9 Wicket World Croquet
Championship
Rule Book
1997

2. SUBSTITUTIONS
Players must be registered for a team and can play only for this team during the tournament. Substitutes must be defined to the referee before each game from the team's list of registered players. A substitute cannot be brought into the game underway except in an emergency as accepted by referee.

3. DEFINITIONS
You Hit your own ball (using a clean stroke of the mallet) to make a Shot (or Stroke).  It may then pass through one or more Hoops (or Wickets).  If it happens that your ball Roquets (bumps into) another ball, you may Croquet that ball on your next stroke.  This may take the form of a Free Croquet or a Foot Croquet (in which your foot or hand is placed on your ball to hold it in place).

4. STARTING
One team will play the first, third, and fifth balls and the other team the second, fourth, and sixth balls.  The choice of starting first or second will be selected on a coin toss by the team captains.  The order of play follows the order of colours on the peg: Black, Orange, Green, Yellow, Red, Blue.  The referee will refer to players by ball colour. In preparation for the first stroke on each ball, the ball will be placed on the ground two feet from the starting peg, one foot from the first hoop.

5. TIME OUTS
There is a time limit of 45 seconds for discussion and play on each stroke. The referee will give a 15 second warning (i.e. after 30 seconds have elapsed). If the player has not completed the stroke within the 45 seconds, the player must either:
a. use one of the four 45 second time-outs allotted to each team
b. take a 1 shot penalty (i.e. forfeit the current stroke)
 Once the 15 minute warning for game has been called, there will be no further time-outs allowed.

6. TIME LIMIT
After the duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes, play will be officially stopped on all games by the chief referee. The timekeeper will give fifteen and ten minute warnings. With approximately 5 minutes remaining, "Last Shots" will be called.  After this call, the sequence of balls will be played for a final time.  The ball being played at the time of the call will get another (i.e. the last) turn.

7. WINNING
If one of the team has completed the course and pegged out all three balls, this team is the winner.  Otherwise, a count of the wickets will be made in order to deter-mine which team is nearest to pegging out.  There is no additional point for hitting the finishing-peg: a rover scores the same as a pegged-out ball. In the event of a tie, a shooting contest will take place between all players from the left corner of the court near the peg.

In the Event of a Shootout
Each player shall shoot at the peg to try and hit it, or lay up close. After each shot the ball will be marked and taken from the grass. If all players miss the peg, the closest ball to the peg will be declared the winner. If its an equal tie between two or more players on hitting the peg or nearness to the peg, the tied players shall shoot again until a winner is declared. The choice of shooting first or last is given to the winner of the coin toss from the beginning of the game.

NOTE:  The time limit rule DOES NOT apply to the World Championship Final, which will be played to natural completion.

8. EQUIPMENT
The six balls, nine wickets and two end pegs are provided and set up by the Championship Commit-tee.  See the attached court diagram.  Players may use their own personal mallets, or can use mallets provided by the Committee.

9. CROQUETS
If more than one ball is roqueted following a single mallet stroke, the player may choose to croquet more than one of the contacted balls. The balls must be croqueted in the order they were roqueted.

NOTE:  If after roqueting, a player picks their own ball to croquet, the player is then committed to playing a croquet - the ball may not be replaced where it was.

10. STROKE
Must be a clean hit (not a push) using the ends of the mallet (not the sides). An incorrect stroke may result in loss of that stroke.  If the referee calls fault the opposing team can decide to replace affected balls or to leave them where they lie. Unintended contact with the ball is not considered a stroke. Croquet or golf style may be used. A player may hit a wicket or a peg on his/her swing before contacting the ball so long as a peg or wicket is not removed in the backswing.

11. PLAYING OUT OF TURN
When this occurs and the opposing team on the field feels disadvantaged, they may request that effect of the shot be removed.  The played ball, and any other balls affected, will be re-turned to their original position(s) and play will resume under the correct sequence. The opposing team may also choose this option:  the ball or balls affected may be left where they lie and proper sequence of play continued, with the out-of-sequence player shooting missing his/her next turn.

12. ADDITIONAL STROKES
A player receives an extra stroke for each wicket picked up in correct sequence, or for each (alive on) ball roqueted, or for hitting the half-way peg. The extra stroke may consist of either:
a) another stroke along the course
b) croqueting the ball roqueted by moving your own ball to the roqueted ball and hitting your own ball (free croquet)
c) placing your foot or hand (only) on your ball and hitting your ball.

NOTE:  Your ball may not be moved to a ball such that it is now part-way through your next wicket, unless you are prepared to use up another stroke to back your ball fully through the wicket.

13. A FINE POINT
When playing a croquet, you must ensure that both your ball and the roqueted ball visibly move.  It is not sufficient to place your ball next to the roqueted ball and hit your ball in a direction perpendicular to the roqueted ball; it must be hit in a direction such that the roqueted ball is visibly moved, however slight that may be.  Failure on this point will give the opposing team two options: they may request the croqueting ball (and any other balls affected) be brought back to the position before the stroke, or left in their new position and the player will be penalized by loss of stroke.

14. THROUGH THE WICKET
A ball is considered through the wicket when there is a clear line of sight between the legs of the wicket and the ball: such sighting being done parallel to the ground. During this sighting, the wicket should not be touched. Occasionally a ball just clears a wicket for a split second and settles back under the wicket. The difficulties of this situation are such that a ball must be judged by where it settles. How-ever, if clearance can be distinctly seen for a period of 10 seconds or longer before settling back, then the ball shall be judged to have cleared the wicket.

15. DOUBLE OR MORE ROQUETS
If you hit your ball so that it roquets two or more balls (which you are "alive on") on a single stroke, you are entitled to an extra stroke for each ball hit. You may:
a) carry on with the course with the number of strokes received.
b) croquet any or all of the balls roqueted, and carry on with the course for any remaining strokes.  If more than one ball is croqueted, they must be croqueted in the order they were roqueted.

16. DEAD ON
You may roquet each ball only once while your ball is between any two hoops on the course.  You are “Alive On” balls you have not roqueted, and "Dead On" balls you have roqueted.  Once you clear another wicket (or hit the half way stake), you are "Alive On" all of the balls once again. Being "Dead On" a ball does not prevent you from knocking that ball out of position, but you will not receive an extra stroke.

17. ROVERS
When a ball has completed the course except for the final stake, it is called a rover.  Rovers have special privileges with respect to being "Dead On" or "Alive On" other balls.  A rover is "Alive On" all of the other balls at the start of each turn.  A rover may only roquet a given ball once on each turn.

18. HELPING YOUR TEAMMATE
A player on the same team may help align his or her partner's ball.

19. BOUNDARY RULE
Any ball that goes out of bounds will be brought back into the court and placed nine inches from boundary at the point of exit.  If, during the course of a turn any ball is croqueted to a point that is not out of bounds but within nine inches of being out of bounds, such balls will also be placed on the imaginary line nine inches from the sideline.

20. PEGGING OUT
Any ball having completed the course of wickets (rover) will be removed from the game immediately upon hitting the finishing-peg, whether hit out by the player himself, his team, or the opposition.

21. REFEREES
Referees (and or timekeepers) will keep a record of wickets made in correct order for each ball, and also "alive on"/"dead on" balls for each player.  They will only give this information to players on the court when requested.  Referees may advise players on rules of the game, but not on strategy.  They will enforce "time-outs", and "time limit" rules.  The decisions of referees are considered final unless appealed to the Head Referee.

22. NO COACHING
There will be absolutely no coaching or advice given from the sidelines to any player during a game.
Note: A warning will be given by the referee. If a second warning must be given - a loss of turn may result.

23. MAN-MADE OBSTACLES
If a balls ends up on a man-made object (i.e. sprinkler head), the ball may be moved to a point six inches from the edge of the object, but not so as to improve the position of the ball.

Scoresheet

Croquet Customs and Court Etiquette

The following customs and court etiquette, while not warranting specific penalties, should be considered as helpful to the conduct and enjoyment of the game of croquet for everyone and as important as the rules of play. When a conflict exists with the rules, the rules shall prevail. Remember croquet is a sport and as such should be enjoyed by all players as a sport played by gracious losers and winners.

Sportsmanship

The game of croquet is a game that should be played with good sportsmanship as the foremost attitude of how a player approaches the game. The paragraphs of this section help describe some of the ways which players should play the game; and conduct themselves while playing the game. If a specific incident is not covered in this section, then the spirit of good sportsmanship should be considered in addressing the situation. Players should strive to play by the rules of the game and not try to circumvent the ethics and the morality of the rules of the game.

Dress Code

Croquet players customarily wear all white apparel on court, in all USCA titled events, such apparel is expected. The tournament chairman must approve any exceptions.
Flat soled shoes are obligatory when playing to avoid damage to the court surface. The era of immaculately pressed flannels and club tie has passed and today's players tend to dress in a manner equally suitable for tennis or squash. However dress apparel should be in keeping with the event.

Courtesy to Players

Courtesy should be extended to one's opponent(s) as well as to one's playing partner at all times. Players should respect each others playing abilities and opinions, and treat an opponent or partner in the same fashion that they would expect and want to be treated themselves.

Presence on Court

In the interest of good sportsmanship, players should avoid any behavior that distracts a striker attempting a shot. This conduct applies to the opponent, partner and especially at the start of a turn.
Players should not be in the striker's line of sight, cross through the line of aim, or make noises or sudden movements that break the striker's concentration.

Interference with a Shot

A player must not interfere with any ball while a shot is in progress. All balls are in play until the shot is over, and must be allowed too completely cross the boundary or come to a complete stop, before being touched by any player or equipment.

Spectators

Players should avoid listening to any audible comments from spectators about the game. A player may ask a spectator a question about a point of fact only if the opponent has given consent.
A player should not take advantage of any previously unnoticed error or omission to which his attention is drawn by the comments or attitude of the spectators. 

Advice

No player is entitled to advice from anyone other than one's partner(s) when playing doubles or full teams.
It must be a matter of conscience how a player acts after receiving unsolicited information or advice. Warning a player who, is about to run a wrong wicket or play the wrong ball constitutes advice.

Calling Faults

Any player or team member may call faults or misplay. This includes the striker calling any fault committed, regardless of adverse consequences to the striker's game. During a game, the players are the referees unless a third party is assigned the task of referee.

Civility and good sportsmanship are an integral part of the croquet tradition. Players are encouraged to call faults on themselves, and unless a referee is called to watch a shot before it is made the striker's word is always taken. In cases of uncertainty, the positive position (assuming no fault) is preferred.

When players Opinions Differ

When player's opinions differ about ball replacement after a ball has been moved, the player who caused the ball to move replace the ball, but defers to the opponent as to the exact position.
When the question is whether a roquet was made on the ball, or whether the roqueted ball moved on the croquet shot the opponent defers to the opinion of the striker. If there are any reliable witnesses, the players may consult them in order to resolve the differences; but only if both teams agree to do so.

Referees

Players should avoid verbal confrontations with each other by expressing their legitimate concerns to the referee.
If the opponent believes a striker is making repeated faults such as "pushing" or "double tapping" or failing to move a roqueted ball in a croquet shot, the referee may be summoned to watch subsequent shots.

Detrimental Behavior

Courtesy and good sportsmanship is expected of all players and officials at all times.
Players are under an obligation to avoid acts that may be considered detrimental to the game of croquet. For example, players should not:

(1) Audibly swear at a player, official or spectator

(2) Use obscene, abusive or insulting language or gestures.

(3) Throw a mallet or hit a ball in protest or anger.

Any spectator or player who abuses an official or player, or interferes with the game will be warned and directed by the Tournament Director to desist. If the abuse or interference continues, the person may be directed to leave the tournament area. In case of flagrant abuse, the directive to leave may be given without warning. Any such instance should be reported to a grievance committee to be assembled from board members.