Fast play picks up pace
A faster version of croquet has saved the sport from dying in Southland.
After the introduction of golf croquet to New Zealand 10 years ago, the sport took a while to gain traction in Southland.
However, in the past five years it has brought newcomers into the sport, including ex-golfers and bowlers. Registered player numbers in the province have gone from about 40 to 93 in the past five years.
Invercargill’s Queens Park Croquet Club had 10 or 12 players in 2015 and was now up to 33.
The traditional association croquet game takes at least 2 1⁄2 hours, unlike golf croquet games that finish within 40 minutes.
Croquet Southland president Fran Gibson said one reason some senior ex-golfers and bowlers were taking up golf croquet was that it required no bending down. Sport Southland had helped promote golf croquet and encouraged people to join croquet clubs, she said.
Margaret Stevenson, 87, said golf croquet was an easy form of exercise for her. She can play three games well inside the time frame of an association croquet game. ‘‘Otherwise I’d be sitting at home or in the garden. It gets me out and meeting people.’’
Pat Hourston, 89, said the speed in completing games and not having to bend down made golf croquet enjoyable for her.
New Zealand golf croquet gained international attention earlier this month when New Zealand won the 2020 GC World Team Championships in Nelson.
The Kiwis were the defending champions after winning the title in England in 2016.