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How to Strike

Two hands should be used--good shots can indeed be made with one hand, but it is impossible so to make most of the croquet-strokes well, and a player unable to make these is "nowhere" now. So we advise our young readers, if they have hitherto used one hand only, to take to using both, and they will find, after the stiffness has worn off, that the change is for the better. The mallet should be swung across the body, from right to left, not at the side, as sometimes done; the stroke will thus be much easier and freer. Some players still retain the side stroke, but it is, to say the least, ungraceful, and should be avoided when possible. The following directions should be attended to :--Place the body so that the line of the toes, as well as that of the shoulders, is parallel to the direction in which your ball is to be struck. This is necessary to prevent the body from twisting round and spoiling the stroke. The feet should be some distance apart, to keep the body steady, and the line of the toes should be about 4 or 6 inches from the ball. Having placed the body right, grasp the mallet firmly, the hands being held close together, right hand lowest, and rest the mallet on the ground close to the ball, taking care that it points exactly in the line of aim, that is, an imaginary line passing through the centres of your own ball and the one you want to hit, which is the precise direction you desire to give your own. Take care also that the centre of the mallet face exactly corresponds with the centre of your ball. Now look at the ball you wish to hit, and take a good aim by looking once or twice from one ball to the other, until you sight a good "line" between them; then your eye should take a glance at the object ball and quickly return, so that at the moment of striking you are looking at your own. You should not be looking at the object ball when striking, or you will very probably miss the shot. The stroke should be a sharp tap, given by drawing the mallet back and bringing it down to the ball quickly and sharply; and it should be given principally from the shoulder, although many play almost entirely from the wrist.

The above is the stroke for shots--the croquet-strokes require a different style, which will be treated of further on.