Dulwich Sports Club is situated off Burbage Road SE24 9HB between Herne Hill and Dulwich Village.

Dulwich Croquet Club is one of the sections of Dulwich Sports Club. It was founded in 1912, with an early club house reflecting the style of the times. In 2004 this was replaced by an upgrade to the adjacent squash building where we have a locker room and kitchen as well as modern WC facilities. Two lawns are adjacent to this facility, and a thrid lawn, a former bowling green, is behind the main club pavilion which houses the bar and other facilities.

The Club runs a variety of courses for different levels of experience including beginners, and hosts a number of tournaments throughout the croquet season. During the winter months (weather permitting), the Club also plays on Sundays in order to hone their skills for the start of the summer season.

History

W.W. Gill was responsible for the introduction and encouragement of many of the sporting activities at what has become known as Dulwich Sport Club. He was Chairman of a Croquet Committee which was formed in 1909 that led to two croquet lawns being laid in 1912. They have served the Croquet Section well ever since. Indeed, with bowls ceasing to be played at the Club a few years ago, croquet players now have 3 lawns available, very useful when large numbers are playing in tournaments.

From the start, the long established game of Association Croquet was played by both men and women. However, as membership grew, the time taken to play a full game of Association Croquet resulted in the shorter less complex game of Golf Croquet taking off. This soon became and remained for many years more the popular of the two, particularly among the ladies who formed the large majority of the playing members.

However, in the arrival in the 1980’s of Stephen Badger and others, including the Section’s current President Simon Whitely, Association Croquet not only enjoyed a renaissance but became the preferred version of the game for many. It was also sadly the fact that the number of ladies playing at the Club declined, although one Sue Best, not only became the Section’s most highly efficient Secretary but also successfully took on the men on their own terms!

Today the pendulum has swung again. During 2006 and 2007 the Club welcomed about twenty new members, both men and women, almost all of whom have begun by playing Golf Croquet.

Croquet Association

The Club is a member of the Croquet Association (CA), which is the national governing body for the sport in the UK. As a CA member the Club is part of the Southeast Croquet Federation and takes part in several regional competitions in London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.