Lawn etiquette
General points
Dress appropriately: always wear flat soled shoes.
In play try to avoid walking on the hoop area to minimise lawn wear unless you are taking a shot.
Play as quickly as possible. In doubles matches, do not carry out unnecessarily long discussions with your partner when it is your side's turn to play.
Call a Referee by raising your mallet vertically (with the head uppermost) if you are about to make a stroke where there is a possibility that a fault may be committed. If no independent Referee is available, then ask your opponent to watch.
While out of play and off the lawn, be aware of other games taking place. Stand still if you are near a player about to make a shot, or if you are in the line of play of a double-banked game.
Damage to the lawns: nobody ever intends to damage the lawn, but accidents do happen. If you damage the lawn, e.g. by scraping or cutting it with a jump shot, it is important that it is properly repaired as soon as possible, so that the damage is not permanent. A cut should NOT be repaired by stamping on it as this creates two edges which don’t bind and therefore becomes a semi-permanent cut. Instead you should use a divot repairer to tease out the end that is wrapped underneath the turf and then butt the two edges of the cut together, so that they will heal. There is a divot repair tool in the container, please replace it after use.
Practising jump shots
Do not use the playing area of the lawn to practise jump shots, instead use the spare hoop in the shipping container on a part of the lawn outside of the court. Any damage caused to the lawn should still be repaired.
When double-banking
Do not walk across the line of aim of the other game.
Always keep an eye out to ensure that you do not impede the other game.
Always ask the other game if you can mark and lift any of their balls that may be at risk from your play. Always err on the side of caution before you strike your ball, even if you are playing well. Nothing is more annoying to the other game than having to try to guess where a critical ball was.
If you are not sure how to mark the position of a ball, ask someone to demonstrate.
Never use a coin or anything metal to mark a ball.
If you do mark and lift a ball, make certain that the player in play in the other game realises that you have done so, particularly if another player has started a new turn.
A marked ball must be replaced by the same person who marked it.
Announce clearly when the marked ball is back in its original position.
While you retrieve a ball that has gone off the lawn, take your mallet with you: do not leave it lying in the playing area.
End of session
If you are the last players on the lawn for the session, check that the lawn is cleared up:
- All hoops gathered in.
- Centre peg and half way pegs gathered in.
- Steps lifted off lawn.
- Container and lawn left secure.