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The Golf Croquet Pyramid By Cheryl Bromley
With the 2024 croquet season getting underway, here are a few ideas to try in upcoming practice sessions that are designed to fortify the basics, expand your comfort zone and challenge you to improve and reach the next level. These suggestions are focused specifically on shot-making and will look at three areas to build upon: the Base, the Middle and the Top. Some days you might practice shots from all three zones, or some days you might focus solely on improving one area of the pyramid. As we all know, the base of a pyramid is the solid foundation of everything that is built or layered upon it.
The Base Consistency is the foundation in croquet and a fair amount of time should be focused on developing consistency in many areas of your game. • Pre-shot routine: everyone has a unique pre-shot routine. Pay attention to repeating your same pre-shot process each time to allow your shots to build consistency. This should include stalking (Don’t Walk Backward!) and checking that your feet are parallel to the centerline of your mallet for alignment. • Tempo: a slow, rhythmic tempo is something to strive for. Even though you will need to adjust the length of your backswing and follow-through depending on the shot you are attempting, developing a slow and smooth tempo is a good route to go for consistency. • Placement Shots: statistically, placement shots are used the most in golf croquet. Pick out a specific target on each shot that you hit aiming for a blade of grass where you want the ball to land. Use a relaxed grip and tune in to the “feel” of the shot to recognize how far your ball will roll. A snuggle shot and “Jawsing” a ball in the hoop are simply gentle placement shots hit with considerable care to a specific distance. • Foundational shots should include one- to two-yard straight and angled hoop shots, stop shots, two- to three-yard short roquets, the beginnings of a jump shot and placement shots to all hoop distances.
the hoop, move back to the next marker. If you miss, take one “chance” shot and, if you happen to miss, move forward one marker. Variation: if you miss on a second chance shot, go all the way back to the beginning. This can also be used for increasing the distance on roquets or clearing shots. Try to increase to five yards. Use this drill to expand the range on jump shots. • Score and Set Up: Practice on all the odd-numbered hoops to score your hoop shot and have your ball continue down to set up for the next hoop. Determine what your comfort zone is to score the hoop and keep your ball rolling to the next. • Center Ball shots: You will be able to control your striker ball the most when you can hit the center of your ball into the center of a target ball. Start with shorter stop shots one to three feet apart and then increase the distance you can hit the center of an opponent’s ball. Work up to five yards apart. • To Cast or not to Cast: fine tune when and if you use continuous casting for all shots, certain shots or not at all.
The Top Elite Play. With the development of a solid base of consistent shots combined with increasing the distances you can successfully execute those shots, you are now to the top of the pyramid where you will be tested again and again.
Expanding your Range and Comfort Zone is the mid-section of the croquet pyramid. This is where using progressions in your practices will help increase the distances and help build confidence.
• At the top level, you should expect to be able to clear balls consistently from seven yards away. At the elite level, players will often need to clear balls 10-14 yards away or further. • A 21-foot hoop attempt from the boundary is not out of the ordinary. Jump shots are a regular occurrence and a onebounce, long-range jump shot is a fun shot to develop. • Placement shots are more precise and used to “wire,” or hide, from opponents. Strategies such as promoting your partner ball into position are often considered. Cannon shots (hitting your striker ball at a target ball into another target ball) sometimes must be used. • Clearing balls out of or near hoops with precise accuracy to leave your striker ball in a protected spot are often necessary.
• Progression Drill for hoop shooting: Place five markers in one-yard increments straight back from a hoop. If you make
Make the most of your practice sessions by practicing shots in all three areas of the pyramid. Good luck!
The Middle
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