croquet hoop design considerations

[MrCroquet]

My company manufactures high end croquet equipment (not your cheap imported variety). With a World Championship approaching in 2009, we have been asked to build a hoop stronger than our normal tournament grade. This brings into question engineering considerations that are foreign to me.

Here is the general picture of the hoop being considered;
24" tall uprights with 12" above ground
3/4" diameter cold rolled or stainless (303 suggested?)
3/4" diameter top cross-bar welded
3-11/16" inside uprights
1" wide fins below ground welded to uprights at 90* to each other around each upright

Question: In an attempt to minimize flex when the 1 lb ball (3-5/8" diameter) hits the hoop, will some grades of steel, stainless or otherwise, provide greater torsional strength?

 

[civilperson]

Over kill to the max! Try titanium hollow tubes for greater strength per weight. A one pound ball at 80 mph would not appreciably bend what you have described, but ricochet with over 95% of original momentum.