Think croquet is just something you do for fun in the backyard? Not in Pinehurst.

On impeccably manicured lawns adjacent to the Pinehurst Resort golf club house, stern-faced competitors wield mallets with intensity comparable to that displayed by golfers on the ­historic links nearby.

The resort even has a croquet pro on staff to supervise ­competition and help players improve their game.

The annual tournament held at Pinehurst each October is a throwback to Victorian England.