In addition to the Introductory coaching courses provided mainly for new members (described here) , we provide a wide range of coaching opportunities for established members, in Association Croquet, Short Croquet and Golf Croquet, completely free of charge.
The purpose of all activities in our coaching programme is to give our members opportunities to:
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- learn and develop as players,
- meet and get to know other members, and
- enjoy themselves.
For 2024, the coaching plans are not yet finalised, but main contacts are below:
| Group | Suitable for | Lead Coach |
| 1 | AC Handicaps 24-18 (discrete sessions) | Various (Rob Edlin-White) |
| 2 | AC Handicaps <= 16 (clinic sessions) | John Davis |
| 3 | AC – another group? | ? |
| 4 | AC – another group? | ? |
| 5 | GC handicaps 7 and above | Cathy Turski |
| 6 | Advanced GC | Rachel Gee, Derek Blow |
| 7 | Short Croquet | Andrew Beaumont |
| 8 | Juniors | Ian Draper |
The lead coach will contact relevant members. The handicap ranges are guidelines; please contact a lead coach for another group if you think that group may be more appropriate for you.
Each group lead will create and share a programme of events, and may be looking for help from club members, especially qualified coaches. As well as organising formal coaching sessions, the group leads will facilitate communication within their group – e.g. by setting up a WhatsApp group – to encourage mutual learning and organising of practice sessions.
There may also be a number of further coaching events organised during the season. The club has some exceptionally qualified coaches at the top level of both AC and GC who might offer Masterclasses in specific areas.
Please keep your eyes on the club calendar, lawn booking system, newsletter and/or occasional emails for up to date information.
Other ways to develop your croquet skills and knowledge
Formal coaching is only part of the development jigsaw. Croquet skills and expertise are also acquired through practice and through experience of social or competitive play. Different approaches and different paces of learning will be appropriate for different people but we hope we provide something for everyone, and we hope every member will enjoy some measure of success or development.
We hope to publish some practice routines for different levels of ability. And we encourage anyone hoping to improve to take every opportunity for competitive play, including club competitions, club rollup, matches against other clubs, tournaments etc.
Online resources and reading materials can also be helpful for learning how to play and for developing tactical and strategic insights.
Club library
The club has a small library of books on croquet with lots of coaching and tactical insights.
Online resources
A wide range of useful resources can be found online. One of our former members and sometime World Champion, Paddy Chapman, has provided some excellent online learning materials on his CroquetDev website.
These can’t of course replace learning practical skills at the club, but still provide first class learning and coaching material to complement practical coaching and keep up your interest during the winter months.
Croquet Academy courses
Some croquet clubs are registered formally as academies and offer courses – usually of a full intensive weekend – for a fee. Some members wishing to accelerate their development may choose to book places at their own expense. Details can be found on the fixtures calendar on the Croquet Association website .
