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About the Oakland Croquet Club and Lawns
The Oakland Croquet Club plays on one of three lawn bowling greens located at Lake Merritt's Lakeside Park on Bellevue Avenue. The Oakland Croquet Club uses the East Lawn, which is the single lawn behind the Lawn Bowler's Clubhouse.
The club offers a free curriculum built around an introductory class held on the fourth Saturday of each month to instruct and encourage novice members. Reservations are needed to attend these free classes so if you wish to attend please contact the OCC and reserve a space. THURSDAY GROUP After Daylight Savings Time begins, there is Thursday aftenoon/evening play for members of all levels. Games usually start around 3:30 p.m. and continue into the early evening. Some members start early, others drop by after work. It is a very informal gathering. Bringing snacks is encouraged! Membership (all memberships include equipment locker key)
Oakland Croquet Club Membership is available at several levels. REGULAR MEMBERSHIP: $180.00 a year. Membership includes all club privileges, USCA voting rights, and USCA membership. LIMITED MEMBERSHIP: $75.00 a year. Membership includes invitations to most club events and activities (USCA sanctuined tournament entry requires USCA membership). AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP: $50.00 a year. For students, nonresidents, or those with primary membership in another USCA affiliated croquet club. Residents of San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and San Mateo counties who are not members of the San Francisco Croquet Club are not eligible for this category. Students excepted. USCA voting rights and USCA membership are not included at this level
The club produces popular three-hour lawn parties at the Oakland lawns for up to 100 people, tailored to the client's requirements. These events can be scheduled year round, weather permitiing, of course. The game played is Golf Croquet doubles - fast-paced, interactive, and learnable in minutes. The club provides a complete program - all the equipment setups, instruction and demonstration games, and court referees at the ready to answer questions and offer advice. Per person cost of the lawn party ranges from $20.00 to $30.00 (corporate event), with a minimum fee of $200.00 to $300.00, respectively.
The enclosed lawns are a perfect setting for outdoor catering - typically a luncheon buffet or afternoon tea - with abundant courtside seating (Clients provide their own catering.) With world-class equipment, a fast lawn, and an unequaled coach-to-player ratio, these lawn parties for croquet novices rival the offerings of the West's best croquet resorts. The club can also design a croquet program for an offsite venue of your own choosing.
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The most popular format features a multi-tiered elimination tournament, allowing winners to advance to more difficult games, while losers have a chance to play against peer-level opponents. Because so few people are familiar with the professional equipment and settings, everyone starts out at the same level as novices - which makes for an ideal mixer. And because croquet doubles calls for sophisticated partner communication and cooperation in plotting winning tactics and strategy, these events can be model team- building exercises. Croquet has been called "the ultimate social calisthenic." But the pace is easy, the tone is social, and the accent is on "serious fun." Flat shoes are required.