or 12 inch. It comes in Graphite Black; Deep Purple, Rose Gold, NRA Blue and Snow White each cost A$130.90 extra. Read our fitting guide and mallet comparison first.
Balls for Highlands clubs
Invictus X balls weigh 450 g each and hold World Croquet Federation championship approval; they are made entirely in Australia and sell at A$990 per set. Bundanoon's two lawns would call for two sets of first colours and two of second. Our guide to choosing club balls covers the rest.
Delivery to the Southern Highlands
Count on 4 to 8 weeks, usually, between placing an order and the mallet reaching the Highlands. That is an estimate.
Questions Highlands players ask
I am new to the club. Do I need my own mallet straight away? No; clubs here provide mallets for beginners. When you buy, start with the Rise.
Can I use it at pennant before I commit? Yes. The satisfaction guarantee is free and runs for 30 days, so it covers several rounds of pennant.
Will a foggy morning harm it? No; the head is aluminium. Dry it after play and see product care.
More places in New South Wales: New South Wales croquet clubs and mallets.
Designed in Queensland, made in Australia.