Repeat champion Brass Spot Mallets on display
VIVA ESPANA!
It was a battle for the ages. The defending champion Brass Spot Mallets went up against local Spanish rival JC Mazdos de Croquet in a friendly marketing/social media battle for the title of
2018 Most Popular Mallet in our annual poll
held in March. When the dust settled, Brass Spot stood victorious with a repeat win by a count of 962 to 900 votes. But the true victory was in how the two Spanish mallet makers embraced the contest and showed the world how you build a network for marketing exposure for both croquet and all of the mallet makers. Oakley Woods came in third with 115 votes to top the list of mallet makers in North America ... and the world outside of Spain.
Of note, the contest helped the CroquetNetwork.com website more than double solid traffic records in both unique visitors and page views set just last April for the MacRobertson Shield. That also had a lot to do with Jose Riva's run to the Last Four at the 2018 AC Worlds in New Zealand. For the croquet leaders of the world, take note, there's something special going on in Spain. Their croquet movement better matches how current communities are built. So, embrace, study and replicate.
Relative the poll, please enjoy this directory for 2018 and if you can, find the the time to support Croquet Network and the mallet makers below by visiting their websites from the links below. Let them know that their efforts are appreciated!
For manufacturers that are missing details, please use the contact link on the top menu and we will update your listing. This will be one of the most visited pages on the site over the next year. We offer a full profile and photo for manufacturers that place in the top five. For the rest of the top 10, we offer a brief marketing description and a website or email link (website preferred). We also have a full alphabetical listing in our Equipment Directory.
01. Brass Spot Mallets (962 votes)
Mallet designer: Marcelino Piquero Manufacturing City: El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
Gruyere Model (click to zoom)
The Story:
We think style is important in croquet. A good mallet should be balanced, with a good
MOI
(Moment of Inertia), well-manufactured and beautiful. Trying to combine all these factors with the best available woods is our challenge. We use hardwoods carefully selected under the
CITES
(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Since 2010, all our wood mallets are handmade and tailored to fit each player's specifications. Our aluminium or carbon shafts are connected to the mallet head with an oversized Philips screw and could be easily removed for transportation or for adjusting the grip orientation. The connection system could be ordered either in nylon or aluminium, for flexibility or stiffness. Depending of player’s preferences, the mallet heads can be made with brass or Tufnol ends. We also produced small croquet trophies for tournaments.
Top Selling Model:
Gruyere Sandwich
Number of Models:
Three
-
Standard, sandwich and Gruyere sandwich.
Price range:
From 240€ to 490€
Online store:
No
Retail locations/Where to Buy:
-Email: thebrassspot@gmail.com
-Malvaloca, Puerto de Sotogrande, Sotogrande, Cadiz – Spain
-Sherry Golf Jerez, Calle Suiza, s/n, 11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz – Spain
Website:facebook.com/thebrassspot/ (Dedicated website under construction www.thebrassspot.com )
Phone: +34666523599
Email:thebrassspot@gmail.com
02. JC Mazos de Croquet (900 votes)
Mallet designer: JC Croquet Manufacturing City: El Puerto de Santa María (Cadiz, Spain)
Olive Wood Model (click to zoom)The Story: At JC CROQUET, we do not manufacture catalog mallets. Each of our mallets is singular, designed and manufactured once the customer has specified all of their requested parameters. From the technical standpoint -- according to the player's style of play, to the aesthetics, which includes initials. We also offer a full warranty.
Top selling model: The most sold JC CROQUET mallet are the solid wood models, and particularly the olive root wood version.
Number of Models: As many as there are customers (all custom).
Price Range: Typically from 200€ to 435€
Online Store: You can make online orders through www.mazosdecroquet.es
Retail Locations: We manufacture it in the south of Spain, but usually we receive online or telephone orders and send it anywhere.
Website:www.mazosdecroquet.es
Phone: +34 609 350 526
Email:juancmorillo76@gmail.com
03. Oakley Woods (115 votes)
Mallet designer:
Don Oakley
Manufacturing City:
Brighton, Ontario Canada
The Story:
Over the past 25 years, Oakley Woods Croquet has been making high performance mallets at reasonable prices. We are able to do that in a number of ways - cutting edge manufacturing technologies, volume and innovative design. Product design has always started with the players. Don Oakley is not just the designer and maker of these mallets but plays the sport. Consulting directly with some of the best players in the world, our mallet designs have evolved over the years. We leave no stone un-turned when it comes to translating field research into the best mallet designs.
Our Predator mallet is available in a range of head lengths, mallet heights and weights. The carbon fiber handles offer different flexes. They are covered from top to bottom with a comfortable and colorful foam grip. That grip can be specified in 3 different circumferences to accommodate different hand sizes. The exclusive Taper-loc fastening system allows the head and handle to be quickly disconnected for easy travel. We don't put good looks in the back seat either. The heads are hand crafted from black walnut with a decorative inlaid sightline. Players say the balls "pop" off hybrid stainless/carbon faces. This combination has also been tested for an extremely high moment of inertia. This helps stabilize the mallet head for greater accuracy.
Beyond mallets, we make and supply a complete range of croquet equipment including balls, hoops, stakes, flags and much more. Through our website, you can outfit your entire croquet needs.
Top selling model: Predator (image attached)
Number of Models: Eight different models with variations for head length, mallet height, colors and weights
Price Range: $44 - $400+
Online Store:www.croquetstore.com
Retail Locations: Store in Brighton, Ontario and the National Croquet Center Pro Shop in West Palm Beach, Florida
Website:www.oakleywoods.com
Phone: Toll 866-364-8895 (International) 613-475-3541
Email:
04. Dave Trimmer Mallets (29 votes)
Mallet designer: Dave Trimmer Manufacturing City: Gillingham, Dorset, England
The Story: Great peripheral head weighting for accurate shooting. Designed and engineered for maximum playability. Crafted with exacting workmanship to be aesthetically pleasing and to facilitate players reaching their potential.
Number of Models: Six
Online Store: No
Price Range: £305-£440
Where Can I Buy? From Dave Trimmer England UK
Website:DaveTrimmerMallets.moonfruit.com
Phone: 01747 824822
Email:davetrimmer@talktalk.net
05. Dawson / Australian Croquet Company (16 votes)
The consensus is that these mallets are no longer manufactured. The famous Dawson balls though are still available through the NCC Pro Shop, Oakley Woods and the Croquet Association Shop.
06. (tie) RPM / Ray Puckett Mallets (13 votes)
Many years of development and a rigorous testing program in New Zealand and Australia has resulted in the RPMbeing one of the premier mallet manufacturers in the world. With over 10,000 RPM Mallets sold worldwide, it is proven testimony to the popularity and acceptance of the RPMMallet. Every RPMis handcrafted and incorporates peripheral weighting within the croquet mallet head. This special feature results in less effort required to send balls further. The net effect is that balls can be placed with more accuracy.
Mallet designers: Ray Puckett and Craig Smith Website: www.rpmallets.co.nz
06. (tie) Transforma (13 votes)
Mallet Designer: Robert Brown Website:transformamallets.com.au
08. (tie) John Hobbs (12 votes)
Buy yourself a good mallet - improve your game.
Mallet Designer: John Hobbs Website:www.john-hobbs-croquet-mallets.mfbiz.com
08. (tie) Pidcock / Manor House (12 votes)
Designer: Alan Pidcock Website:davetrimmermallets.moonfruit.com/pidcocks/4592522639
10. (tie) Jackson Mallets (8 votes)
Designer: Steve Jackson
10. (tie) Woodranch Horus/Isis (8 votes)
Designer: Michael Rumbin Information:www.croquetworld.com/Game/golfmallet.asp
ROUNDING OUT THE FIELD
12. Brian Cumming (7 votes)
12. Mojo Mallets (7 votes) - www.mojomallets.com
12. Morford Mallets (7 votes) - www.morfordmallets.com
15. George Wood Mallets (6 votes) - www.woodmallets.com
15. Palm Beach Mallet Works (6 votes) - palmbeachmalletworks.com
17. Danny Huneycutt (5 votes)
17. Ed Roberts (5 votes) - www.croquetworld.com/attack/attackcroquet.html
17. Fenwick Elliott (5 votes) - www.insearchoftheperfectmallet.com
17. Percival Mallets (5 votes) - www.croquetmallets.co.uk
17. Terminator-Mike McClure (5 votes) - www.terminatormallets.com
22. David Barrett (4 votes) - www.oxfordcroquet.com/equip/mallets/barrett.asp
22. Fletcher Mallets (4 votes)
22. Jaques London (4 votes) - www.jaqueslondon.co.uk
22. PFC Hoopmaker (4 votes) - www.croquetmalletmetal.com
22. Kevin Brereton / Xact Mallets (4 votes)
27. Gary Dunkelberger Mallets (3 votes) - St. John's mallet maker
27. Norwich Croquet (3 votes) - www.154northmain.com/croquet-mallets
ONLINE RESELLERS
The following websites resell some of the different brands above online:
Croquet Association Shop (UK) - www.croquetassociationshop.org.uk
National Croquet Center Pro Shop (US) - www.nationalcroquetcenterproshop.com
NEXT YEAR
We will keep an active list of mallet makers that have requested to be included in next years directory here. Any manufacturer that received at least one vote will be included in next year's poll (January 2019).