Heidi Davison, 73, says she’s not coordinated, can’t run fast or jump, so she had never tried any sport until she encountered the French game of Pétanque in 2016 through an informal group at OLLI@UGA.
“I liked it – it was fun, and you can become successful in a relatively short amount of time,” she explains. “You don’t have to be athletic although it is strategic, which adds to the sociability because you’re figuring out your moves with your partner.”
The aim is to toss or roll several hollow steel balls (“boules”) as close as possible to a small wooden target ball. Players take turns and the team that ends up nearest to the target ball when all balls are played, wins. The game has been described as a cousin of both horseshoes and bocce.
By 2018, there was enough interest in the game to form the Classic City Pétanque Club, which now has over 60+ members of all abilities and interests, and all ages, from 12 to 98. In the first few years, the club played on a gravel parking lot or on grass as the game can be played on many outdoor surfaces. In time and with lobbying, the county government constructed courts behind the Lay Park ballfields with left-over gravel from a road project.
Davis emphasizes that there’s no requirement to be a member of the club to play and all the members have extra boules and any other equipment needed to play. “Don’t buy anything – play with other peoples’ balls, try different sizes and weights to find out what works for you.” Teams of 1 to 3 reconfigure with every game.
Currently, the group plays on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m. In the winter months, the time will shift to the afternoon. The local club is a member of the parent organization, Federation Pétanque USA. Another group, the Pétanque Club of Athens, plays on the same courts on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. but changes to 1 p.m. after the time change.
Davis says people with vision or other physical impairments can still play with the help of other players. One man is missing two fingers on his throwing hand; two can’t drive anymore but they can still play. Anyone who can’t bend down easily can use a magnetic boule lifter.
“It’s a huge mental boost to be out with other people who are supportive and encouraging,” says Davis. Would-be players are invited down to watch, join a game and throw a few boules. For more information on Classic City Pétanque, email president@athenspetanque.org. To contact the Pétanque Club of Athens, email Athenspetanqueclub@gmail.com.
Bocce
Pétanque and Bocce resemble each other in that players of each game throw balls at a target ball, trying to get closer to it than the opposing team. The differences are in the size of the teams, the size of the courts, the size of the balls, and the throwing style.
Bocce uses slightly larger and heavier boules than Pétanque. In Bocce, the boule is thrown with the palm positioned up to give more rolling power, while in Pétanque, the boule is thrown with the palm facing down to give more spin.
Regarding the terrain, both Pétanque and Bocce have terrains that are 13 feet wide, though they differ in length. Terrains for Bocce are 91 feet long, whereas those for Pétanque are 50 feet long. Another key difference is the number of players. In Bocce, a team can have up to 8 players as compared to 1 to 3 in Pétanque.
Locally, there’s a league that plays at Wire Park in Watkinsville every Thursday evening with four different starting times for the six teams, beginning at 6:30. This is a significant difference from the Pétanque clubs because the Atlanta Bocce Club is the governing body, which has a variety of rules that must be followed, including that games be refereed.
Thursday nights bring out a relaxed group of players who grab a beer from one of the nearby bars, set up folding chairs or stand around and chat while waiting for their turn to throw a ball.
Lori Hines, 64, plays with “For PUC’s Sake,” a group of women who have bonded through Paws UnChained, which provides free chain link fences for dog owners who chain their pets.
“I just felt like this is something I can do,” says Hines. “It’s a great group of people.”
The team names echo the prevailing sentiment that fun is really the name of the game. For those who would like to be part of, say, the Bocce Bandits or Bocced Operation, you’re invited to come out and watch some games, throw some boules before start times, or email info@atlbocce.com.
