Polo is one of the fastest growing spectator sports in Australia; yet many people who go to matches are lost in "socialising" and miss the thrill of the actual sport. Usually because they don't understand it. What follows are some helpful hints to get you inside the "Sports of Kings".

Rather than watching the ball, watch the actions of players as they try to anticipate the next direction of play. It's much easier to make a horse run fast than to slow him down or turn him quickly. A horse doesn't always go where you point it.

You know you are watching good polo when you see long downfield dribbles and "air shots" - players picking up a pass in mid-air. Both are difficult to execute astride a horse moving at 35 miles per hour. Look for "control" in the good players - control of both the ball and their horses. Remember that the ability to hit the near (left) side shot, the backhander, is what "separates the men from the boys" in polo.

A polo tradition is inviting spectators onto the field at halftime, between the third and fourth chukkas - to stamp divots left by the horses' hooves. This is usually more recreational than helpful; most divots occur in front of the goals but most spectators stamp at midfield.

Sometimes at the end of the match trophies are awarded to the best player and to the best pony, as well as to the winning team.

Polo is the only sport where the player has to control another mind and body in order to control his own. The players and horses must have the desire to play, not just the athletic ability. Co-ordination between horse and rider is the key to fast-paced polo. Good polo is graceful.

Play commences with two teams of four players, each brandishing a mallet and lined up parallel to each other in the centre of the field. The umpire bowls the ball between the lines of players. (There are two mounted umpires on the field and a referee on the 'defines.) Then with the passes to team-mates, speed and manoeuvring, each team tries to score by knocking at 3 ¼" willow or bamboo-root ball through the opposite side's goal posts, which are spaced eight yards apart.

A game is divided into six 7 ½ minute periods, or chukkas, with each player changing to a fresh horse after each chukka. During the chukkas frequent and dramatic hindrances are unavoidable, as horses charge at 35 miles per hour after the lone ball. Some hindrances are allowed. These include hooking the mallet of the man hitting the ball; riding into him ('bump'), provided the angle of impact is not excessively dangerous; gently riding next to him and pushing him off his course (but not with the elbow); and simply outrunning him to the ball before the next shot. A player tries to avoid placing any fragile part of his body in the path of the ball because it is not only hard, but often is moving as rapidly as 100 miles per hour and can be quite dangerous.

Each team has four players and the object is to drive the ball through the opposing team's goal as many times as possible. Players move the ball by hitting it with the wide edge of the mallet.

The polo ball is made of plastic or bamboo root. It measures 31/4 inches in diameter and weighs anywhere from 41/4 ounces to 4 ¾ ounces. Mallets are between 49 and 52 inches long and length is determined by the height of the horse.

Polo ponies average 1511'2 hands high (a hand being equal to 4 inches). The brightly coloured leg wrappings on each horse are not only attractive, but serve as protection from stray mallet blows.

The playing field is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide with boundaries being the sideboards (sidelines) and backlines. Goal posts are spaced 24 feet apart and are 10 feet high. A point is scored when the ball goes between the uprights either on the ground or the lines projected upward. Flagmen at each goal will wave the flag overhead, indicating a goal has been scored, or below the waist, indicating no score.

A signal sounds to signify the end of each chukka. If the ball is in play when the signal sounds, a 30 second overtime is added. Play continues until someone scores, the ball goes out of bounds or until the 30 seconds is over. If there is a tie after six chukkas, an overtime chukka will be added.

The first team to score during overtime wins.

Polo is fast becoming a great spectators sport throughout Australia with the higher calibre tournaments in the southern states attracting numbers between 5,000 and 10,000 people.