CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – For many people, croquet brings back memories of childhood afternoons spent knocking colorful balls through backyard wickets. But at the Centenary Croquet Club outside Scottsville, members say the game is far more strategic than most people realize.
“It’s sort of like chess on grass,” club owner Robert Reeder told Cville Right Now. “People don’t understand that when they get into it.”
Reeder founded the Centenary Croquet Club five years ago after relocating from New York, where he had previously operated a croquet club in the Syracuse area during the 1990s. Hoping to introduce more people in Central Virginia to the sport, he transformed his property into a place where players of all skill levels can learn and compete.
Today, the club has about nine regular members and offers three different styles of croquet: the traditional nine-wicket game many people remember from childhood, the American six-wicket version and golf croquet, a faster-paced variation that has become increasingly popular.
“Every single person we’ve had says, ‘When I was a kid,'” Reeder said. “They didn’t really know the rules. They’re usually surprised at the difference.”
While newcomers often arrive expecting a casual backyard game, they quickly discover croquet rewards patience, precision and strategy.
“When I started, I thought it would be boring,” longtime member Carolyn Tabailloux told Cville Right Now. “Then I started playing and kept coming back. My interest just grew from sticking with it.”
Tabailloux has been a member since the club opened and said the biggest challenge has been convincing people to give the game a chance.
“Even some of my friends keep saying, ‘Oh, I want to try it,’ but they just don’t,” she said. “I think it’s basically a lack of understanding of the game.”
Despite its modest membership, the club attracts players from across Central Virginia. Members regularly travel from Lexington, Ivy and surrounding communities because opportunities to play organized croquet are rare.
“To find a place to play croquet is difficult,” Reeder said. “There used to be a couple of local teams, and they all faded away.”
Keeping members engaged has been the club’s biggest obstacle. Like many recreational organizations, Centenary has seen players move away, deal with injuries or simply lose interest over time.
“We’re really trying to push to younger people,” Reeder said. “It’s just like any sport. Keeping people interested is the challenge.”
Over the years, the club has experimented with creative ways to build participation, including Halloween-themed tournaments where players dressed in costume and evening matches played under lights installed around the court.
“We’d finish up in the dark, so we got lights all around the court,” Reeder said. “We’ve played at night—even into the early morning.”
For Tabailloux, the appeal is simple.
“I like to play the game,” she said with a laugh. “That’s it.”
Both Reeder and Tabau hope the club can continue growing into a larger community gathering place. With more members, they envision hosting outings, leagues and regular events while introducing more residents to a sport they believe deserves another look.
To spread the word, Reeder has taken demonstrations to local farmers markets, including the Scottsville Farmers Market, where curious passersby often stop to ask questions after seeing the club’s equipment set up.
“If we can get a group together,” he said, “people can say, ‘Every Wednesday, we’re playing.’ I’ll make myself available.”
For Reeder, watching newcomers discover the strategic side of croquet remains the most rewarding part of running the club.
“They think it’s just getting the ball through the wicket,” he said. “Then they start playing, and they realize there’s so much more to it.”
