(for a copy of this document in Word format click here )
Open/B Class
C/D Class
E Class
Silver Box
Doubles
Golf
Short
14 pt Handicap
14 pt Advanced
                                            
RULES FOR BOWDON CLUB INTERNAL COMPETITIONS

BEST OF....
Games are best of one unless otherwise stated below, or unless all players agree otherwise.

TIME LIMITS
Players may agree a time limit between themselves BEFORE the game starts.
Otherwise, the following apply:

                 Golf and  14 point   -  none
                 Short                       - 1 hr 15mins
                 All others                - 3 hrs 30 mins

If time limits apply, the players must play with reasonable expedition.

DATES
If games are not played by the due date, BOTH players are liable to be scratched. In the event of difficulty the matter should be reported to the Croquet Secretary, Ian Lines (Tel: 0161 929 5443).


 OPEN / B CLASS   
Advanced rules, i.e. lifts at 1-back & 4-back (see Law 36).
Time Limit: 3 hours 30 mins (unless players agree otherwise).

C CLASS / D CLASS   
Level play.
Time Limit: 3 hours 30 mins (unless players agree otherwise).

E CLASS   
Full 26 point game.
Handicap play but both players take 10 bisques, i.e. pegging out only allowed when two balls are both for Rover.
Time Limit: 3 hours 30 mins (unless players agree otherwise).
Score as level play.

SILVER BOX   
Recommended to be played as full bisque handicap play with a base of 6, e.g. if an 18 handicap plays a 14, BOTH players receive bisques: 12 and 8 bisques respectively. However, either player may, instead, insist upon normal handicap play, i.e. take the difference in handicaps as the number of bisques (which may include a half-bisque).

Time Limit: 3 hours 30 mins (unless players agree otherwise).

For details of the how the Automatic Handicap System affects the Club competitions  click here .

 DOUBLES   
Players should use their normal handicap except that the junior partner may have their handicap reduced to allow for the effect of tactical advice from a low-handicap partner. If the handicap of the junior partner is 10 or higher, determine the difference between the two players of the partnership and reduce the junior partner’s handicap as follows:
           difference 0 – 6.5: no change
           difference 7  – 12.5: subtract 1
           difference 13  – 19.5: subtract 2
           difference 20  plus: subtract 3
e.g. a 24-handicap playing with a 1-handicap would reduce his/her handicap by 3, resulting in 21+1=22. Then take the difference in handicaps between the two sides and halve it, giving the number of bisques (rounded up) to one of the sides. If the result is ¼  or ¾ bisques, these are rounded up to give a ½ or a full bisque.

Time Limit: 3 hours 30 mins (unless players agree otherwise).

GOLF   
Play 13 hoops.
Play best-of-three (unless players agree otherwise).
Time limit: none (unless players agree otherwise).
For rules and handicaps, refer to WCF 2007 Golf Rules which are on the Club notice board.
Handicap conversions from CA H andicaps to Golf Handicaps are shown below; the higher bisquer gets bisques equal to the difference between the two players’ golf handicaps.  Players should play off a handicap which is the LOWER of their official CA golf handicap (if they have one) or the appropriate conversion from the table below.   
Full Association Croquet Handicap Golf
 Full Association Croquet Handicap
Golf
-3 to -1.5
-1 to 0
0.5 to 1.5
2 to 3
3.5 to 5
 1
2
3
4
5
 6 to 9
10 to 14
16 to 22
24
 6
7
8
9
 
SHORT   
Play best of three (unless players agree otherwise).
Time Limit: 1 hour 15 mins per game (unless players agree otherwise).
Play off a base of 4, e.g. if an 18 full handicap plays a 14, BOTH players receive bisques: 7 and 5 bisques respectively as per chart below. These then need to be converted to a base of 4, leaving 3 and 1 bisque respectively .
Full Game
 Short
 Full Game
Short
-3 to -1
-0.5 to 0.5
1 to 1.5
2 to 2.5
3 to 3.5
4 to 4.5
5
6
7		 3 peels
2 peels
1 peel
0
0.5 bisque
1 bisque
1.5 bisques
2 bisques
2.5 bisques		 8 to 9
10 to 11
12 to 13
14 to 15
16 to 17
18 to 19
20 to 21
22 to 23
24		 3 bisques
3.5 bisques
4 bisques
5 bisques
6 bisques
7 bisques
8 bisques
9 bisques
10 bisques
Note: The correspondence is one way only, ie. the table is used to  set a short croquet handicap from a full CA handicap but it MAY NOT be used to set or alter a full CA handicap on the basis of short croquet.

 For details of keeping a separate handicap card (for regular short players) click here.


14PT. HANDICAP
Full lawn.
Time Limit: None (unless players agree otherwise).
Play best of three unless both players agree to just one.
Not full bisque, i.e. take difference in full game handicaps to look at the table below to get the number of bisques for the higher handicapped player only.
Full Game
 14 pt. game
 Full game
 14 pt game
0.5-1
1.5-2
2.5-3
3.5-4
4.5-5
5.5-6
6.5
7-7.5
8-8.5
9-9.5
10-10.5
11-11.5
12-12.5 		0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5 		13
13.5-14
14.5-15
15.5-16
16.5-17
17.5-18
18.5-19
19.5
20-21
21.5-22.5
23-24
24.5-25.5
26-27
 7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
Note: At the March 2001 meeting of the CA Council, it was agreed that the AHS  would in future apply to 14 point games played on full lawns, i.e. not Short Croquet, with the points interchanged being reduced accordingly. In 14 point Handicap matches  your index will increase/decrease by 5 for every win/loss.

 
14PT. ADVANCED   
Full lawn.
Advanced rules (Lift or Contact Version - see Laws 45(c)).
Play best of three (unless players agree otherwise).
Time Limit: None (unless players agree otherwise).

At the March 2001 meeting of the CA Council, it was agreed that the AHS  would in future apply to 14 point games played on full lawns, i.e. not Short Croquet, with the points interchanged being reduced accordingly. In 14 point Level Play  the points interchanged will be in accordance with the following table:
Handicap Steps Difference
 Higher H’cap Player Wins 
 Lower H’cap Player wins
0
1 - 2
3 - 4
5 - 6
7 or more
 5
6
7
8
9
 5
4
3
2
1