World Croquet Federation Germany, Japan, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales are Associate Members of the WCF (as of 6 June 2016). Finland, Georgia, India, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Portugal, Russia and Uruguay are Observer Nations of the WCF (as of 6 June 2016). World Croquet Federation The World Croquet Federation (WCF) encourages, promotes and develops the recognised versions of the game of croquet internationally at all levels. National croquet associations around the world are members of the WCF, and the WCF sanctions championship croquet tournaments worldwide. The official rules of Golf Croquet are maintained by the WCF. Croquet playing Nations must
Croquet were popular in England by the early 17th century. Some other early modern sources refer to pall-mall being played over a large distance (as in golf); however, an image in Strutt's 1801 book shows a croquet-like ground billiards game (balls on ground, hoop, bats and peg) being played over a , garden-sized distance. The image's caption describes the game as "a curious ancient pastime", confirming that croquet games were not new in early nineteenth century England. In Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, his definition of "pall-mall" clearly describes a game with similarities to modern croquet: "A play in which the ball