I’ve already had a few lessons and clinics behind my back, so I figured it was about time I purchased a few things for polo. When you’re starting off in polo, it is by no means necessary to have your own mallet if your club is able to provide you with one. I wanted my own mallet because I didn’t like having to go through 20+ mallets before my lesson, trying to find my favorite one. And let’s face it…it’s nice having your own things. One thing I love about polo? The fashion aspect of it! I noticed how many of my friends at the club had customized their polo helmets and mallets, and I was excited to pick my color scheme for my mallet and helmet. My color of choice? Light blue!
But before any of that, I wanted to do some research on where to buy my equipment. I’m the type that loves to read reviews and base my purchasing decisions on those reviews. However, I had a hard time finding reviews! I’m also not a fan of online shopping when I don’t know what to expect…and while there are several great US online stores catering to the polo player, I found that their pictures weren’t convincing me to buy what I needed. I liked the Argentine websites but didn’t want to pay a lot for shipping, and I wasn’t sure if I could trust those websites. Plus I really wanted to try things out before buying.
Luckily, California Polo Club has their own store (Arena Player) where I eventually ended up buying my mallet and helmet. My friend Leo runs the store, and he can get you whatever polo-related items you need. If he doesn’t have it in stock, he will order it fr
om Argentina, and you’ll have it in your hands within 2 weeks. I put in my order for my helmet, and was able to pick out a mallet that same day. Being a newbie and all, i’m not quite sure what to expect from a mallet, but I followed my coach’s recommendation and went for the 52 inch length and a 180 gram head. So far, i’ve enjoyed playing with it! Now if only looking the part could make me play better…Well, my next post will be on the Tom Goodspeed clinic I attended! I learned a lot. Stay tuned.
Leo is currently working on Arena Player’s exciting new website, but if you need something now, you can give him a call at 1-888-533-2333.
52 inches! You’re either very tall or playing big horses. You normally need a 50 and a 51 and that covers the vast majority of horses you’re ever likely to play; since you’re female, maybe a 49 and a 50? I assume you’re playing arena polo and those ponies tend to be smaller and handier than field polo, so not sure why a 52 is needed.
Also, why do Americans call them mallets? Mallets are for croquet. The rest of the world calls them sticks.