FORMAT
36 players in four qualifying blocks each of 9, each block playing a round robin, followed by knockouts for the championship (X, Y, Z and W events) plus a series of Plate knockouts.
Following completion of the round robin games on Saturday, the top four from each block will enter the Finals X/Y/Z/W knockout. Remaining players will take part in a series of knockouts leading up to the Plate knockout.
Players finishing 5th and 6th in each block will play initially in the Brown knockout, and first-round winners will proceed to the Plate knockout. First-round losers will proceed to either the Pink or White knockout, where they will join players who finished 7th, 8th or 9th in their qualifying block. Winners of the semi-finals in the Pink and White knockouts will proceed to the Plate knockout. This format is shown on an attached chart.
All qualifying block games will be single 13-point games, as will all matches in the Brown, Pink, White and Plate knockouts.
The first round in the X knockout will consist of single 19-point games. All further matches in the X, Y and Z knockouts will be best-of-3 13-point games. However, if both X semi-finals are completed in two games, and finish before 10.45 am, the final will be best-of-5 13-point games. All W knockout matches will be single 13-point games.

TIMES OF PLAY
Play will commence at 8.00 am each day. Other sessions will commence as players and courts are available. All players will need to be aware of matches that can be started.

CONDITIONS OF PLAY
All games will be played in accordance with the WCF Golf Croquet Rules, 6th edition 2022.
All best of 13 points will have a time limit of 1 hour 10 minutes. 19-point games (first round of the X knockout) will have a time limit of 1 hour 40 minutes. Best-of-3 game matches will have cumulative time limits of 1 hour 10 minutes for each game.
Almost all games will be double banked. Play 2 rotations after the bell, then only finish the hoop if score is then level. Clocks may be stopped by a referee if it appears that there will be a significant delay caused as a result of both games approaching the same hoop from different directions. The decision to stop a clock will be the sole responsibility of the referee.
Dawson International balls will be used. Atkins Quadway Hoops will be used and will be set at 3 11/16ths inches with a downward tolerance of 1/32nd inch.
Each player is entitled to a 5-minute warm-up before his first game each day. No specific lunch break has been provided, as we need to complete 7 sessions of play in the day
Games may start on lawns where other games are in progress; players should check the situation in any existing game to ensure there is no interruption at a critical stage.
Players may practise on any lawns before play starts, but this practice will end by 7.45 am. Games may start on lawns where other games are in progress; players should check the situation in any existing game to ensure there is no interruption at a critical stage.
Practice will be available from 2.00 pm during the afternoon of Thursday 26 March. Players practising are asked to give way to any ground staff engaged in preparing the lawns (mowing, line-marking etc) for play on Friday.