Magic of the mallet celebrated during Tauranga Croquet Club's centenary

Tauranga Croquet Club president Gretchen Benvie (right) with one of the oldest members Max Hamilton, 93, at the club's lawns at the Tauranga Domain. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Croquet has been played at the Tauranga Domain for more than 100 years and this weekend the local club will celebrate its centenary.

Tauranga Croquet Club started after an advertisement featured in the Bay of Plenty Times on January 16, 1902, calling for interested people to attend a meeting.

Attendees later proposed a croquet lawn be established alongside the existing lawn tennis court and so the Bay of Plenty Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club was officially set up in 1909.

However, on September 25, 1922, the lawn tennis and croquet players agreed to go their separate ways and the first Tauranga Croquet Club AGM was held.

The club's popularity had fluctuated over the years and had tripled from about 30 in 2016, club president Gretchen Benvie said.

"It's very exciting for us to be marking this wonderful milestone in our club's history and we hope will be still operating from Tauranga Domain over the next 100 years.

Tauranga Croquet Club members in front of their old clubhouse in the early 1960s. Photo/ Supplied

"There was a lot more to croquet than merely hitting a ball through a hoop with a mallet," Benvie said.

"There's a lot of strategy, tactics and skills involved and it's a battle on the lawns to win during tournaments."

She said an increasing number of younger people were taking up the sport of golf croquet because it was a faster game and easier to learn.

The club's current membership was about 90 and more than 5000 people played at the club grounds during a 12-month period.

Croquet was played at the club six days a week, including tournaments while coaching and maintenance were undertaken on the seventh day.

"In fact, we are co-hosting the under-21 World Golf Croquet tournament with the Mount Maunganui Croquet Club from February 7 to 15," Benvie said.

"We have also hosted the Women's Worlds and World Croquet tournaments in the past."

In the club's early days, it was kept afloat by hosting garden parties, fetes, card evenings including bridge and 500, dances, balls and charity concerts.

Its first tournament was held in November 1948 with players from Waihā, Paeroa, Matamata, Hamilton and Auckland.

Tauranga Croquet Club president Gretchen Benvie standing outside the club's current clubhouse during a break from playing. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Meanwhile, Benvie said the current clubhouse was built in 1974 at a cost of $6435, including a $1000 loan from the Tauranga City Council.

Most games took 45 minutes to an hour, and people could play up to nine games a day during some tournaments.

"Playing croquet is a great outdoor game," Benvie said.

"It's not only great exercise but it helps keeps you mentally fit and it's a great social sport and lots of fun.

"It's quite an addictive game as once you start you are always trying to hone your skills to get better and better.

"We welcome new members, and people can get in touch with me to have an introductory session to see if croquet is for them."