How the game is played

· Teams of two (doubles game – pair against pair)

· Four coloured balls per game – one for each player

· If two games are being played on the same lawn then different balls are used for the second game

· Order of play is Blue, Red, Black & Yellow (Secondary colours – Green, Pink, Brown & White)

· Team who wins the toss plays the Blue & Black, opponents play Red & Yellow (Secondary colours – Green & Brown, opponents Pink & White)

· Play begins within a one yard arc from corner 4 with balls playing towards hoop 1 (Blue topped hoop)

· Each player takes turns to hit their ball towards each hoop in the sequence shown on the map

· The first payer to hit their ball through the hoop wins that hoop for their team and places a peg on the hoop

· As soon as a hoop has been won, all players take turns to hit their ball to the next hoop

· Only one ball can win a hoop – each player is not required to put their ball through each hoop

· The objective is to get through a hoop before the opponent does, the first team to win seven hoops wins the game

Basic strategies used to prevent the opponents winning the hoop before you do are:

· Knock the opponents balls away

· Put your ball between the opponent’s ball and the hoop

· Protect your partner’s ball (from being hit away) if it is in a good position

· Send your ball behind the hoop to be in a position to knock the opponents ball out of or away from the hoop

· It is not necessary for a ball to go through a hoop in one shot, but an opponent is allowed to knock the ball out

· If the ball is knocked through the hoop by an opponent, the team whose ball was knocked through wins the hoop