United States Croquet Association 700 Florida Mango Road West Palm Beach, FL 33406 www.croquetamerica.com
Tel. (561) 478-0760 Fax (561) 686-5507
Welcome Letter from the President of the USCA
Dear Players,
On behalf of the United States Croquet Association, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2nd Annual US Open Golf Croquet Championship.
This year’s US Open GC features one of the strongest and most competitive fields in the history of Golf Croquet. The players admitted to the 2026 championship represent nine countries and the number one ranked player in five nations. Among you are also four past World Champions, nine of the top twenty ranked players in the world, and three of the current top five global competitors. This extraordinary lineup promises intense competition, bringing out the highest level of play from each of you and providing tremendous inspiration and enjoyment for spectators throughout the event.
We are delighted that you have chosen to compete in this championship, and we look forward to a thrilling tournament filled with memorable matches and outstanding performances. The US Open GC was created to showcase the very best of Golf Croquet — world-class play and international camaraderie — and your presence here reflects not only your individual excellence, but also the growing global stature of Golf Croquet and the continued strength of international competition.
I wish each of you the very best of luck and your finest play during this US Open Golf Croquet Championship. My hope is that your experience is both positive and memorable, and that it will keep you coming back year after year to take part in this elite competition.
With warm regards,
Beverley Cardo President, United States Croquet Association
“It is a great day to play croquet!” The National Croquet Center is the sport’s premier venue and located right here in Palm Beach County. Spread across four acres, the National Croquet Center is often called West Palm Beach’s best-kept secret. Since 2002, the National Croquet Center serves the Palm Beaches as the premiere destination for competitive and social croquet but also corporate events and private parties.
Today, the NCC is proud to welcome the world’s best players.
The National Croquet Club sends its best wishes to everyone participating in the 2026 US Golf Croquet Open. Congratulations to our own Zack Watson, our Club Head Pro, and all our Club members competing this year in Golf Croquet.
“It is a great day to play croquet!”
The National Croquet Center is the sport’s premier venue and located right here in Palm Beach County Spread across four acres, the National Croquet Center is often called West Palm Beach’s best-kept secret. Since 2002, the National Croquet Center serves the Palm Beaches as the premiere destination for competitive and social croquet but also corporate events and private parties.
Welcome to the Charles P. Steuber National Croquet Center!
Nestled in the heart of Palm Beach County, the Charles P. Steuber National Croquet Center (NCC) stands as the heart of American croquet, a place where tradition, competition, and community converge. As the proud host of the upcoming Croquet Worlds Tournament, the NCC is ready to welcome players and spectators from across the world to experience the sport at its finest.
Today, the NCC is proud to welcome the world’s best players. 2025
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
David McCoy, Chairman/CEO
Owned and operated by the Croquet Foundation of America (CFA), the 13 full-sized championship lawns, spanning over four acres, are meticulously maintained to meet the highest standards of play. More than a venue, the 19,000-square-foot Caribbean-Colonial-style Clubhouse serves as the headquarters for the National Croquet Club, the Croquet Foundation of America (CFA), the United States Croquet Association (USCA), and the National Croquet Museum. Together, they form the backbone of croquet’s growth and legacy in the United States.
The National Croquet Club itself is the largest independent croquet club in the country, with over 450 members who embody the spirit of both competitive and social play.
No world-class venue is complete without exceptional hospitality, and the NCC delivers with SandyJames Fine Food & Productions, Palm Beach’s premier catering partner and a resident of the Center.
Whether you’re here to compete, cheer, or simply explore, the Charles P. Steuber National Croquet Center invites you to be part of something extraordinary.
Welcome to the world of croquet, welcome to the National Croquet Center.
Franck Meunier
Executive Director, 561-478-2300 Croquet Foundation of America / National Croquet Center 700 S. Florida Mango Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
Harold Denton, President/COO
Nancy A. Sansalone, Secretary
Donald G. Allison, Treasurer
David Kepner, Executive Vice President
Ruth Summers, Vice President
Conner L. Helms,Vice President
FUNCTIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS
Strategic Planning – Ruth Summers
Board Designee – Conner Helms
DIRECTORS
Stuart Baker
John Bannister
Randy Cardo
Michael Gibbons
Vernon Pierce
Carol Johnson Stuart
Allison C. Worthington
FOR PLAYERS WHO REFUSE TO PLAY WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN THE BEST
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The official ball of the 2025 World Championships. Made to stay true, bounce right, and roll perfectly every time. If the best in the world trust it, why wouldn't you?
WE BUI LD GEAR FOR P LAYERS WHO WANT ONE THING: TO GIVE THEMSELVES THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS. PS: and feel great doing it!
Welcome Letter from the Committee Chairman US Open GC
Dear Players and Donors,
On behalf of the US Open GC Committee, we are excited that you are here for the 2nd Annual US Open GC. The committee, together will many dedicated volunteers, has planned a spectacular week of croquet for you.
The goal of the US Open GC is to provide a premier playing opportunity for Golf Croquet athletes in the Northern Hemisphere, where they can escape the winter cold for sunny Florida. Of course, our friends south of the equator are also warmly welcome to join us.
The Mission of the US Open is to deliver a Premier Golf Croquet competition in the United States - second only to the World Championship in the quality of players. The 2025 Players told us we achieved that goal and we believe 2026 will be even better.
Players from nine nations are competing this week. The field includes four former world champions, who together hold six world championship titles. In addition, nine of the top 20 are here to lead a truly world-class field.
We kickoff the week on Monday with the popular ProAm. This event pairs some of the best players in the world with our Platinum and Gold Donors for a day of doubles competition. These donors have generously supported this event. We will close the day with awards for the top two doubles teams and a banquet dinner.
Block play begins Tuesday followed by knockout rounds Thursday, semi-finals on Friday, and the finals on Saturday. Last year, we live-streamed the semi-finals and finals. This year we are proud to offer even better coverage. We will livestream two lawns during the ProAm so your friends and family can watch you play. On Thursday, we will again stream two lawns for the first round of the knockout and quarter-finals, allowing croquet fans around the world to see more of the field in action. A single lawn will be live streamed Friday and Saturday.
As organizers we understand the time and expense involved in participating in an international tournament. Last year, we offered a prize fund for 16 of the 32 players to help offset some of these costs. This year, we are pleased to have more than doubled last year’s funding, with $14,000 distributed across half the field.
See you on the lawns,
Bill Simmons Chairman US Open GC Committee
How to Watch and Play Golf Croquet
There are three major six-wicket versions of croquet: American Rules, Association and Golf Croquet. You may be familiar with nine-wicket, which is commonly known as backyard croquet.
Golf Croquet is the most widely played form of croquet in the world and the fastest growing. This is because it is easy to learn, has straight forward rules, and moves quickly. In singles you hit your ball every other turn; in doubles, every fourth turn. Players like that. By contrast, in American Rules and Association, players earn extra turns for scoring wickets or hitting other balls so one turn can last a very long time. Let’s get to the basics so you can follow the game.
A coin toss determines who plays first. The first player (or doubles team) plays the blue ball from Corner IV, labeled Start Area in the diagram. The goal of the opening shot is to hit the ball into the V-shaped dashed area in front of the hoop. From this area, a player may be able to score on their next turn.
After blue - red, black, and yellow play in that order, each attempting to place their ball in the V. When playing into the V,
STANDARD GOLF CROQUET COURT
players aim to place their ball close to the hoop (Position), Block an opponent’s direct line to the hoop (Seeing the hoop), or hit (Clear) an opponent’s ball out of the V. This process of Positioning, Blocking, Clearing continues until one ball successfully passes through the hoop. This is called scoring the hoop
Each hoop can only be scored once. The ball that scores earns one point, and play then moves to the next hoop. The first player (team) to scored 7 points wins.
Play proceeds clockwise around the outside four hoops (Hoops 1-4) and then up the center though Hoops 5 and 6. Play proceeds counter clockwise around the outside four hoops (Hoops 7-10 Back) and then up the center though Hoops 11 and 12 Back. If after hoop 12 the score becomes 6-6, a tiebreaker is played. This is called playing Hoop 13, the Hook. Hoop 13 is Hoop 3 played in the clockwise direction. The first player to score wins the game.
Tournament players are divided into equal groups, Blocks, seeded by their world ranking, known as D-Grades. Block play is often single 13-point games. Playoffs are often Matches played as best two out of three, or sometimes best three out of five. In Block play, time may not permit best two out of three matches. A single game can be played to 19 points instead of 13 points.
Play is the same as a 13-point game. After hoop 13 is played, play proceeds clockwise again. Hoop 4 is 14. Hoop 1 is 15. Hoop 2 is 16. Play continues up the center. Hoop 11 is 17 and hoop 12 is 18. If after 18, the score becomes 9-9, a tiebreaker is played to the Hook. Hoop 19 is 13 played in a clockwise direction. The first player to score 10 points wins.
Players within a Block play each other. Block results, games won, are used to seed the playoffs, which may begin with a quarter-final or round of 16. In seeding, the player with the most wins plays the player with the least wins in Block play and so until all players are paired for the first playoff round.
Following the order of play is straight forward. What determines the winner is how accurately and strategically the ball is struck. Top players excel by controlling distance, hitting the ball straight and placing the ball precisely where intended. These skills come only through practice and experience. Strategy is equally important. Key decisions include, when to Position your ball in the V versus Clearing an opponent, when to attempt a hoop versus Blocking or Clearing, where best to Position the ball in the V given the Position of the other balls. As you watch, you’ll see many different strategies used to create the best scoring opportunity.
Commons shots you’ll see. Setup or Set is Positioning the ball in the V for a good scoring Position. Clearing an opponent’s ball far away to protect your Position or your partner’s ball from being hit out of the V or scoring a hoop shot your next turn. Blocking is placing your
ball between an opponent’s ball and the hoop or your ball. Jump shot is hitting the ball down into the grass and bouncing it over the blocking ball and through the hoop. You can also Jump a blocking ball to Clear the opponent’s other ball in scoring Position. Your other ball is in scoring Position and you need to keep an opponent’s ball from Clearing it. You roll your ball next to an opponent’s ball, a Snuggle, so it cannot be jumped or Clear your other ball. A Stop Shot is a firm shot center ball with no follow-through from 1-2 feet that sends the opponent’s ball a long distance while your ball travels only a foot or two, often used to clear the V while staying in Position.
Shot selection depends on your opponent’s play, your strategy, and your ability to execute. For example, you might make a 21-foot wicket shot only 10% of the time. If an opponent’s ball is just 8 feet away and likely to score next turn, Danger Ball, clearing it – perhaps successful 70% of the time — may be a better option, even if it means Setting up again. From years of teaching both new and experienced players, I ‘ve found that for most players: Clearing has the highest success rate (target area is nearly three balls wide edge to edge); Shooting the hoop is next; and Blocking is the most difficult to execute consistently.
WCF GOLF CROQUET WORLD CHAMPIONS
Year Winner Runner-up
Venue
2024 Blake Fields (USA) Robert Fletcher (AUS) Hartfield, Virginia
2022 Matthew Essick (USA) Robert Fulford (ENG) West Sussex, England
2019 Ben Rothman (USA) Mohamed Karem (EGY) West Sussex, England
2017 Reg Bamford (RSA) Ahmed Nasr (EGY) Melbourne, Australia
2015 Ahmed Elmahdy (EGY) Hamy Erian (EGY) Bay of Plenty, Tauranga
2013 Reg Bamford (RSA) Ahmed Nasr (EGY) Cairo, Egypt
2011 Mark McInerney (IRL) Hisham Abuosbaa (EGY) London, England
2008 Ahmed Nasr (EGY) Reg Bamford (RSA) Cape Town, South Africa
2006 Mohamed Nasr (EGY) Salah Hassan (EGY) Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
2004 Ahmed Nasr (EGY) Dennis Bulloch (NZL) West Sussex, England
2002 Khaled Younis (EGY) Salah Hassan (EGY) West Palm Beach, Florida
2000 Salah Hassan (EGY) Khaled Younis (EGY) Cairo, Egypt
1998 Khaled Younis (EGY) Mik Mehas (USA) Royal Leamington Spa, England
1997 Salah Hassan (EGY) Walid Salah (EGY) Cairo, Egypt
For more than 15 years, Quadway has refined precision croquet equipment in New Zealand. Our hoops and installation tools are engineered for consistency, durability, and performance. Quadway is trusted worldwide by players, from firsttimers to the world’s elite. Building on a trusted legacy, Quadway continues to explore new ideas while expanding its range of world-class croquet equipment.
St. Andrews Club is proud to support Darin Guffey.
It’s a pleasure to watch his growth and success in the game of croquet, and we are truly honored to have him representing St. Andrews Club. Darin’s dedication and love for the sport are evident both on and off the court, and we wish him continued success at the 2026 U.S. Open GC.
THANK YOU SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS
Supporters
Palm Beach Sports Commission
Sponsors
Karen Weihs Fine Art and Chris Weihs
Oakley Woods Croquet
White Tie Croquet
Platinum Donors
Alice (Kit) Pannill
Billy (Bill) J Simmons
Kim Beaty
Dave Goddard
David Kepner
Gay Cinque
John O Brown
Trula Myers
William (Bill) Hinkebein
Gold Donors
Alex T Galasso
Alice (Alise) Scanlon
Bruce Hindin
Caryl Firth
Diane Wren
Jay Carey
John Dillon
John W Curington
Karen Heckman
Madeleine d’Ambrosio
Mary M Galasso
Priscilla M Flowers
Trevor Head
W. David McCoy
William (Bill) Kuhn
Silver Donors
Alice (Alise) Scanlon
Dave Goddard
Deidre Myers
Georgia R Carter
John O Brown
Kent Lovvorn for Cantey Callaway
Mary Cole
Mary Cole for April Wilson
Nancy Sansalone
Trula Myers
Open Players
Ahab Abdelwahab
USA
Thomas (Tom) Balding V
USA
» #9 ranked GC player in the world
» World GC Teams Champion 2025
» Australian GC Open Doubles 2024
» USA GC Doubles National Champion 2023
Reg Bamford
South Africa
» #1 ranked GC player in South Africa
» #3 ranked GC player in the world
» GC World Champion 2013, 2017
» WCF Hall of Fame 2011
» GC World Championship Finalist 2008
Adam Barr
Canada
» Canadian National GC Champion 2024, 2025
Ahmed Elmahdy
Egypt
» #1 GC ranked player in Egypt
» #4 GC ranked player in the World
» GC World Champion 2015
» GC Over 50 World Champion 2023
» Egyptian Cup GC Team Champion many times
» Egyptian National League GC Team Champion many times
Jana Elsaaed
Egypt
» #13 ranked GC woman in the world
Seif Elyamany
Egypt
Begoña Elzaburu
Spain
» European GC Women’s Champion 2022
» Spanish GC National Club Teams Champion 2023, 2024, 2025
» Spanish GC Singles Finalist 2025
Matthew Essick
USA
» #2 ranked GC player in the world
» #1 ranked GC player in the USA
» World GC Teams Champion 2025
» USA National GC Doubles Champion 2025
» USA National GC Singles Champion 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
» World GC Champion 2022
Omar Fahmy Egypt
TOURNAMENT DETAILS
The 2026 US Open GC and ProAm will take place between February 9-14, 2026 at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach Florida.
Welcome Ceremony, Player Meeting and Practice
The welcome ceremony will be on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in front of the National Croquet Center clubhouse lawn side. Players can practice starting at noon on designated lawns. Players should assemble on front right side of the veranda to organize for the opening ceremony. A player meeting to distribute schedules and shirts will follow the ceremony.
Lunch
A lunch buffet will be provided each day in the NCC clubhouse dining room.
Social
Monday, February 9th there will be a reception and dinner for the ProAm donors, their doubles partner, and guests.
Balls and Hoops
Balls will be Invictus primary and secondary colors. Hoops will be Quadways or Superhoops.
» Under 21 GC World Championship Finalist 2023, 2025
» International Egyptian Open Champ 2024
Danny Huneycutt
USA
» USCA Croquet Hall of Fame 2019
Mohammad (Kimo) Kamal USA
» USA GC Doubles National Champion 2021
» USA Croquet Hall of Fame 2021
» USA GC Singles National Champion 1999, 2007, 2009
Mohamed (Moe) Karem Egypt
» #11 ranked GC player in the world
» GC World Championship Finalist 2019
Brian Lozano Mexico
» #1 GC ranked player in Mexico
» Canada GC Open Champion 2023
» Tier 3 Teams GC World Champion 2022
» Mexico GC Open Champion 2022, 2023
MAIN EVENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, February 8, 2026 (Practice Day)
12:00 to 2:45 pm: Practice on designated lawns
3:00 pm: Opening Ceremony
4:00 pm: Player’s Meeting
5:00 pm: National Croquet Center closes for a private event.
Monday, February 9, 2026
8:30 am: ProAm doubles tournament begins
8:30 am: Optional Manager’s singles Swiss tournament and/or practice begins at the Beach Club in Palm Beach.
5:00 pm: ProAm players and guests cocktail reception in NCC clubhouse bar.
6:15 pm: ProAm awards in dining room.
6:30 pm: ProAm players and guests assigned seats for dinner.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
8:00 am: Block play begins (2/10-2/11) possible play under lights lawn 2 and 3 if needed
11:30 am: Player buffet daily provided (2/10-2/14)
Thursday, February 12, 2026
8:00 am: Knock-Out Rounds and Plate begins with possible play under the lights on lawns 2 and 3 if needed.
Friday, February 13, 2026
8:00 am: Semifinals, Bowl, Shield, Plate
Saturday, February 14, 2026
8:00 am: Championship Finals, Bowl Final, Plate Final Awards and closing ceremony
Kent Lovvorn
USA
Kyle Maloof
USA
» USA National GC Doubles Champion 2022, 2024
Stephen Morgan
USA
» World GC Teams Champion 2025
» Australian GC Open Doubles 2024
» USA GC Doubles National Champion 2017
Soha Moustafa
Egypt
» #1 GC ranked woman in the world
» #19 GC ranked player in the world
» Women’s World GC Champion 2019
» Women’s World GC Finalist 2023
Juan (Juanin) Ojeda Ayesta
Spain
» Spanish GC Open Champion 2025
Yasser Sayed
Egypt
» #7 ranked GC player in the world
» Egyptian Open Finalist 2025
England
Zack Watson
USA
Macey White USA
» Canadian National Championship Finalist 2025
» Swiss National Championship Finalist 2025
Guy Scurfield
Highlands Falls Country Club is proud to support Darin Guffey as he represents the Club in the 2026 Golf Croquet U.S. Open.
We are honored to recognize Darin for his many successful years as a championship croquet player and our esteemed Croquet Professional. From all the members and staff at HFCC.
ProAm Players
Platinum Sponsors
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
Kim Beaty (not playing)
John O. Brown
Gay Cinque
Dave Goddard (not playing)
William (Bill) Hinkebein
David Kepner
Trula Myers
Gold Sponsors
2026 US OPEN GC TOURNAMENT PERSONNEL
Tournament Director: Bill Simmons
Asst. Tournament Directors: Elaine and Rocky Smith
Tournament Manager: Tate Russack
Tournament Referee: David Maloof
NCC/CFA Venue contact: Franck Meunier
Marketing-Promotion-Live Streaming: Tom Cooper
Event Program: Goodwin World Media
SPONSORS
Oakley Woods Croquet
White Tie Croquet
Palm Beach Sports Commission
Karen Weihs Fine Art and Chris Weihs
USA
» US Croquet Hall of Fame 2006
USA
USA
USA
USA
USA
» 2025 USCA GC National Seniors Champion
USA
USA
USA
John W. Curington
John Dillon
Priscilla Flowers
Caryl Firth
Madeleine d’Ambrosio
Alex Galasso
Mary M. Galasso
Trevor Head
Karen Heckman
Simon Dentchev (sub for Kim Beaty)
NORTHEAST FLORIDA CROQUET CLUB, LLC
is proud to support our Am as they compete on the world’s stage with many of the best players in the world. Best of luck to you all.
Mathew Essick
Thomas Balding
Mohammad Kamal
Kyle Maloof
Zack Watson
Stephen Morgan
Tamer Hatata
Darin Guffey
Ahab Abdelwahab
Danny Huneycutt
Macey White
Kent Lovvorn
Rania Gabr
Beyond the Court
Four Issues to Engage and Expand Your Audience
The USCA’s full-color Croquet News magazine is now quarterly with all four issues released in print + the interactive digital edition. Since the Croquet News digital magazine was launched, it continues to set new standards for reader engagement and advertiser click-throughs. Plus, the digital edition goes beyond the USCA membership and offers a global reach of more than 4,000 total readers per issue for the print + digital editions. Each issue of the magazine includes tactics columns, tournament dates, news, results, national event coverage and features full of the best croquet photography.
Get Started
For a Croquet News media kit, contact Dylan Goodwin at croquetnetwork@gmail.com
