Club Competitions
To see who you need to play and to report your scores use the 
Draw and Results sheet.
You can enter club competitions via the spreadsheet.
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.
To use the draws and to enter results, you must have a Gmail address and be logged-in with it - for details, see Booking a Lawn.
This page gives details of all the club competitions, including the rules, handicapping and time limits. There's also a set of general regulations that applies to all club competitions. If you are looking for SWF or CA club matches, please see the team matches section.
If any information you need is missing, please let the competitions organiser, Peter Kirby, 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.
Contents
Regulations
These Regulations apply to all club competitions.
- Make sure you know the COVID rules - they change from time to time
- Book a court in the Diary Booking System
- All games are played according to the relevant Rules or 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 lawn booking of 1½ (or 2) hours is required, and for best-of-3 games (knock-out stages) a 4-hour lawn 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 it must be pegged-down
- During COVID-19 restrictions, you should not use any of the Club's markers or tape measures - use an approximation method pacing out distances from fixed objects, noting any half-hidden perspectives between balls. Alternatively, use your own tape measure
- 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 You may receive a walk-over in a block game if you have contacted your opponent at least three times to try to arrange your game. Alternatively, your opponent may wish to give you a walk-over if they can't fit the game in.
- In these circumstances, you will be given a win, and the points you receive will be an average of your other games
- You will not get the full +14 / 18 / 26 points
- The win is not entered on your handicap card
- This should encourage you to play your games before the set time limit!
- Please try to ensure that you avoid walk-overs by playing early
- 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 handicap10)
Format: Knockout
Game: 18-point (hoop-5 start)
Handicapping: Full bisque base 7 (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 2¾ hours
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 becoming a half-bisque
See the CA's One-Ball Handicap Poster.
West of England (AC)
Open to: All
Format: Knockout (Draw and Process)
Game: 26-point
Handicapping: Level-play Advanced (unless Super-Advanced agreed)
Time Limit: None, unless agreed prior
There are strict deadlines for this competition: The first-named player is responsible for contacting the second named player; if the game is not played by the deadline, then the second-named player will go through.
This is because, notoriously, games in this competition have been played late!
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)
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
Secretary's Plate (AC)
Open to: Handicaps 24 and above (not beginners)
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 14-point
Handicapping: Full bisque, special base (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 1¾ hours
Bisque Allocation
| Handicap | Number of Bisques |
|---|---|
| Handicap 24 | 6½ Bisques |
| Handicap 26 | 7½ Bisques |
| Handicap 28 | 8½ Bisques |
If a player's handicap drops below 24 after the competition has started, 1 bisque is lost for each reduction below 24.
Beginners' Tournament (AC)
Open to: Beginners
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 14-point on a half-lawn
Handicapping: Full bisque, special base (see below and the Laws)
Time Limit: 1¾ hours
Bisque Allocation
| Handicap | Number of Bisques |
|---|---|
| Handicap 28 | 14 Bisques |
| Handicap 26 | 12 Bisques |
| Handicap 24 | 10 Bisques |
If a player's handicap drops below 24 after the competition has started, 2 bisques are lost for each reduction below 24.
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
Golf Croquet Handicap (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: 50 minutes; 1¼ hours if 5 or more extra strokes
Golf Croquet Level (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Blocks, then Knockout
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Level-play
Time Limit: 50 minutes
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
Golf Monday Cup (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Season-long Monday PM match performance
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: 50 minutes
Golf Croquet Boxes (GC)
Open to: All
Format: Boxes, repeated over the season
Game: 13-point (first to 7)
Handicapping: Handicap difference
Time Limit: 50 minutes