Over the past few years the Golden Square Croquet Club has seen member numbers decrease, and require more to ensure the sport is played well into the future.

The club's captain Lorraine Baker said with its current numbers the club couldn't function at its full potential. 

"With the numbers we have at the moment, we just can't function at the level we want," Baker said.

"If we don't have the numbers then we don't have the ability to raise funds.

"Recently we've had to unfortunately cut off a few of our efforts to raise funds because we just didn't have enough people."

Croquet is a social game played on flat grass with a mallet and balls.

The aim is for players to use the mallets to hit the balls through hoops, or to displace a competitors ball in the process.

Golden Square predominately play golf croquet - which is the most common form of the game played in Victoria.

The club is located in Wade Street, Golden Square next door to the bowls club - which has been more than supportive in helping the croquet players in whichever way it can.

The club's plan isn't to grow into a powerhouse side, it just needs more members to cement itself for the future.

"We only have 10 active members currently and it would be good to have around 22 members to secure a social future for the club," Baker said.

Above all, the social aspects of the club are what have attracted and kept many of its members.

The club's president Pam Wiegard has been with Golden Square for almost 10 years, and hasn't looked back since.

"I had just retired and was looking for something to do," Wiegard said.

"I've heard croquet described as a mixture of both golf and chess - it's also inexpensive and played all year round here at our club."

Another member, Don Currie started playing down at Melbourne after the passing of his late wife.

"A friend rang me up and tried to get me down to play croquet," Currie said.

"I really wasn't interested at first, however, after giving it a shot I fell in love."

Currie then relocated to Bendigo and was looking for a club to join.

"I wanted to play but I was a bit too shy to come and meet new people, but after I was persuaded by one of the members, I've been here ever since."

For more information about the Golden Square Croquet Club phone Don Currie on 5449 6332 or Bill Humphreys on 5447 3439.

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