Why isn’t croquet more popular?
It used to be. It was a medal sport at the first Olympic games in 1920. The U.S. actually holds the only Olympic gold medal ever given in croquet. For a sport to be nationally popular, though, it has to fit a television format. Croquet, unfortunately, is virtually untelevisable. You’ve got a single player making small strokes around a flat court for up to a half-hour. It’s just hard to watch. In 1994, I played in our national championship, which ESPN televised. I was onscreen for 20 minutes, but when I watched it later, even I didn’t know what was going on!
The other problem is a lack of courts. We’ve got fewer than 10 courts in the state, and only one of those is public. The closest court for me is an hour and a half from my home. In big golf states like North Carolina and Florida, croquet is far more popular, with courts often built alongside major golf courses.
Editor’s note: That could change, though: Virginia’s Confederate Hills Croquet Club in Henrico County just was named the 2009 Regional Club of the Year by the USCA, and John Lee of the Middle Peninsula Croquet Club in Mathews was named the 2009 Best Club President in the U.S. All this attention could drive more public interest in—and funding for—the game.
WHERE TO PLAY >>>>> College of William & Mary Williamsburg: George Barnes, 757-253-2227 • Confederate Hills Croquet Club Highland Springs: Urchie Ellis, 804-272-5923 • Country Club of Virginia Richmond: Tom Williams, 804-282-6851 • Crest Ridge Croquet Club Mt. Jackson: Robert Lanham, 540-856-8156 • Fieldcrest Croquet Club Williamsburg: George Barnes, 757-253-2227 Middle Peninsula Croquet Club Gloucester: John Lee, 804-693-4228 • Riverview Croquet Club Suffolk: 757-923-0095
(Originally published in the June 2010 issue.)
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