The big advantage of the mallet is that the handle can be rotated in the head, so that regardless of how you hold the handle, you can adjust the head to bring it into line. Unfortunately the accuracy of the mallet still depends on the player, but many people have experienced an improvement in their accuracy on roquets, due to being able to hold the handle more comfortably and then adjusting the head if necessary.
The mallet has an aluminium shaft with a tapered nylon rod that joins head and handle and provides flexibility. This absorbs shock on croquet shots and even strong roll shots are virtually shock free. Players who want a stiffer shaft can have a tapered aluminium end to the handle instead of nylon.
To keep the handle light the top grip is padded with balsa wood, with a plastic Karakal Hockey grip wound round it. The bottom grip is made of a very light material called Duplon - used in fishing rod grips.
If you have a 12 inch head I found there is a danger of digging in when swinging. I have overcome this by making the bottom curved so that the ends are about 9mm off the ground. This enabled me to enjoy the accuracy of a long head. It is not necessary with shorter heads. I have now cured myself of this problem so I no longer need a curved bottom.