Croquet North normally runs three Leagues, details of which are below (including links to League rules and League Managers).
- Croquet North AC League
- Croquet North GC League (2 divisions)
- East Pennine League
The league fixture lists can be found on the Calendar page.
Croquet North Association Croquet League
This league is designed to introduce competitive play to Association Croquet (AC) players with handicaps of up to 20. Teams are made up of 3 players per club team selected by the club selector/manager so that there is ideally one low handicap player and two higher handicap players.
The format is that each player plays two games (each with a time limit of 3 hour 15 min). The low handicap player plays two doubles games while the higher handicap players play one doubles and one singles game. This means that the higher handicap players get the support of the better (lower handicap) player in the doubles game and is matched with someone with a similar (though often not the same) handicap when playing singles. Bisques (ie extra turns) are used to take account of the differences in player handicaps for both singles and doubles games.
In the case of singles matches between 2 inexperienced players only, the captains may agree for the match to be played to base 10
The CN League Manager advises the clubs of the dates and venues of the matches at the beginning of each playing season. Sometimes the dates are changed by mutual agreement between the playing clubs.
League rules – League Manager: Julian Gibson
Croquet North Golf Croquet League
The Croquet North Golf Croquet League has been running since 1999, and for team of four. Each match consists of 18 level-play games (six doubles and 12 singles) with each game running to a 45 minute time limit.
A second division was introduced in 2016, and a third in 2024. None of the leagues played in 2020 due to the pandemic, and an arrangement to reduce travelling was made in 2021.
Up to 2022, second division matches were played under handicap rules, but from 2023, all divisions will be level-play.
League rules – League Manager: Peter Tymms
Downloadable score sheets (pdf-files): two lawns, one lawn.
East Pennines League
This is an Association Croquet League that took place for the first time in 2001, comprising two clubs each from Croquet North (Middlesbrough and Tyneside) and North Yorkshire and Humberside (York and a combined Beverley / East Riding team). The league was set up to replace the Confederation League, which included teams from the North West Federation. Pendle joined the league in 2003 and Belsay Hall in 2007.
This new league comprises matches that contain a degree of level advanced play. Matches between teams of four players consist of one Advanced Doubles and two Handicap Singles, followed by two Advanced Singles and two Handicap Singles. The lowest handicaps play the Advanced Singles, and usually the Advanced Doubles.
The higher placed club from Croquet North represents the Federation in the following year’s Secretary’s Shield.
Full League rules – League Manager: Julian Gibson