Dimensions for Polo

Polo is a four-a-side game whose players are mounted on horses and use wooden mallets or sticks to strike a plastic ball in an attempt to score goals. An area of five hectares is required.

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The information in this guide is general in nature and cannot be relied upon as professional advice concerning the design of, or marking out for, sporting facilities and playing areas. No assurance is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in this guide and readers should not rely on its accuracy. Readers should obtain their own independent and professional advice in relation to their proposed sporting activity.

Field of play

The ground is a prepared surface that includes the field of play and the safety zone. A full size field of play is 275m long (goal posts to goal posts) by 180m wide if unboarded, and by 140m wide if boarded.

Goal posts

The goal posts are 7.3m apart (inside measurement), able to be widened to 14.6m to decide a tie and centred at each end of the field. The goal posts are 3m high and light enough to give way if collided with.

Markings

Broken lines or full markings are used across the grounds. Marks on the boards or flags (clear of the safety zone) are useful as a guide to the umpires. A line of tees clear of the centre spot are marked on the centre line. A double tee as shown in the following diagram helps keep teams apart at the throw in.

Boards

Boards keep the ball in play, allow the ground to be narrowed and spread the game more evenly across the field. They are 27.5cm in height and made of treated timber 2.54cm thick. A metal peg is inserted down the middle to secure them to the ground. They are tongued and grooved at the ends or joined by a metal plate. A board must be easily replaceable during a match if damaged. A triangular arris rail, 10m x 5cm, is fitted at the base of the board to deflect the ball back into play. Boards are curved from the 27m line to 13.6m into the back line.

Safety zone

The safety zone extends at least 9m beyond the sidelines/boards and at least 27m beyond the back line. Clubs must ensure that the safety zone behind the goals is long enough so that a player going through the goal at speed can stop safely.

Polo playing field

 
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