Croquet · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The wooden croquet ball they keep coming back to

£21.99

or 4 payments of £5.49 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

12oz solid wood
Hand-finished
Double scored
3 5/8" regulation
Played for years
30-day returns
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

1 Free Gift Spend £35

2 Free Gifts Spend £45

3 Free Gifts Spend £70

4 Free Gifts Spend £100

as seen in

Real talk

Why one ball costs more than you'd expect

A Jaques croquet ball isn't plastic that splits after the first season. This one is solid wood, hand-finished, weighted at 12oz to feel right in your hand and roll true every time. You're buying something that plays for 5 years, 10 years, longer.

Grandparents buy it once. Grandchildren play it. Their children play it. That's pennies per game.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What you're buying

One regulation-weight croquet ball, ready to play. No assembly, no extras needed.

In the box

Brown Challenge Croquet Ball

Solid wood construction, hand-finished to a smooth surface. Double scored for grip and control. Weighs 12oz, measures 3 5/8 inches, meets regulation play standards.

✓ Solid wood, not plastic
✓ Double scored surface for control
✓ Ready to play from day one

Croquet ball weight and measurement specifications

Play style

Built for garden play

At 12oz, this ball rolls with authority and holds its line across uneven grass. The weight means fewer fumbles, truer shots, and longer rallies. made for players who want their equipment to match their ambition.

✓ 12oz weight for consistent roll
✓ Regulation 3 5/8" size
✓ Works on garden grass or lawn

Play style

Lasts decades, not seasons

This ball doesn't degrade. Grandparents play with it, leave it in the shed for 2 years, pull it out, and it plays true. That's solid wood. That's hand finishing. That's Jaques.

✓ Handed down between generations
✓ No cracks, no fading
✓ 30-day returns if anything's wrong

Order by 2pm, in your hands by Tuesday. Gift wrap available.

Brown Challenge Croquet Ball (12oz): £21.99

While they play

What croquet teaches

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🎯

Strategy

Every shot requires you to read the grass, judge distance, plan two moves ahead. You're solving puzzles against real people.

🤝

Teamwork

Croquet binds pairs. You have to trust your partner's reading of the break, celebrate their angles, learn from their mistakes.

⚖️

Patience

Your turn comes. You wait. You watch. Then you commit. It teaches you to breathe and stay calm under the gaze of four other players.

🌍

Language

Croquet has lived for 400 years. Playing teaches you its words, its etiquette, its history. You join a quiet tradition.

What families say about Jaques of London

What people actually say

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

23,000+

Orders from families

People buy Jaques croquet balls and order them again. That number doesn't come from marketing. It comes from the product working.

→

231

Years of doing this

We've made games since 1795. That's 9 generations of knowing how wood moves, how balls roll, what lasts.

→

100+M

Toys and games sold

Over 100 million toys and games have left our hands into homes across the world. This ball is one more.

Why this matters right now

12oz Regulation weight Heavy enough to roll true. Light enough for anyone to play. That's precision.

3 5/8" Croquet standard Fits your hand, rolls on any garden grass, plays by the rules that have governed the game for centuries.

Solid wood Not plastic Won't split. Won't fade. Won't embarrass you in front of players who know what they're looking at.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why this ball beats the plastic version

	Jaques Brown Challenge Croquet Ball (12oz)	Cheap Alternatives
Material	✅	❌ Plastic cracks after 1 season
Weight consistency	✅	❌ Plastic feels dead in the hand
Roll accuracy	✅	❌ Plastic bounces, doesn't track
Finish quality	✅	❌ Plastic seams catch on itself
Years of play	✅	❌ Plastic: 1-2 seasons
Resale or hand-down value	✅	❌ Plastic: throw away
Heirloom feel	✅	⚠️ Plastic: feels temporary

Jaques

✅ Solid wood
✅ True weight
✅ Accurate roll
✅ Hand-finished
✅ Lasts years
✅ Can resell
✅ Feels like investment

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic cracks
❌ Weight inconsistent
❌ Bounces wildly
❌ Poor seams
❌ 1-2 seasons
❌ Worthless used
⚠️ Feels cheap

Order by 2pm, in your hands by Tuesday. Gift wrap available.

Brown Challenge Croquet Ball (12oz): £21.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions before you order

Is one ball enough, or do I need to buy a whole set?

One ball works if you're replacing a worn one or adding a spare. Most people buy a complete set (we sell those separately). Check your current set first: if you've lost one or one's damaged, this replaces it.

How do I know if this is right for a gift?

If they play croquet or you want to teach them, this is the one. Buying for a 6th birthday or a garden-loving grandparent? Brown is the secondary colour, used in mixed-gender or casual play. It's the safe choice. If you're unsure, our customer service team can help match the right colour to their set.

Will this ball last, or will it split like the plastic one did?

Solid wood doesn't split the way plastic does. It's hand-finished, which means the grain is protected. John A. said it best: 'Not the usual tat from China.' Karen Pepper added: 'Toys that don't break after five minutes of play.' We offer 30-day returns if anything's wrong.

When will it arrive?

Order by 2pm, it ships today, arrives by Tuesday. If it's a birthday gift, that's the time to act. Gift wrap is available at checkout. Leigh Hemmings said it: 'Arrived next day, saved Christmas.'

How much does it cost?

The Brown Challenge Croquet Ball (12oz) is £21.99 today. Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Order by 2pm, in your hands by Tuesday. Gift wrap available.

Brown Challenge Croquet Ball (12oz): £21.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

In 1795, Jaques made the first boxed game. Two centuries later, we still care how things feel in your hand. This croquet ball isn't mass-produced. It's wood selected for weight, hand-finished for touch, tested for roll. We make it because we play it. Because our customers play it with their children and their children's children. That's why one ball costs what it costs.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are