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The centuries-old pastime of croquet is an ideal way for retirees to get outdoors and enjoy light exercise and social interaction. It’s also a highly-tactical game, as players seek not only to progress themselves but to stymie opponents along the way.
At Summerset Falls, keen player Sue Brodziak describes this take-no-prisoners element as “vicious” – but she does so with a laugh, adding that it’s not really vicious at all, but highly competitive, and a lot of fun.
Sue is leading the way in spreading knowledge and love for the game at the retirement village, having worked to win council approval to use a grassy, tree-lined area, part of the picturesque Esplanade Reserve adjoining the Mahurangi River, for regular croquet games.
It’s not the ideal croquet court – too long, too narrow and a bit bumpy in places – but that hasn’t stopped Sue from helping fellow residents learn how to swing a mallet and nudge the blue, red, black and yellow balls through embedded metal hoops.
She has measured out a course at the site and drilled holes for the hoops (the holes are plugged when not in use), and croquet games are played three afternoons a week in summer.
Sue, who has lived at Summerset Falls for four years, has played croquet for over a decade. She serves as treasurer of the Warkworth Croquet Club, and is also secretary of the Auckland Croquet Association, which has 11 clubs and more than 400 members, so keeps very busy.
Some retirement homes have dual purpose synthetic turf greens, used for both bowls and croquet.
Summerset Falls does not have that option (yet), but a regular group plays on the riverside lawn at the village, and have-a-go days bring in new members. And two Sundays a month, croquet-keen residents go to the Warkworth Croquet Club to play on a professional lawn.
A croquet tournament is currently underway among retirement villages, with home and away games, with a grand finale to be held in April. Summerset is supportive, providing T-shirts and contributing in other ways.
“It’s giving people something to do. A lot of people haven’t played sport for many years. Perhaps they played tennis or hockey in their youth, but that’s a moving ball. Croquet and golf are fixed balls, so it’s much easier at a later age. You can quite easily pick it up, and the rules are quite simple. But there is also a lot of skill involved, especially at the higher levels.”
Sue says a game of golf croquet – the modern, quicker version of the game that’s most popular – could take up to an hour on a large lawn, so with players on their feet and walking for that period of time, it provides good exercise.
“It’s good for the torso and upper body. It strengthens your stomach muscles. It’s cardio exercise, but without you noticing. And because you stand up when you hit the ball, it’s easier when you get older – unlike in bowls, where you have to bend down.”
There’s also a lot of laughter. During the course of the game, while trying to frustrate your opponent, you may instead unintentionally hit his or her ball through a hoop – the croquet equivalent of an own goal.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Sue says. “There’s never a cross word. It’s technique and it’s tactics, and in the end, the winner is the one who has done the best in both of those.”
