Bocce or Croquet or ?

We finally have a house with a lawn suitable for bocce or croquet. Decent Bocce sets are relatively easy to find at non-piggy bank breaking prices. Well made croquet sets with decent length handles are not. I prefer croquet but that may be because I've always been better at racquet sports and suck at bowling.

So a household with 2, ahem, mature and childless adults who might enjoy a periodic silly summer adhoc evening game enhanced with the appropriate libation, perhaps with equally silly neighbors and friends, should buy:

a) croquet set
b) Bocce ball
c) ???

Oops, meant to ask everyone to say why they voted for whatever.

Croquet or Petanque, although Petanque is more properly played on gravel, but the steel balls are nice.

Croquet.
That's probably my British upbringing speaking - we had croquet on the lawn at school and university. Very civilised, especially with a jug of Pimm's.

I chose bocce because we played it endlessly when we lived in Italy, great fun and a very social game.

Those games are fun, but I have something MUCH MUCH better!

http://www.laddergolf.com/

My husband made ours, but this is by far a funner and more hilarious game. Especially what people tend to do with the balls while waiting for their turn. This is more addicting and creates a laughing atmosphere!

Check it out!

I think I'd hurt myself . . . how far away are you supposed to stand?

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Originally Posted by Bron

Very civilised, especially with a jug of Pimm's.

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I'm laughing about the combo of "jug" and "Pimms". You know, we have a bottle but I've never tried it. Another goal for this summer.

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Originally Posted by activediva

Those games are fun, but I have something MUCH MUCH better!

http://www.laddergolf.com/

My husband made ours, but this is by far a funner and more hilarious game. Especially what people tend to do with the balls while waiting for their turn. This is more addicting and creates a laughing atmosphere!

Check it out!

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+1 for ladder golf.

It's inexpensive and very addicting. It's a quick game and can be set up in no time. Great thing to do spur of the moment.

I voted for croquet, but only because that is what we have, and DH and I spent many evenings out playing that in our yard last year (also *ahem* mature and childless, btw). I got our set at LL Bean for $99, and it is very good quality.

That said, I am itching for a bocce set now too. This is a really fun game, especially with a margarita or two :)

SheFly

I looked at the LLBean croquet set but the mallet length is only 31 1/8" (per the live chat rep last night). Hubby is 6'2" so I'm thinking this could be a bit short. What do you think? And the shaft to head connection has stayed snug? Mallets heavy?

I prefer bocce, and the court seems a bit easier to maintain, but The Boy loves his croquet. He even mows the court to different lengths with a rough and a green. Silly kid.

Anyway, I think either way will be fun. Growing up we had a permanent badminton court... <3

I voted Bocce but that's because I'm good enough at it to actually compete on the same level with H. We've never played croquet together, but I'm pretty bad at it. Plus, if you leave your bocce equipment out in the rain, it's no big deal...not so much for wooden mallets! :p

My absolute favorite is badminton, though!

Haven't I seen bocce/croquet sets that come together?

Lord, I haven't played croquet since I was a kid.

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

I looked at the LLBean croquet set but the mallet length is only 31 1/8" (per the live chat rep last night). Hubby is 6'2" so I'm thinking this could be a bit short. What do you think? And the shaft to head connection has stayed snug? Mallets heavy?

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DH is also 6'2", and uses these mallets without issue. The connections are snug, and the mallets come apart at that junction for storage. I like the feel of the mallets, and their weight. The good thing with Bean is that if you get it and don't like it, they are great about taking it back.

SheFly