Entry on the club online entry system at thecroquetacademy.com is the preferred method. There is no need to complete a paper form as well.

Cheques should be made payable to "The Croquet Academy". Please state the course(s) on reverse of cheque.

If you wish to pay by electronic transfer, please email courses@thecroquetacademy.com for account details.

Morning coffee, light lunch and tea will be available on all courses unless you are notified otherwise. Please confirm on the entry form that you will be having lunch and indicate any special dietary requirements.

Please indicate other coaching courses attended during the prior two years.

If an email address is provided, your entry receipt and further communications will be made by email.

If you need to discuss a course further contact Chrissie at courses@thecroquetacademy.com or the Course Secretary shown against the course.

Cancellations: Within 1 week of start of course - no refund; outside one week - refund of fee minus £5 administration charge.

Reservations for courses are based on the time the booking is confirmed with payment. Availability for courses will be updated on The Academy website, and once a course is full applicants can be considered for the reserve list.

The course fee will include a course manual or course notes, in pdf form, unless otherwise indicated.

The Croquet Academy intend to offer refreshments and a light lunch on all courses. This will include tea or coffee, biscuits, a light lunch and afternoon cake for an all in day rate of £10. 

The course is open to CA members. No handicap restriction. To attend the course, you are expected to have a good knowledge of AC Laws and / or Golf Croquet Rules. A £40 subsidy may be available. The primary aim of this course is to reinforce the coach’s attributes by revisiting the practical techniques comprehensively on the court and augment knowledge of the laws/rules of both disciplines to enable the coach to instruct the student on their courses for potential future coaches. Participants will be required to cover both AC and GC. Only CA members can be entered onto the CA register and receive coaching badges. For details of the Qualification Process, please refer to the CA website: www.croquet.org.uk ‘Becoming a Coach’ www.croquet.org.uk 'Becoming a Coach'.

Rich Waterman has been helping players develop the Mental side of their Mental Game for over 15 years. He is a Neuro-linguistic Practitioner (NLP), Master Practitioner and Trainer. Rich was also a senior Trainer for both AC and GC International development squads, as well as working with the AC England squad on their mindset approach. 
He previously served as AC International Performance Director.  At least 80% of sports performance is mental. This on-demand course is ideal for croquet players who want to improve their performance in competitive play.
The video course will be available via subscription from mid-March 2023 and will be supplemented by live Q&A sessions in April, July, and October.
All 2022 recorded sessions will be available to subscribers. 

Course content includes:

Preparing for a match.
Managing emotional states in play.
Focus.
Maximising your chance of shot success.
Dealing with bad shots.
Becoming a more effective competitor.
How to model the best players.
How to improve your game when you aren't even on the lawns.

This one day course re-emphasizes the concept of AC and the shots needed for playing a game. Starting a game will be covered, and the use of bisques appropriately and successfully. The short court aids the awareness of the game and we will play some 14 point games using bisques and pegging out.

The course is intended for those players in the handicap range: 6-12.
The aim of the course is to introduce participants to the techniques of the advanced game and its laws; to emphasise the need for accuracy in all skills; and to give participants confidence to play in a greater range of tournaments.
The course includes: An explanation of the Advanced game, Perfecting the 4-ball break, Leaves, Establishing the second break after a missed lift shot, Openings & responses, Peels & 3 ball endings

An ideal introduction to Associated Croquet tournament play, particularly for those who have completed Improvers or Bronze coaching courses. Coaching advice available between games on tactics and bisque taking. Help given with Laws. Suitable for handicap 14 + Three 14-point games in the day to a time limit. (Full – bisque to a base.)

This modular course is ideal for GC players as their skills give them a head start in AC; but also interested in learning the basic skills of AC on short courts.
The game can be quickly learned and is more accessible in ‘bite’ sized chunks.
The sessions cover the outline of the game, basic croquet shots and the concept of building and sustaining a ‘break’. It will enable you to play a basic game of AC and to grasp its’ distinctive aspects. Hopefully, you will then want more! Our follow up day will do that.

This course is split over 4 x 4-hour modules and will be run-on full-sized courts. It will suit existing players handicap range 16+ and short croquet players wishing to progress onto full sized courts.
The course will include warm up and improvement routines, developing a successful 4 ball break, controlled hoop running, improving your rushes, openings, 3 ball break, picking up the 4th ball, leaves, and cannons.

This short one-day course is designed to help GC Beginners and Improvers understand the GC Rules. It is also an ideal course for anyone considering becoming a CG Referee.
Full explanations and on court demonstrations of how to deal with scenarios and situations such as: wrong ball, offside and penalty area continuation will be thoroughly discussed as will double taps and crushes. The course will also cover etiquette.

A GC Referee’s Qualification Course at Sussex County Croquet Club covering the 6th Edition of the GC Rules presented by Ian Cobbold Chairman of the GC Rules Committee and Tournament Referee of the 2022 GC World Championships and the upcoming 2023 Woman’s GC World Championships at SCCC.

The 2-day course will be a mix of on-court and classroom presentations which will develop your knowledge of the current GC Rules and develop your ability apply them. The whole of day-1 and the morning of day-2 will be given over to study and practical demonstrations. The afternoon of day-2 will be dedicated to end-of-course written and practical exams.

A preparatory study pack will be made available before the course which will give plenty of information to help prepare you for the course. More information can be obtained by visiting:croquet.org.uk/?p=games/golf/refereeing.

A pass in both written and practical exams will qualify you as a registered CA GC Referee and you will be awarded a GC Referee’s badge.

This one-day course is ideal for players with 7+ handicap with the view to improve their game and to play at a higher level. Techniques are scrutinised to improve stroke play and games assessed to formulate and strengthen future tactics. Practice routines are demonstrated in order to build on strengths and overcome weaknesses. Discussion of the rules and tactics are included.

This one-day course is suitable for players of 3+ handicap up to a maximum of 7.
The aim of the course is to further reduce a player’s handicap by improving their level of play, highlighting the importance of accuracy and positioning.
There is emphasis on the knowledge of rules and advanced tactical game.
The course will encourage players to compete in more competitive play.

A one-day course aimed at beginners at Golf Croquet and those who wish to improve their skills, technique, and knowledge of the game.
Course content will cover: The development of technique and consistent ball control to produce more confident hoop running, ball placement, promotions, and clearances. Jump shots will form part of the course and some basic rules will be explained.
Participants will be placed into coaching groups of similar abilities/needs.

Handicap Range 3 - 10

 A chance to explore how effective your techniques are. Test your swing on our Croquet Academy Swing Trainer – ‘Cast’ and feel where you can tweak it for better effect. We’ll video this and other parts of your play so that you can see what’s going on, be advised and act on what you see. After some diagnostic assessments, we will give you individual advice to take away and develop.                                                                                                                                                
Build confidence and consistency with a series of practice routines used by the best players. Look at tactical situations and how to make them work. Understand playing strengths and have weaknesses analysed, learn ways to work towards improving on both. A session on jumping at all levels will be included as well as accuracy in ball placement, blocking, clearing, promoting and hoop running.

Handicap Range 2 - 9
This one-day course is based on Stephen’s highly regarded book Golf Croquet Mistakes (And how to avoid them). Stephen is a highly recognised GC coach and author. On this one day course he will use advice from this his second book. Ideal for all low and middle handicap players.

These one to one sessions give players of all abilities guidance from an Academy Coach as to how they can improve their game.
To get the best out of these sessions, entrants will be asked to identify what they are trying to improve or achieve.