How to Talk About Croquet

Most club members aren't recruiters. Here's how to recognise people who might love croquet and what to say when you meet them.

Croquet Queensland Media

Aug 1, 2025

Most club members didn't sign up to be recruiters. You joined because you enjoy the game, not because you wanted to stand at a shopping centre with a clipboard.

But clubs grow through conversation. One person telling another about something they love.

You don't need a sales pitch. You need to recognise when someone might enjoy croquet, and know enough about what the game offers to make the connection.

What people want. What croquet provides.

Forget demographics. Age doesn't tell you much. What matters is what someone is looking for and whether croquet can provide it.

Here are five common needs that croquet fills well. When you hear someone express one of these, you've found a potential match.

Mental challenge

What they want: Something that makes them think. They miss the problem-solving from their working life, or they're bored with activities that don't engage their brain.

What croquet provides: Strategic depth. Every shot involves calculation: angles, positions, sequences, risk. Players compare it to chess. You can study croquet for years and still be learning.

You might hear: "I need something to keep my mind active." "I get bored easily." "I miss having something to figure out."

The match: If they want mental stimulation, croquet delivers. Tell them about the strategic side. Mention that it takes years to master.

Outdoor time

What they want: A reason to be outside. Often they've lost a garden through downsizing, or they spent decades working indoors and want to make up for it.

What croquet provides: Regular time on grass, under sky, in fresh air. Most clubs play several days a week. The lawns are maintained to a high standard.

You might hear: "I miss having a garden." "I want to get outside more." "We moved into a unit."

The match: If they're craving outdoor time, croquet gives them that. Talk about the lawns, the setting, the feeling of being outside regularly.

Community

What they want: Regular contact with people who know their name. Social life got harder after retirement, or after losing a partner, or after moving somewhere new.

What croquet provides: A built-in community. Same people, same days, same place. Morning tea, club events, people who notice when you're not there.

You might hear: "I don't see people as much as I used to." "It's harder to meet people than I expected." "Most of my friends are still working."

The match: If they want connection, the club provides it. Mention the social side: morning tea, the regulars, the friendships that form.

Gentle competition

What they want: To compete again. They played sport once but their body won't cooperate anymore. They miss the feeling of competition but need something their knees, back, or shoulders can handle.

What croquet provides: Real competition without physical punishment. There are club championships, state titles, national tournaments. You can compete at a high level into your eighties.

You might hear: "I had to give up tennis/golf/squash." "My doctor says low-impact." "I miss competing."

The match: If they want competition their body can handle, croquet works. Mention the competitive pathway. Tell them about members who compete seriously.

Something to master

What they want: A skill to develop over time. They value expertise and want something that rewards sustained effort.

What croquet provides: A long learning curve. You can play socially after a few sessions, but mastery takes years. There's always another level.

You might hear: "I like to really learn something." "I want something I can improve at." "I get bored when things are too easy."

The match: If they want depth, croquet has it. Be honest that it takes time. For the right person, that's the appeal.

The simple formula

Listen for what someone wants or is missing

Connect it to what croquet provides

Invite them to come and try

You're sharing something you enjoy with someone who might enjoy it too. Use your own words. Tell your own story. The examples above are just illustrations of the principle.

When someone's looking for what croquet offers, the conversation is easy. When they're not, no script will help. That's fine. Croquet isn't for everyone.

When they're interested

If someone wants to take the next step, point them to comeandtrycroquet.com. They enter their details and get connected to their nearest club. It takes the pressure off you to follow up, and it means they hear from the right people.