Bristol Croquet Club Winter Rules
Winter Rules are not in operation
Revised 20 April 2023
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V8: AC rolls allowed but discouraged.
V7: AC rolls restricted.
V6: Jawsed ball moved 1½" clear of the hoop.
V5: No need to play from the side of the hoop.
V4: Winter Rules apply from when the Committee decides each year.
V3: Blocking balls should be moved when a ball is played from beside a hoop.
Restriction of hoop running during warm-up and practice.
See also the Bye Laws.
Swishing
The first user of a lawn each day must swish away any worm casts before play starts. Swishing can be necessary year-round, and is especially important during the wetter times.
Worm casts are very common at this time of year and treading on one creates a muddy patch that generally kills the grass underneath. That grass won't regrow until spring.
Winter Rules
The Winter Rules may be called into force by the Committee or Grounds Secretary to reduce the risk of long-term damage to the court surface due to play when the ground is softened. When in effect, they apply to all use of the lawns, AC and GC.
During the winter period, the lawn surface is softer and the grass slower-growing so it's easy to cause long-lasting damage. In particular, indentations (called rabbit runs) form where a ball runs through a hoop and these seriously affect playing the game. The (completely valid) tactic in GC of jawsing a ball (playing it into but not through the hoop) means that a ball is on an exact spot in the middle of the hoop, concentrating wear precisely where we don't want it.
These Winter Rules help to preserve the surface whilst allowing us all to enjoy a game. The intention is to interfere as little as possible with the tactical balance of the games and the Committee welcomes your views on improving them.
- If you see anyone not following the winter rules when in force, please exercise your duty as a club member to remind them
- No jump shots, no hammer strokes or anything similar. Croquet strokes, such as roll shots should be played with care, mindful of the weakened surface - try to avoid big roll shots (full rolls where striker's ball travels several yards or more)
- Do not go onto a lawn if the grass looks frosty as this damages the grass. Frost forms at 4°C, or slightly warmer if there is a cold wind
- Do not go onto a lawn if the grass is soggy
- Avoid walking on areas that are muddy or showing signs of wear
- Avoid excessive wear in frequently-used places: Do not strike a ball in a corner, the end of a baulk line, GC penalty spot, or where the grass is already worn
- Move a ball from any of these positions at least 6 inches away in any direction but without gaining a tactical advantage
- GC Start Position: anywhere on the East boundary, South of level with the peg and 1-yard north of Corner 4
- During warm-up before a game and in practice sessions, avoid running the same hoop several times and only run hoops gently during warm-up (see the Croquet England Regulations)
-
GC Only: To redress the tactical balance having banned jump shots: When any ball is at rest within the jaws, it must be moved immediately to a position 1½" clear of the hoop and directly in front on the side from which it came (that's half a ball's width clear of the hoop).
The hoop's jaws is 'the space enclosed by the inner surfaces of the uprights and the planes of the playing and non-playing sides' - it's the green bit in this hoop-and-ball plan view. A ball is 'in the jaws' if any part is in the green bit.
- Balls within a ball's width of its new position and on the same side of the hoop must also be moved by the same amount and in the same direction
- Do not use your foot or hand or inclined mallet - avoid pressing the ball into the lawn by using a horizontal mallet
- (tactical hint: if normally you would place a ball on the non-playing side to defend against a jawsed ball, place it instead to the side)
Notes
Take note of the hoop positions as these can be over a yard from where they normally are. Some boundaries have also been moved, and courts are not full-size. These changes will have a big effect on some shots
Games played under Winter Rules should not be recorded on your handicap card.
The Committee is interested in your feedback on the rules modifying play (jump shots, jawsed balls, and starting positions).