As has become tradition, the Awamoa Gardens Croquet Club will open their season recruiting new members.

The club will hold their annual “have a go” days this month. 

All equipment was supplied and it was an opportunity to try the sport free of charge, the club said.

Croquet was a sport that was accessible for any and all athletic abilities, association croquet club captain Derek Atkinson  said.

“You don’t have to be able to run 100 yards in 10 seconds or jump over a bar or anything — anybody with just ordinary fitness and reasonable eyesight can play and have fun.”

Secretary Pat Gunn loved the tactical side of the game.

“The big thing about croquet is it’s quite challenging tactically and you can develop really good tactical skills the more that you learn to play.

“You don’t have to be able to hit harder than anyone else or anything like that, you’ve just got to work out your strokes, where you going to play them, which ones you’re going to play.

“That suits a lot of people who like games like chess.”

The club attracted “nine or 10” new players throughout last summer, golf croquet club captain Jenny Hewett said.

“People just put their heads over the fence and see what we’re doing on a Saturday.”

For those who choose to join the club, there are three levels of interclub competitions — premier, intermediate and junior — that Awamoa Gardens compete in with games being played in either Oamaru, Timaru or Waimate.

The club was looking forward to the season opening on August 29, Gunn said.

“We look forward to getting back to opening day and meeting up with everybody.

“It’s been a long winter.”

The have-a-go days will be every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for the next two weeks.