RETHINKING THE ASSOCIATION CROQUET HANDICAP GAME
timed games, I might still win. But I would gladly give them 11 hoops instead and avoid an hour of frustration. The Proposal • Handicaps 20, 22 and 24: award 1 hoop for each bisque over 10. • Handicaps 14, 16 and 18: award 1.5 hoops for each bisque over 10. • Handicaps 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12: award 2 hoops for each bisque over 10. The final number should be rounded up to determine the number of hoops awarded. This is unlikely to affect a player with a handicap of 8 very often, if ever, but it is possible, so it is included for completeness. The same approach could also be applied when playing to a base, such as base 6. Examples Example 1: An 18-handicap player plays a 10-handicap player. The 10-handicap player receives 4 bisques. The 18- handicap player would normally receive 12 bisques, but under this proposal would receive 10 bisques plus 1.5 × 2, rounded to 3 hoops. Example 2: A 24-handicap player plays a -1½-handicap player. The 24-handicap player would normally receive 25½ bisques, but under this proposal would receive 10 bisques plus 1 × 15.5, rounded to 16 hoops. One ball cannot be boxed, but the player could choose where to place their clips, perhaps on peg and 5, or on 4-back and 2-back. Conclusion If adopted, this system would make me more willing to play against high-handicap opponents. A common concern among low-handicap players is that the current handicap game would be fairer to them if matches were not usually timed. This proposal would make timed games more likely to reach a proper finish, while also giving the higher-handicap player a better chance to peg out rather than win on time. I do not believe it would favour either player more than the current system, but it could make matches more enjoyable, better paced, and more
By Robbie Dodds
Recent discussion about changes to Golf Croquet handicap rules suggests that it may also be time to review the Association Croquet handicap game. The Issue with Large Handicap Differences For the most part, handicap AC works well. However, when the handicap difference between players is large, the current system can create drawbacks that discourage lower-handicap players from entering handicap competitions. My proposal is that, when a player would receive more than 10 bisques under the current rules, any bisques above 10 should instead be awarded as hoops. Why a Change Would Help Many players will recognise the problem. When a player has more than 10 bisques, they can appear to play as though they have an unlimited supply. It is not unusual for the first 25 minutes of a match to be spent using several bisques to make a single hoop. Eventually, the player may realise that the bisques are being used too freely and begin to think more carefully; meanwhile, the lower-handicap player is left watching the time pass and wondering when they will next get a turn. For many years I rationalised this by comparing it with a level advanced game: when your opponent gets in, you may be sitting out for some time, and you know you must take your chance when it comes. The important difference is that each bisque is not just an extra turn (which seems to have taken me a while ‘many years’ in fact to realise). In practice, each one can add four or five minutes to the player’s break, and therefore to the time their opponent is sitting out. I still regularly play handicap games at my club because they help newer and higher-handicap players see what is possible in the game. They ask for advice, and I can offer encouragement. However, when an opponent has 21 bisques and, after nearly two hours, I have only managed to play my two balls onto the lawn, the game is not enjoyable. This is not a criticism of the player; they are doing their best. Nor is the result the main issue: with an hour still to play in most
www.croquetengland.org.uk | 30
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online