Club Competitions
See who to play and report your score on the 
Ladder sheet.
Winter Rules are in operation.
Use the online Handicap Calculator to find the number of bisques, extra turns or starting advantage.
Contact details for BCC members may be found in the list sent by the Membership Secretary from time to time, or (if shared) in the online secure membership database. See also Booking a Court.
To enter competitions and to use the draws to enter results, you must have a Gmail address and be logged-in with it You can use another email address if it is linked to a Gmail address. It's easy and free to create a Google account. Armed with your Gmail address, notify Ray Ransom for initial authorisation or if you encounter difficulties.
During the summer season, we also play team matches against other clubs in the SWF leagues and one-day competitions, and CA inter-club matches, please see the team matches section for details and how to join a team.
If any information you need is missing, please let the Competitions Manager, Andrew Wise, know.
The Roll of Honour, listing all competition results (and trophies) for the most recent season, is framed and hung in the clubhouse each year.
New players should acquaint themselves with Club Etiquette: Conventions, Customs and Good Manners, and even established players should check they are familiar with the content.
Winter Competition 2022/23
During the autumn and winter months, you can continue to play competitive croquet. This season we are running a single Egyptian Ladder tournament open to all players and scored online. The game format is any recognised AC or GC format, either level or handicap. It's a winter free-for-all!
You can play different formats or stick to one, however you like. You can challenge anyone else to a game. You can play as many games as you like. The only restriction (which may affect your choice of format) is that games must be timed to finish after no more than two hours (this is to protect the lawns).
To enter the tournament just email Andrew Wise with the subject "Enter winter comp" - no other words needed. You can enter at any time. Once entered, your name and initials will appear in the list of players and you can see who else is competing.
When you win a game you should record it as follows. Log in to your Gmail account and go to the score page. On the next available line: enter the date, game format (AC or GC and level or handicap). The winner's initials go in the winner column (highlighted green) and the loser's initials go in the loser column (highlighted red). If the computer recognises the initials then the winner's and loser's names will pop up along with the latest scores. Then all done!
You don't need to bother with the details of the Egyptian ladder scoring: the computer will do it for you as follows. Everyone starts with a rating of 100. The rating is adjusted up or down with wins and losses, and the amount of adjustment depends on the quality of the win or the loss according to this table:
| Rating difference | 0 to 5 | 6 to16 | 17 to 27 | 28 to 38 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| If higher rated wins | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| If lower rated wins | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
The tournament will close on 28th February, shortly before the AGM. No tangible prizes will be awarded, but the winner will be suitably acclaimed.
Summer 2022 Competitions
The following information is presented for reference.
Contents
Regulations
These Regulations apply to all club competitions.
- Book a court in the Court Booking System (CBS)
- All games are played according to the relevant Rules or Laws and current club Bye Laws
- Keep your handicap up to date by maintaining a card
-
Time-limits and booking slots:
- For AC, the time-limits allow for a short knock-up (5-minutes) and an additional 10-minutes to cover time-turns within a two-hour or three-hour booking slot
- For a 50-minute GC game, you should book a one-hour slot to allow for a short knock-up (5-minutes) and an additional 5-minutes to cover play after time is called. Where the 1¼ hour time limit applies, a court booking of 1½ (or 2) hours is required, and for Best-of-Three games (knock-out stages) a 4-hour court booking is required.
- For One-Ball, there is a 50-minute time-limit for each game in a Best-of-Three, for which you should book a three-hour slot (in case it goes to 3 games)
- If your game exceeds its timeslot, and any of the players involved in the next booking are present, it must be pegged-down
- Note that, to aid scheduling, different time limits may apply for Finals-Day matches
- Refer to the Club Handbook section on time limits
- For all events played in blocks, the number of blocks will be determined by total entries and there will be a play-off between block winners
- The winner should enter scores, in the relevant tab on the draw sheet
- Walk-Over Credits (new for 2022!)
- Block games: You may receive a walk-over in a block game if your opponent has been unavailable to play in time; ask the Competitions Manager. Each situation will be judged on its merits using the following guidelines:
- If you tried to arrange a match at least three times (including at least once before the end of June) without a positive response then your claim is likely to be agreed.
- If your match was agreed and booked into the online booking system before the block's closing date but your opponent later ceased to be available, then your claim is likely to be agreed.
- Otherwise, your claim is unlikely to be agreed.
- So there is your incentive to get booking - by mutual agreement as provisional bookings will not count.
- A walkover win will be awarded only if you have won more than half the games you played in the block and will be credited with one net hoop point. A draw, counting as half a win with no net hoop points, will be awarded if you won exactly half the games you played in the block.
- The Competitions Manager will decide the resolution of any game that is not played by its deadline. If you don’t agree with the decision then you can refer to our appeals judge - David Goacher.
- Knockouts: The Competitions Manager will decide who goes through, applying similar principles as far as possible but otherwise - if no better solution - by a witnessed coin toss.
- Block games: You may receive a walk-over in a block game if your opponent has been unavailable to play in time; ask the Competitions Manager. Each situation will be judged on its merits using the following guidelines:
- Determination of Positions in Blocks
- For most competitions, the top two players from each block qualify for the next stage of a competition
- In the event of equal wins by two people, the player who won the game between the two will finish above the other one
- If there is a tie between more than two people, then the player(s) with the most wins against those who are tying will qualify
- If qualification cannot be resolved in this way net hoops decide
- If you are unable to play on finals weekend (usually the last weekend of September) you must scratch as soon as is practicable after completion of your quarter-final match.
Handicap Doubles (AC)
Open to: All (min. aggregate handicap 10)
Format: Knockout
Game: 18-point (hoop-5 start)
Handicapping: Full bisque base 7 (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 3¾ hours (new for 2022!)
Bisque Rules
Note these are different from the AC Laws.
To calculate the number of bisques:- Calculate the aggregate (total) handicap of each pair and divide it by two (giving the average)
- For each pair deduct the base of 7 from their average handicap calculated in step 1
- Adjust the number of bisques calculated in step 2 to allow for an 18-point game
If one of the doubles teams has an aggregate handicap of less than 14, they receive no bisques and the number of bisques given to the other pair is calculated as follows:
- Calculate the aggregate (total) handicap of each pair and divide it by two (giving the average)
- Calculate the difference in average handicap between the two pairs in step 1
- Adjust the number of bisques calculated in step 2 to allow for an 18-point game
In accordance with the Laws for full bisque handicap doubles, a player whose handicap is below the base (7) may play only a half-bisque.
AC Boxes (AC)
Open to: 16+ handicaps
Format: Boxes, repeated over the season
Game: 26-point (half-lawn) or 14-point (full-lawn)
Handicapping: Full bisque base 11½ (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
Bisque Allocation
Bisques for this competition are allocated in accordance with the South West Federation B-League rules.
Games are played Full Bisque Handicap with a base of 11½, so each player deducts 11½ from their handicap to find the number of bisques for a full game on a full-size court. This is then reduced according to the CA Schedules of Bisque Allocation:
- 26-point games, on half-size lawns, use the Schedule for games played on half-size lawns
- 14-point games, on full-size lawns, use the Schedule for 14-point games
The following table is a quick reference indicating the number of bisques to be allocated:
| Player's Handicap | Bisques for 26-point game on half-size lawn | Bisques for 14-point game on full-size lawn |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1½ | 1½ |
| 16 | 3 | 2½ |
| 18 | 4 | 3½ |
| 20 | 5½ | 4½ |
| 22 | 6½ | 5½ |
| 24 | 8 | 6½ |
One-Ball (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Knockout (Draw and Process)
Game: 13-point (Best-of-Three, unless single-game agreed) see the One-Ball Laws
Handicapping: As CA Regulations
Time Limit: 50 minutes per game
One-Ball - Handicap Play (Association Croquet)
These rules conform to the Laws as modified by the CA Regulations and are replicated here for simplicity of reference.
- First, AC handicaps below 2 are adjusted as follows:
AC Handicap 1½ 1 ½ 0 -½ -1 -1½ -2 -2½ -3 One-Ball Handicap 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 - Then take the lowest of:
- the adjusted AC handicap
- if GC handicap above zero: 2.5 x GC handicap, otherwise GC handicap
- 20
- The number of bisques given is one third of the difference between the handicaps of the players with any fraction rounded to the nearest half-bisque
See the CA's One-Ball Handicap Poster.
West of England (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Knockout (Draw and Process, or block if fewer than 8 players)
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Level-play Advanced (unless Super-Advanced agreed)
Time Limit: None, unless agreed prior
Ormerod Cup (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Knockout (Draw and Process)
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: None, unless agreed prior (minimum 3 hours)
American Handicap (AC)
Open to: Under 24 Handicap
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 18-point (1 and 3-back start) Note Law 51.2 A ball cannot score hoop 1 by being peeled by its partner ball.
Handicapping: Handicap difference, adjusted for 18-point game
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
B-Level (AC)
Open to: Handicap 0 and above
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Level-play Advanced
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
C-Level (AC)
Open to: Handicap 6 and above
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Level-play Advanced
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
9-14 Handicap (AC)
Open to: Handicaps 9 to 14
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Full bisque base 7 (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
Bisque Allocation
| Handicap | Number of Bisques |
|---|---|
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 1 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 3 |
| 11 | 4 |
| 12 | 5 |
| 14 | 7 |
| 16 | 9 |
| 18 | 11 |
16-24 Handicap (AC)
Open to: Handicaps 16 to 24
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 18-point (hoop 5 start)
Handicapping: Full bisque base 11½ (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
Bisque Allocation
| Handicap | Number of Bisques |
|---|---|
| 12 | ½ |
| 14 | 1½ |
| 16 | 3 |
| 18 | 4½ |
| 20 | 6 |
| 22 | 7½ |
| 24 | 8½ |
| 26 | 10 |
| 28 | 11½ |
14-point Handicap (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 14-point
Handicapping: Handicap difference, adjusted for 14-point game
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
Beginners' Short Croquet Tournament (AC)
Open to: 2021 Beginners
Format: All-play-all block. The top two players will play a final (refer to Determination of Positions in Blocks)
Game: Short Croquet (14-point) on a half-lawn
Handicapping: Full bisque, with allocation determined by the club handicappers and notified by email
Time Limit: 1½ hours
Short Croquet (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 14-point on a half-lawn
Handicapping: Full bisque (adjusted per Short Croquet rules - see the Laws
Time Limit: 1¼ hours
AC All England (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Handicap qualifying event that leads to area and national finals. Well suited for improvers. You can register without commitment and then details will be provided when available.
Game: 26-point on a half-lawn
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: TBA
Golf Croquet Handicap (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game:
Single Game 13-point (first to 7) for Block; Best-of-Three 13-point for Knockout
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: 50 minutes; 1¼ hours if 5 or more extra strokes - for each game
Golf Croquet Level (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game:
Single Game 13-point (first to 7) for Block; Best-of-Three 13-point for Knockout
Handicapping: Level-play
Time Limit: 50 minutes - per game
Golf Croquet Doubles (GC)
Open to: All (minimum aggregate handicap 8)
Format: Knockout
Game: Best-of-Three 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: See GC Rules
Time Limit: 50 minutes - per game
Golf Cup (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Season-long GC Club Afternoon match performance (new for 2022! was Monday only)
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: 50 minutes
Golf Croquet All England (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Handicap qualifying event for area and national finals. Well suited for improvers. You can register without commitment and then details will be provided when available.
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: TBA