Your chance to take up croquet

4:45pm Sunday 16th March 2008

Bath Croquet Club are looking to recruit new players of all ages to take up the sport in 2008.

A beginner's course of six two-hour lessons starts at 9:45am on Saturday April 5. The course costs £25 and this is deducted from the first year's subscription should a person decide to join permanently.

Club spokesman Daniel Mills said: "Croquet is a fascinating and exciting game played by men and women of all ages. Tactics are very important, meaning that a person can take up the sport at any age and see steady improvement over a number of years.

"There is also a handicap system which allows newer players to have an even contest with more experienced players. It is a summer sport played outdoors on a grass court and is one of the few sports where Great Britain are the current World Champions.

"In November 2006 the GB team convincingly defended their crown in a series of Test matches held in Australia against the United States, New Zealand and Australia. During February 2008 many UK based players took part in the Croquet World Championships held in Christchurch, New Zealand."

Mills says croquet is an inexpensive sport when compared with higher profile sports such as golf and tennis. It successfully combines ball skills with tactics, and plenty of sociability. Croquet is an amateur sport with a national governing body called The Croquet Association. Further details can be found at www.croquet.org.uk Bath Croquet Club's own website is http://beehive.thisisbath.com/ croquet Anyone interested in signing up for the beginner's course should email their name, address and phone number to croquetdan@hotmail.com or phone Mike Cope on 01225 310083 and provide the same information.

All equipment is provided and the only requirement is to wear flat-soled shoes.

The club has four full sized lawns and is based in the centre of Bath on the Recreation Ground, opposite Bath Rugby.

Bath Croquet Club enjoyed a successful 2007 season with the club's top ranked player Louise Bradforth winning the Croquet Association's Treasurer's Tankard at the end of the season, and rising star Andrew Willis winning three trophies during 2007. The club starts 2008 with five members ranked within the UK top 200.