Polo Rules

I agree, 'beautiful' hooks can be quite cool (although I'd stop way short of describing them as one of my favourite things) but they happen what, once every ten games?

Fuck... I dont have any game without hooking. Spanish Rik taught me to do it, said it was important, that stopping your opponent shooting was another tool in your box.

I dont think it's like going for the player in football - thats a bad analogy. If you hit the other player with your mallet, that's like going for the player.

In other 'stick' team sports (hurling, ice hockey, etc) are there any rules against stick to stick contact?

I thought the mallet contact issue had been resolved anyway, with the 'hooking not hacking' rule.