Akaroa Croquet Club is based at 28c Rue Jolie in Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, and holds a 5.0 rating on Google. Croquet rewards newcomers more than most lawn sports: it looks gentle from the fence, but regulars know it is a genuinely tactical game of angles, breaks and nerves, where a well-judged roquet can undo an opponent's whole afternoon. Most clubs lend mallets to first-timers and run open club days where anyone can turn up and play, so the real starting requirement is a pair of flat, smooth-soled shoes that won't scuff the turf. Conditions matter too — a lawn runs faster on a dry Peninsula afternoon than after rain, which is why regulars arrive early to gauge the speed. On Rue Jolie, a short stroll from Akaroa's waterfront, this club is the neighbourhood's spot for exactly that kind of slow-burning contest.