A 101-year-old New Zealand man, Neville Sandiford, has been named the world’s oldest competitive male croquet player by Guinness World Records. He earned the record after taking part in an 80+ Golf Croquet tournament in Paraparaumu, Wellington, in August 2025. At the time of the event, he was 101 years and 262 days old.
Neville began playing croquet when he was 79, after his wife, Joan, saw a newspaper advert for free lessons at the Wellington club. He said that as soon as he held a mallet and hit a ball, he knew the sport was right for him. He first played Association Croquet and soon began winning club competitions.
Later, Neville joined the Paraparaumu Croquet Club and started entering tournaments in both Association Croquet and Golf Croquet. He said there was a lot to learn at first, including how to hold the mallet, strike the ball and understand the rules. Even as a beginner, he wanted to improve and enjoyed the challenge of competing.
Neville, who has three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, said the support of other club members helped him keep playing. He explained that their encouragement made the sport more enjoyable. He said he would not be celebrating this achievement without their help.
