Following approval by the World Croquet Federation on 24 January 2021 the Croquet Association has adopted revised Laws of Association Croquet 7th Edition which come into effect on 1 March 2021. These are being incorporated by the NW Federation in regulations for league matches and competitions for the 2021 season.
The majority of revisions concern tidying up and clarifying earlier laws. The main changes affecting club games and competitions are:
-
- Accidental contact between the striker’s mallet and a ball in what are now defined as ‘critical strokes’. A typical occurrence is a ball being touched accidentally while aiming and casting. Previously the ball could be replaced and the stroke could continue but it is now treated as a shot and subject to the normal rules of play. This brings association croquet into line with golf croquet.
- Safeguards against and penalties for slow play and time wasting.
- Clearer guidance and penalties for seeking or receiving unauthorised advice.
- Super-advanced, alternate shot doubles and time-limited games have been added to the main laws.
The revised laws and the changes from previous laws are spelt out in more detail in the following publications by the World Croquet Federation:
Laws of Association Croquet 7th Edition
AC Laws 7th Edition Changes
An interactive version of the revised laws has been published on the CA website.
Copies of the 7th Edition in the familiar A6 booklet format can be purchased from the Croquet Association shop.