Golf croquet: Dress rehearsal for worlds set

TOP CLASS: Croquet Mount Maunganui will host the 2015 Golf Croquet World Championship in February.PHOTO/FILE

Mount Maunganui's world-class facilities will be fully utilised this weekend in a major three-day golf croquet tournament that concludes tomorrow afternoon.

It has attracted a top-class field from around the country in a dress rehearsal for the 2015 Golf Croquet World Championship to be held at Croquet Mount Maunganui and other clubs in Bay of Plenty from February 7-15.

The worlds will be the biggest event held at Croquet Mount Maunganui since the New Zealand v England men's test in January this year and the Women's Golf Croquet World Championships in November 2011.

Croquet Mount Maunganui club president Sue Roberts says the world's best 80 players will be competing.

"It will be the 11th Golf Croquet World Championship and we won the bid because of the facilities here, with the six greens in really good condition," Roberts said.

"The clubhouse can cater for that many people and the functions that go hand in hand with the worlds."

The tournament will be staged across greens throughout Bay of Plenty in Whakatane, Rotorua and Katikati for the block play over the opening five days, before the full knockout stages and finals will be held at Mount Maunganui.

Golf croquet has made a major impact on the sport with its shorter time frame attracting new players to the game, crucially in the younger age groups.

Roberts says the different versions of the game work together well, rather like limited-overs and test cricket do.

"[Association] is very strategic and a real mind game as well. The strategies between the two are quite different but they are all encompassing.

"Croquet now goes with all the ages but it doesn't have to be that you are super physical in stature, as long as you have an eye for making hoops.

"I play both forms and started off in golf croquet, which is what we are leaning towards because we want to get people out on the greens."

The age range at the worlds in February is extensive, with competitors aged from 16 to 82.

Tauranga's Duncan Dixon, 25, has won the New Zealand Golf Croquet nationals six times, and will be a real chance along with other younger New Zealanders in Hamish McIntosh, 24, and Phillip Drew, 28.