You may remember playing croquet in the backyard as a child, hitting colorful balls through wired hoops. Whatever your past exposure to the sport, we welcome you to be among the thousands of people across the U.S. who are enjoying the fun and excitement of today’s croquet, played according to the rules of the United States Croquet Association (USCA). Whether you’re a novice or an expert, you’ll find someone there of equal skill to compete against. We also offer opportunities to compete in annual singles and doubles tournaments.
The sport of croquet began in the British Isles in the mid-1800s and soon migrated to other English-speaking countries. It is a game in which men and women, boys and girls compete as equals. It is a game of strategy, skill, and communication when playing doubles. It helps to build character and sportsmanship in young and old alike.
We are in our 16th year of play at the Grace & Truth SportsPark, and our 9th year as a sanctioned club in the United States Croquet Association. We continue to grow in number a little each year as we pass along our love of the sport to others.
Our hours of play are: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning at 5:30 p.m. until dusk. (After September 10th it is 4:30 p.m. to dusk.) We play two popular Six-Wicket games: the strategic game of American Rules, which to many is equivalent to playing chess on the lawn, with many of the angles of a billiards game coming in to play; and Golf Croquet, a shorter, quicker game where the focus is on being the first through the wicket. In the case of questionable weather, we e-mail those on our list an hour before games. Each night a short devotion is given, so that we can move one step closer to Jesus while sharpening our Croquet skills.
To be added to the list, please contact us.
The Grace & Truth SportsPark is owned by First Bible Baptist Church and is a pet, alcohol, drug, and smoke-free facility. We are located at 373 N. Greece Road, Hilton, NY, 14468, 1.1 miles north of Latta Road on the left.
Whites are worn for tournaments but are optional on regular club nights; however newcomers are welcome to wear any comfortable, modest clothing.
For more information, please contact either:
Rich Laging, Grounds Director
Mike and Denise Ireland, Club co-directors
Email us at: roccroquet@gmail.com
Irelands: 585-287-4531 Or Rich: 703-347-1257
Equipment provided: professional weighted mallets and balls, deadness boards, clips, and timers. Free instruction is offered for those new to the sport on all play dates. Shot-making, strategy, and learning the rules are all part of becoming a better player. It is a great opportunity to meet other folks and have a lot of fun! We invite you to play “three for free”. If after playing three times you wish to continue, we ask that you pay the annual membership fee of $60 which helps us maintain our courts. Former members who are only able to play occasionally may play for $5 each session. That fee is payable upon arrival at the court.
We take a short break for a meeting after the first hour of play. If the Park’s concession stands are open, you can get a bite to eat. They offer good food at reasonable prices. We resume play after the meeting.
Tuesdays, Thursdays &/or Saturdays – 10:00 a.m.
Tuesdays &/or Thursdays – 5:30 p.m. (After Sept. 10, we begin at 4:30 p.m.)
Saturday, June 1, 2024 – National Croquet Day! Exciting activities planned for the day at our courts.
Saturday, June 15, 2024 – Waterford Doubles Golf Croquet Tournament. Each player plays with every other player as a partner and against every other player in a round robin type format. Practice at 9:30 a.m. Tournament begins at 10:00 a.m. $25 registration includes lunch. Contact Denise Ireland at roccroquet@gmail.com.
Saturday, July 13, 2024 – American Six Wicket Singles Tournament. Play will be in two flights, based on skill level. Practice at 9:30 a.m. Tournament begins at 10:00 a.m. $25 registration includes lunch. Contact Denise Ireland at roccroquet@gmail.com.
August 8 – 11, 2024 – 11th Annual Rochester USCA Invitational, American Rules, Singles & Doubles. Tournament director: Richard Curtis. Tournament manager: Denise Ireland. Courts open Thursday afternoon for practice; tournament games begin on Friday. Advance registration and entry fee are required. For more information contact Denise at roccroquet@gmail.com.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 Empire State Senior Games– Singles Golf Croquet. (Rules can be found at croquetamerica.com). Sign ups are on the nyseniorgames.com website. 16 persons maximum. Must be 50+ by end of calendar year. For more information contact Denise Ireland: roccroquet@gmail.com or 585-287-4531.
The USCA maintains a very informative website at www.croquetamerica.com. This serves as a valuable resource for rules, tournaments, and other events.
Sundays, 8:30 AM & 10:30 AM