How to Play Croquet: Wicket Order, Roquet & Scoring
This guide uses nine-wicket backyard croquet: each ball follows a course through 14 wicket passages and two stakes. Run the next wicket to earn another stroke, use roquets to keep your turn going, and finish at the home stake. Golf Croquet uses a different scoring system; the printable card follows the nine-wicket course.
- 2 to 6 (singles or teams) PLAYERS
- AGES 6+
- 5 to 10 min SETUP
- Flexible; roughly 50 x 100 ft for a full course, less for backyard
What you need
- A standard croquet set: 6 mallets and 6 matching balls
- 9 wickets (the metal hoops the balls pass through)
- 2 stakes (one at each end of the course)
- A reasonably flat patch of grass; perfectly manicured is nice but not required
- Optional: a measuring tape or string to lay out the wicket pattern evenly
Need the gear? See our croquet picks before game day.
How to play croquet
- Set up the courseFor 9-wicket croquet, set the two stakes at opposite ends and arrange the 9 wickets in the standard double-diamond pattern between them. Backyard space is flexible. Each player picks a ball and matching mallet, and play follows the color order printed on the stake.
- Start each ball into playPlayers take turns striking their ball from a starting spot beside the first stake. The goal is to send your ball through the wickets in the correct sequence, around the course and back, hitting the turning stake and finishing by hitting the home stake.
- Take your strokeOn your turn you get one stroke. Strike your own ball with the face of the mallet. If you run your ball through the next wicket in sequence, you earn one bonus stroke and keep going.
- Roquet another ball for bonus strokesIf your ball hits another player's ball, that is a roquet and it earns you two bonus strokes. The common backyard reward is to place your ball against the one you hit and 'send' it away, then take a free second stroke.
- Complete all 16 checkpointsRun passages 1-7 in order and hit the turning stake. Continue through passages 8-14 on the return route, then hit the finishing stake. The ball has completed 14 wicket passages and two stakes and is removed from play.
- Finish your ball or sideThe first ball to complete the course wins individual play. For teams, finish every ball belonging to your side before claiming the win.
Scoring
- Each ball scores one course point for each of 14 wicket passages and two stakes completed in the correct order: 16 points per ball.
- Follow passages 1-7, hit the turning stake, complete passages 8-14, then hit the finishing stake.
- Bonus strokes extend your turn; they do not add score points. Running the next wicket earns one bonus stroke, and a permitted roquet earns two.
- In individual play, the first ball to finish wins. In team play, all of a side's balls must complete the course and stake out.
- This course and scorecard use ordinary nine-wicket play, without poison rules. Golf Croquet is a separate game.
Keeping score on paper? Print the free croquet score sheet. No signup needed.
Croquet court size & dimensions
Backyard nine-wicket croquet lays out on a 50 by 100 foot court in the classic double-diamond pattern. Here is the wicket and stake layout to scale, with the spacing that sets it up.
| Court size | 50 ft by 100 ft for nine-wicket (double-diamond); scale to fit your yard |
|---|---|
| Wickets | 9 wickets plus 2 stakes; wickets stand at least 6 ft apart |
| End spacing | Each stake set about 3 ft in from the short edge, first wicket 3 ft past it |
| Balls | Usually 6 balls (or 4), played in a fixed color order |
| Players | 2 to 6; play solo or in two teams |
Full size is 50 by 100 feet, but the layout shrinks neatly to whatever lawn you have, half-size at 25 by 50 feet is common. Keep the double-diamond shape and the spacing proportional.
Fun variations
- Golf croquet: the fast, beginner-friendly version where all balls compete for the same wicket. Great for big groups.
- Six-ball teams: in a 6-player set, split into two teams of three by ball color.
- Backyard handicap: give newer players a wicket or two head start to keep games close.
Croquet rules FAQ
What is the difference between 9-wicket and golf croquet?
In 9-wicket (American/backyard) croquet, each ball runs the full course through the wickets in sequence and earns bonus strokes. In golf croquet, every ball plays for the same single wicket at the same time, the first through scores, and there are no bonus strokes. Golf croquet is faster and easier to teach.
What does roquet mean in croquet?
A roquet is when your ball hits another player's ball during your stroke. In 9-wicket croquet it earns you two bonus strokes, and you typically get to place your ball next to the one you hit and send it where you like.
How many wickets and stakes are in a croquet set?
A standard backyard croquet set has 9 wickets and 2 stakes, along with 6 mallets and 6 matching balls. The wickets are arranged in a double-diamond pattern between the two stakes.
How do you win at croquet?
In nine-wicket individual play, finish your ball's 14 wicket passages and two stakes in the correct order. Team play requires every ball on your side to finish. Golf Croquet instead awards each contested hoop to one side and uses its own target score.
Do you need a perfect lawn to play croquet?
No. Backyard croquet is forgiving. Any reasonably flat patch of grass works, and the wicket layout is flexible, so you can spread it out or tighten it up to fit the space you have.
Ready to play?
Grab a set and start your league this weekend. See the croquet sets we picked and what comes in each box.