Mowing
- The length of grass on a croquet lawn directly affects the lawn speed. The normal cut height for a flat croquet lawn is 5mm during the main playing season and 8 to 10mm during the winter months. If there are undulations it may be necessary to increase the height of cut to slow the lawn down.
- As a general guide, it should be possible for a player to hit a ball from Corner 1 to Corner 3.Lawn speeds are usually quoted in Plummers and are explained here Lawn Speed Calculator. It is generally accepted that a speed of 10 Plummers is expected as a minimum for tournaments and other competitive play.
- A cylinder mower is essential for the task, rotary mowers cannot achieve the quality of cut required.
- Most clubs use a 24" wide mower, this size is easy to handle and can usually be fitted with a trailing seat. 30" or 36" mowers are big and heavy, difficult to turn and, as a result can damage the grass.
- A 20" mower is too small, it can't tow a trailing seat and takes about 20% longer to mow than a 24" mower, more walking and more wear on the machine.
- A 24" mower can tow a trailing seat which helps the rolling effect and smoothness of the lawn. Another advantage is that when fitted with a trailing seat, the mower can be used to tow a sprayer. This makes spraying quick and easy.
- Triplex mowers have three cylinders and can be used where there are a lot of lawns but there is some compromise on the quality of cut.
- The clip rate is measured in Cuts Per Metre (CPM). A mower with fewer blades will produce a washboard finish. This looks similar to corrugated iron or parrallel waves of long and short grass. Such a finish is not desirable and will produce a slower playing surface. Ideally, the mower should have a clip rate of 170 CPM or more. At this rate, the finish is smooth and produces a high-quality playing surface.
- Three factors effect the cut rate. The number of blades, the rotation speed of the cylinder and the diameter of the cylinder. The Brilliant mower has more blades than most fine turf mowers, thus reducing wear.
- BEWARE when you have your mower serviced do not get the cylinder reground unless absolutely essential. There is only so much blade to grind and replacement cylinders are eye-wateringly expensive. Back lapping is a better option.
- The cut height can be adjusted by raising or lowering the front roller.
- It is also important to adjust the cutting blade to get a crisp clean cut. This is sometimes called the bottom blade or bedknife. It should be adjusted so that there is "whisper" contact with the cylinder. Ideally the blade should not contact the cylinder blades. The adjustment can be done using a piece of paper or blades of grass to test. The method that use is to adjust until just touching and then back off a fraction.
- During the growing season, it is usually necessary to cut twice a week. It takes about 30 minutes or so to cut a full-size croquet lawn with a 24" mower.
- It is important to mow occasionally during the winter to a height of 8 to 10 mm in order to maintain sward density. If grass is allowed to get long and lanky, the sward will thin.
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