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Rothman and Grimsley
finish 1-2 in 2009 Grand Prix
•  As America's winningest partnership, they'll compete for the top trophy in many 2010 events and fuel the USCA team effort at the MacRobertson Shield in England. See People.

Palm Beach Invitational
January 18 - 23, 2010
•  The "dream team" of John Young III and Peter Just took doubles, while Young defeated his partner to capture singles in a near-perfect tournament. See the Bulletin Board.

Desert Classic - Jan 19-23
Rancho Mirage, California
•  Rothman beats Lamm to take the biggest chunk of the year's first major purse prize. See the Bulletin Board for complete results.

Shakespeare's take on the game
•  In this unashamed whimsy, John Prince illustrates the trash talk he and Andrew Winn have irreverently penned for the bard - in Letters & Opinion.

World Team Championship announced
•  Open to all members nations of the World Croquet Federation, it's concurrent with the last week of the 20th MacRobertson Shield for "the big four" in England in August 2010. See the Bulletin Board.

Europe united under one flag!
•  The new flag of the European Croquet Federation bears a striking resemblance to the flag of the European Union, and it's no accident - in News & Features

Solomon Trophy Test Match
Dec 4-7, Mission Hills, California
•  For the first time, the United States has won the mostly-annual test match against Great Britain, by a score of 11-9. See the Bulletin Board for details.

Photo Contest Finals!
•  The editors showcase the most arresting photos of people and venues submitted from everywhere for our 2009 contest. See Letters & Opinion.

3rd Women's Golf Croquet
WCF World Championship
November 21-28, Victoria
•  Alix Verge of Australia threatens Egyptian dominance of Golf Croquet by toppling reigning women's champion Iman Elfaransawi in stunning 3-2 finals. See Bulletin Board.

Seniors & Masters Champs
Nov 17-21 - Palm Beach
•  Just in Seniors and Berne in Masters excel in singles victories in this near-perfect American Rules annual. See the Bulletin Board for complete final results.

Diane Blow 1936-2009
A founding benefactor
•  The croquet family loses an accomplished, beloved and generous member - in People

USCA National Championships
November 8-14, Mission Hills
•  The Rich Curtis/Doug Grimsley partnership took the American rules trophy for the third time, while Carolinian Paul Scott captureed his third in singles. See the Bulletin Board for complete results.

Finding a home
for the croquet collection
•  The collector's crowning achievement ensures that primary historical sources are permanently preserved and accessible to researchers - in News & Features

Wine, Wickets & Wheels
debuts in Ohio, July 2010
•  The Hayes Croquet Club hosts a Golf Croquet purse tournament and the first major SuperSize Croquet Championship - in News & Features

The 5th Egyptian Open
October 1-6, 2009 - Cairo
•  Egyptians won their expected victory, overbalancing a field in which only five overseas players competed - see the Bulletin Board.

Prince's portraits
of the stars, Part I
•  New Zealand's John Prince memorializes in graphite and pencil drawings and his own words some of the top players of our time - in News & Features

A shot at greatness
•  The legendary exploits of Kentucky farmer Archie Burchfield - America's most publicized croquet player - are recalled in new and exquisite detail. See Garden & Gun Magazine.

Origins of croquet reconsidered
•  In the year of Darwin, the likely evolutionary paths of modern croquet are traced, along with the footprints of its more primitive cousins - in The Game.

Cruising with a portable grass court
•  Samir Patel reports the first games on the biggest, the best, the first and the only, docked at Southampton. See News & Features

Straight talk: a courtside chat
with Australia's Liz Fleming
•  The opinions in this long and lively interview are rooted in personal experience and range from gender bias to many forms of organizational dysfunction. See People.

WCF Under 21 Golf Croquet
Cairo, Egypt - July 18-23, 2009
•  World-class Golf Croquet comes of age as a Kiwi triumphs on Egyptian soil in a strong field of young players from many countries. See the Bulletin Board.

Croquet's Bad Boy
has left the courts
•  Mik Mehas died in California on July 12, 2009, and no one will ever take his place in the sport of croquet. See People.

2009 Photo Contest Invites Entries
•  Entries are being accepted for Croquet World's Fourth Annual Photo Contest until August 16. See full details in Letters & Opinion.

The USCA's four-year transition
•  The editor interviews the outgoing and incoming presidents of the USCA at a difficult time for the croquet world and the planet. In People.

Management shifts
at the National Croquet Center
•  The end of the High Season in South Florida brings with it news of a financial shortfall, a new round of fundraising, a change in management, and optimistic predictions, but this summer there's something new: a rational business plan! See News & Features

Croquet comes to college
•  The University of Oregon blazes a trail for a sport that adds a huge portion of "mental" to "physical" in the Physical Education curriculum - in The Game.

The World Championship
Palm Beach, May 9-17, 2009
•  Reg Bamford won the Wimbledon Cup by defeating American Ben Rothman in three straight. See Bulletin Board.

North American Open
Sonoma-Cutrer, May 10-16
•  Jerry Stark took the year's biggest cash prize from Jim Butts in a 2-1 final match. See the Bulletin Board.

The Carter Challenge
Palm Beach - May 3-6
•  USA 19, Ireland 2. See the Bulletin Board.

The biggest game:
strategic planning
•  Four clubs in the USCA's Club Organizers' Workshop demonstrate a surprising range of problems, solutions, and breakthroughs in applying standard business principles to the local nonprofit - in News & Features

On top for half a century
•  Kiwi Tony Stephens demonstrates the "lifetime sport" by winning the New Zealand championship again 50 years after taking his first title at age 16. See Hawkes Bay Today.

USCA "Association" Nationals
Pinehurst, NC - April 14-19
•  Young pro Ben Rothman took his first national championship title by defeating in two games Jim Bast, a multiple former national champion on the comeback trail. See the Bulletin Board.

Victoria Centre:
a promise unfulfilled
•  The Victoria Croquet Association neither explains nor corrects the failed forecasts around the opening of its new headquarters, but in the absence of answers, we offer pointed questions in abundance in Letters & Opinion.

USCA National Club Teams
March 17-22 - West Palm Beach
•  The Young/O'Laughlin duo from St. Croix were dark-horse winners of "Croquet Week" at the National Croquet Center. See the Bulletin Board.

Steuber Money Tournament
March 5-8 - West Palm Beach
•  Canada's Leo McBride wins the big purse in this second annual American Rules event. See the Bulletin Board for final rankings and winnings.

Milestone grant
for new Egyptian lawns
•  The World Croquet Federation has agreed to provide partial funding of a five-lawn complex at Cairo's Zamalek Sports Club - See the Bulletin Board.

The game and the art of collecting
•  First he learned to play. Then he built the biggest croquet collection in private hands. Now he’s giving it away. Interview by David Appleton in People.

Can overthinking wreck your game?
•  This study reported on the BBC shows that experienced competitors shouldn't talk or think between shots, but it's okay for novices. See BBC News for article and video clip.

Playing Gateball in Japan
•  A British croquet player transplanted in Japan reports on the spreading popularity of the miniaturized hoop-and-ball game from the country that started the buzz - in The Game.

Palm Beach Invitational
January 11-17 - NCC
•  Multiple national champion Doug Grimsley captured singles, while Bill Berne with David McCoy took doubles under cool and clear Florida skies. See the Bulletin Board.

The pursuit of justice
in tournament design
•  Louis Nel and Bob Alman recommend simple changes in American Rules and Association Croquet events to increase the probability of fair results - in Letters & Opinion.

Ben Rothman’s breakthrough year
•  The 24-year-old reveals his ambition to become world champion and a full-time croquet pro in this courtside chat with Bob Alman. See People.

US OPEN - December 3-7
Mission Hills, California
•  Doug Grimsley took the final 2-1 in a strong event studded with triples and sextuples. See the Bulletin Board.

Croquet in China?
•  With the rapid emergence of China's affluent class, the growth of first-rate croquet facilities is inevitable, and the World Croquet Federation is planting the seeds - in News & Features

USCA Seniors & Masters
November 12-16 - Palm Beach
•  In narrow victories short of the peg, Mik Mehas and Fred Jones emerged victorious in singles. See the Bulletin Board for complete results.

Who Really Won
the Election of 1876?
•  In the most contentiously contested election in American history, a special commission put the loser of the popular vote -- America's croquet-playing president -- into the White House - in News & Features

The China Diary
Oct 22-27, 2008 - Shanghai
•  WCF president David Openshaw, with Amir Ramsis and Khalid Younis, demonstrate the sport in a high-level four-day conference in Shanghai. See Openshaw's diary updates on the Bulletin Board.

International Polo Club, Florida
Purse event - Oct. 24-26, 2008
•  Eight top-ranked players vie for the biggest first-prize purse in the croquet world on the International Polo Club's pristine new court. See Bulletin Board for preview and updates.

USCA National Championships
October 20-26, 2008 - Florida
•  Jeff Soo sweeps the Championship Flight, wiping out Grimsley in singles and with partner Paul Scott besting Mitchell/Rothman in doubles. See the Bulletin Board.

Golf Croquet Championship
October 5-10, 2008 - Cairo
•  Alaa Abeunour retains his title by defeating Mohamed Nasr in the final match of a brilliant tournament. See the Bulletin Board.

European Championship
September 19-21 - Jersey
•  For the tenth time, Stephen Mulliner of England won the top trophy, defeating Simon Williams of Ireland 2-1 in the best-of-three final. See the Bulletin Board.

The eBay croquet art sting
•  The bibliographer and the collector conspire with the Sussex police to recover irreplaceable croquet portraits from the Edwardian era - in News & Features.

North Carolina Championship
September 4-7, Pinehurst
•  In American croquet's new heartland, Danny Huneycutt (ranked #3 in America) edged out Jeff Soo (#1 ranked) to win the 21st annual. See the Bulletin Board for story and complete results.

Chuck Steuber 1920 - 2008
•  The magnificent legacy of the National Croquet Center's founder and guiding spirit has yet to be fully realized - in People.

2008 Photo Contest Winners
•  From 100 finalists, 40 are here online, with all due accolades from the judges. See Letters & Opinion.

Egypt vs Rest of the World
August 9-10 - Roehampton
•  Reg Bamford confirmed his "leading contender" credentials by beating 2008 Golf Croquet World Champion Ahmed Nasr in the final match to nail down RoW's narrow and unprecedented 11-10 victory. See the Bulletin Board.

Why it's okay
to cheat at croquet
•  It's not, really. But you'll never convince the mainstream press of a notion firmly rooted in the culture of backyard croquet. See Letters & Opinion.

Is croquet good for business?
•  Local businesses are opposing East Lindsay's plan to convert their caravan park into a major croquet centre. See BBC videoclip.

The British Open
July 6-13, Cheltenham
•  Fulford wins it all, defeating Samir Patel in singles and taking doubles with partner James Death. See the Bulletin Board for results and play-by-play commentaries.

The Solomon Trophy
July 2-5, Manchester
•  The outcome was never in doubt as the Great Britain juggernaut ground out their 21-6 victory over the American team. See the Bulletin Board .

Touring the croquet clubs of Germany
•  Good food, drink, and hospitality anchor a growing sport in the heart of Europe - in News & Features.

Croquet in Norway
•  One of its principal organizers reports that the sport of croquet is firmly rooted in the land of the midnight sun, and growing - in News & Features

North American Open
May 11-17, Sonoma-Cutrer
•  Young Ben Rothman adds the Sonoma-Cutrer title and purse to a long string of recent triumphs, confirming his meteoric rise as America's hottest new champion. See the Bulletin Board.

The fun, the feel, the photo
•  The most ambitious photo shoot ever attempted by a croquet association aims at reshaping the sport's public image. See photos and interview in Letters & Opinion.

USCA Nationals (Int. Rules)
April 21-26, West Palm Beach
•  Canada's Brian Cumming defeated Ben Rothman in singles, while McBride/Grimsley took the doubles trophy - See the Bulletin Board.

2008 revisions in the laws
•  Consequential changes in the play of Association Croquet are outlined and explained, with pointers to the precise wording and interpretations in the new edition - in The Game.

USCA Grand Prix awards, 2007
•  The numbers broke all previous records, and Stewart Jackson topped the lot - in The Game.

Wouldn't you rather be
at the bowling alley?
•  In this republication of Leslie Fielding's controversial poem, we break precedent to give an irate bowler equal time - in Letters & Opinion.

Golf Croquet World Championship
March 8-16, Capetown
•  Nasr defeats Bamford to retain world title for Egypt. See the Bulletin Board.

National Club Teams
West Palm Beach
•  Jackson/Mitchell win the championship, with Bombay, Heatherwood and Hampstead clubs winning in their divisions. See the Bulletin Board.

Will golf's loss be croquet's gain?
•  Deserting the fairways in droves, will golfers be attracted to a faster sport with smaller fees and bigger balls? From The New York Times.

Chuck Steuber Invitational
Feb 21-24 - West Palm Beach
•  Canada's Leo McBride crushed Ted Quimby in the final, winning the biggest chuck of the year's most generous purse. See the Bulletin Board.

WCF World Championship
Feb 2-10, 2008 - Christchurch
•  Chris Clarke won the title for the second time by defeating fellow Brit Stephen Mulliner. See the New Zealand Bulletin Board.

Huge Melbourne Centre
launches first full season
•  The new Victorian Croquet Centre boasts 12 courts and a clubhouse, outscaling anything in the Southern Hemisphere, and its owners are projecting financial self-sufficiency by 2010 - in News & Features

Palm Beach Invitational
January 13-19, 2008
•  Twenty-something Ben Rothman played a near-flawless game to take the top trophy from many-times finalist Johnny Osborn. See Bulletin Board.

Herb Swope, Jr. - 1915-2008
•  The USCA's strongest link to its Gatsby era roots has passed away. See his Palm Beach Daily News obituary and Croquet World's 2005 interview.

Introducing the "Book of Puzzlers"
•  These situations in American Rules croquet put you in the shoes of the player who has to decide what to do next - quickly! Can you figure out the right answer? - in The Game.

Sarasota: The art
and science of club building
•  All it takes is knowing what to do and having someone who'll do whatever it takes. Someone like Jackie Jones - in News & Features.

When triples go wrong
•  Never use your mallet to put a bloody opponent out of the game permanently. It's rude. It's messy. From London's Telegraph

The club as a business:
Can it ever succeed?
•  An Australian croquet club's experiment in direct-mailing advertising offers some tantalizing clues - in News & Features

USCA Seniors & Masters
Nov 14-18, Palm Beach
•  Mik Mehas took both singles and doubles in Seniors, and Knopf retained his Masters win by defeating Al Dilley. See the Bulletin Board.

Australian Open Championships
Melbourne, Nov 2-11, 2007
•  Bruce Fleming trounces Paddy Chapman 3-0 to win the singles title. See the Bulletin Board.

USCA Selection Eights
October 25-28, Palm Beach
•  The last of the Eights among croquet's big four is played at the National Croquet Center under watery skies. See the Bulletin Board.

Bad behavior helps define
a genteel sport
•  Harry Hurt III fights for your right to party, croquet-style. From The New York Times

USCA National Championships
October 1-7 - Southampton
•  Paul Scott of North Carolina defeated his regular partner Jeff Soo to regain the singles championship, while the pair lost doubles to Jackson and Cumming. See the Bulletin Board.

USCA announces Handicap
Tracking Points giveaway
•  The purpose is to boost play in the USCA Regionals; the price is compromising a system designed to reflect performance - in News & Features

Williams & Clarke:
The First Couple of Croquet
•  Winning title after title both individually and as partners, their activities and interests are global, but they're planning to marry and settle in Christchurch - in People.

Urban Croquet
•  The radical vision of a German designer combines fun, fashion, and fantasy in one compelling retail package - in News & Features.

THE VIEW FROM HERE
•  Comparing the survival prospects of croquet's two mega-venues: Florida's National Croquet Center and Australia's Victoria Croquet Centre – in Letters & Opinion.

2009 WCF World Championship
May 9-17, West Palm Beach
•  The World Croquet Federation has officially awarded the sport's main individual competition to the USCA, headquartered at the National Croquet Center.
See the Bulletin Board.

British Open Championships
Hurlingham 8 – 15 July
•  Robert Fulford managed a clean sweep to retain both the 2007 British Open Singles and Doubles titles at the Hurlingham Club in London. Sextuple peels were abundant, with Fulford managing the rare feat of an octuple. See the Bulletin Board for details and reports.

Canceling the '07 Solomon Trophy
•  The controversy has produced a debate that promises to reinvigorate the US vs British team event and broaden the player base - in News & Features

North Carolina hosts International
Select Team, June 28-July 1
•  As expected, the North Carolina boys were handily beaten by one of the strongest teams ever assembled, but a good time was had by all - including the spectators. See the Bulletin Board for Jonathan Kirby's final report.

Remembering the Marsacs: 1915 to 2007
•  To croquet players in many countries, they embodied the best qualities of a genteel sport - in People.

The Resort Invitational
June 5-10, 2007, Oregon
•  Fulford defeated Bamford in three games to win the biggest purse of the year, with Chris Clarke and Jerry Stark finishing in the money for third and fourth. See the Bulletin Board.

The face of youth
in American croquet
•  They haven’t yet caused a revolution in the sport, but impressive victories here and there in America signal the growing strength of a new generation - in News & Features

2007 photo contest winners!
•  Once again, the editors collect and judge winning photos taken by readers. More than 80 finalist photos from around the world are included – in Letters & Opinion..


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  Last Updated
  February 6, 2010

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