Mallet and Grip The Mallet This chapter describes components and models as well as the selecting, maintenance and handling of a stick. Traditionally, a polo mallet (also called stick or taco) consists of a willow or bamboo cane with a wooden head attached to it (stick head). Further models like sticks made of fiber, carbon or other composites are also available. The ball is struck with the longer sides of the mallet. Besides hitting a ball, the stick is also used for so-called sticking or hooking in defense. There is a sling at the grip which is supposed to prevent the player from losing the mallet during the game, for example while sticking another player. There are various models of polo sticks. They vary in size of the grip, length, flexibility, material, material and shape of the stick head and weight. Grip
Sling
Important: The stick must be held in the right hand only, even by players who are left-handed.
Cane
Mallet Head/ Cigar
Hitting Surface/ Face
Nearside hits, i.e. hits from the left-hand side of the pony, are hit by crossing the right arm over the mount’s neck!
Grip Size There are also different grip sizes available. The diameter of the grip range from grips for very small hands and children to mallets with big grips for strong players. Length The length of the polo mallet depends on the height of the horse and on the player’s arms. The most popular mallet sizes are 51 to 53 inches. Professionals might also consider the length of the grass when selecting the stick. Material As mentioned before, polo sticks are available in various materials. The typical stick with a bamboo cane is the most common. The flexibility of the stick is essentially influenced by the number of fiber bundles and therefore the number of nodes (knots or grains in the bamboo cane).
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