Pen-Y-Coed Petanque

We round up our latest tips for new petanque players Tip 5

Top Five things new players to the Petanque game get wrong Last part!

Part 5 Where the boule lands. This is the Landing Spot.

This session draws the attention to the most sought after place in the country for us boule players. No, not the Bar, but the landing area! Many players get bad kicks when their boule land on large stones on the surface or a brick level with the surface and look skyward as if some evil boule god is wreaking revenge for past sins. It is a simple matter of physics to place the boule in your hand close to the jack. You have to throw the boule at the correct weight so it ends up at jack length. The direction in which you throw the boule depends on any slope on the piste. On a perfect level piste the spot the boule lands together with the weight and direction of throw will depend on the finished position of the boule. Simple? Well it is fairly simple but pistes have many obstacles. Some are in plain sight and some are hidden below the surface and will deflect your boule away from the intended path. When we go around the country we try to pass on to new players the circle is for throwing from, but, you can walk out of it if you wish! You can walk up the piste and have a glance around to see any areas of bare rock, large stones or deep patches of gravel. You only have a minute to throw your boule but a trained eye can soon learnt to spot potential bad areas. Do not day dream while the opposition are throwing, take a look at how their boule reacts when it lands. You can even test the potential landing area if required before you throw the Cochonnet. (FIPJP Rules Article 10). Once you have looked at the area you intend to land upon the key is then to land there! Then, if you have worked out the right place, your boule will take its heavenly course to the jack and gently nestle beside it like an old friend. That is of course if you want to get that close. Many players will try to aim to stop their boule in an area 6 to 12 inches from of the jack.

To practise, just draw some circles, approximately 10 inches or 25 cm diameter on the ground, (or you can use string or old washing line circles. Use a thin line so it does not affect the boules travel at a suitable place from the throwing circle and practise landing in them. Please note! Landing in them not stopping in them! No jack used for this, just land your boule in the string circle.

Tips to improve your petanque for new players Tip 4

Top Five things new players to the Petanque game get wrong

Part 4 The jack is the target and the closer the better. WRONG!

Many new players are obsessed with the jack and it tends to rule the early days of playing. However you need to think on your feet when playing experienced players as the jack is the lightest thing in the head and can move very easily on purpose or by mistake. If the jack moves, the scoring area moves with it, of course it does! This means you can move the scoring area to your advantage or disadvantage. If the jack moves close to a dead boule line then the scoring area is reduced and will have a flat line on one side of the zone. This is particularly important if you are playing a boule to a moved jack. Do not be jack obsessed and point to the jack. Look at the scoring area available to you and use it. It depends on whether the opposition have boule left a whole world can open up. Do not worry if the boule looks a long way away from the jack. The key is if it is scoring or not. A boule 6 inches away but over a dead boule line is no use to anyone if the scoring area is 6 feet in diameter. A close boule is vanity a scoring boule is sanity.

The other major factor if you are playing a team who are shooting everything! Point to a boule for defence rather than the jack as seen in the photo. You boule is indicated in yellow, opposition blue. As all our photos, circle in at the bottom of the photo

Five things new players to the Petanque game get wrong Part 3 Tip

In this series we are looking at five things new players to the Petanque game get wrong

Part 3 Always play their last boule

New players seem to always throw all their boule without thought to the consequences. In the past I have been 8 nil up against a fairly new team. On a lightning fast pitch I placed my last boule 6 inches in front of the jack. They were holding with a boule 4 inches to the side with two boule to play. The f***y was off and we were happy with this result as we do not wish to f***y any one without due cause. One of these causes I must say is to stop a good team getting the jack. Anyway you all know what happened. The opposition threw both boule and with the last one knocked up my boule to put us on 9-0 instead of 8-1. So not all fannies are as blatant as they may seem. Some people f***y themselves though lack of thought. Maybe the f***y is a method of coaching involving pain and humiliation. Remember you do not have to throw your boule. Take what you have if there is a risk of losing the end and get hold of that jack! The jack may not be the target when you are pointing. Oh that’s part 4! Anyway, putting the jack where you can play your best and keep control of a game is so vital to winning a game and many experienced teams will take the one to control the jack if there is any danger of not only giving away a point to the opposition but also losing where the jack goes and the opportunity of placing the first point. For clarity the head has been set up below. with coloured boule. Our boule is the yellow one, circle at bottom of photo.

New to Petanque? Here is tip number 2 of the series

Five things new players to the Petanque game get wrong

Part 2 Do not know who’s boule is who’s

This is a common problem when players begin to play with competition boule as they tend to have less markings or less obvious markings so it can be tricky. One of the major questions we get asked are “How do you know who’s boule is who’s?”

It can be a common question for players who have been playing for years. Think the wrong boule is yours and you could get into serious difficulty in a game. Knocking up the wrong boule can be very entertaining for the opposition but not so funny for your team. It is just a case of knowing each boule will have giveaway differences. Maybe the type of boule, the weight and certainly the serial number. These may not be visible but you can always ask. With this in mind it is just a learning process. So we thought we would run a short quiz of “Who is on?”

Simple. Two teams with different boule but in the third photo, who is holding. You need this information in order to play and discuss tactics. If you cannot tell, then petanque can be a very difficult game to play

Question 1 Who is holding?

Answer later.

Question 1 Answer….. Team A are holding 1 boule, Team B are 2nd and Team A are third

Do not panic. It will get easier. Some players mark their boule but this can make the game easier for the opposition when a shot will become more obvious if you boule is brightly marked and the only one of your teams in the head.

If you are new to petanque this is the set of tips for you!

Five things new players to the game get wrong

Part 1 Stand in the wrong place!

Where to stand! Come on and join in the fun.

The game of petanque can ebb and flow in all directions. That’s the fun of the game, but, a lot of new players miss out on the fun because they are in the cheap seats. Many will stand behind the circle waiting to throw their boule. Once they have played their boule they will then wander up to have a look at the head. I know it is a lot of walking about but if you stand at the jack end you will see a lot more of the action. It is a ringside seat to enjoy the game. Care must be taken to keep out of the way and jacks can tend to fly about a bit but it is worth the risk to get a bird’s eye view of the game. If the opposition are throwing you should stand to the side of the jack, never directly behind it as this is a dangerous place to stand. If your team are playing you can stand where you want, just remember to give the player some room. Once you get into the habit of where to stand you will enjoy the game a lot more and get more exercise from it. Petanque is a game of movement and should not be limited to just the circle. When it is your throw you are allowed to fill in any boule hole mark and you could do this on the way to the circle. Standing at the sharp end also gives you an idea of how the boule are rolling, the boule in the head and any spaces you may like to get your boule into. It may feel awkward at first but if you place experienced teams you will notice they all stand at the jack end only going to the circle to play or have a look at the approach channels available.

When you are stood at the jack end with your team you can discuss possible tactics, what you did yesterday or just general chit chat. Respect the opposition when they are throwing by not moving or talking loudly and they hopefully will give you the same courteous behaviour in return. Get comfortable and you can watch and enjoy the game rather than looking over the throwing players shoulder.

Pen-Y-Coed Petanque East Anglian Air Ambulance Mixed Doubles 2024 fund raiser. We have just received the acknowledgement poster from the EEAA £648 donation. Thanks for all those that donated, played and helped.

New for 2024 Metal petanque case for up to 6 Boule Made in tough Aluminium frame this case is functional, classic and a great way to hold your boule and other equipment. Takes 65 to 76mm diameter boule and equipment.
It holds six boule and has a twin clamp metal lid and tough feet on base and one side when it is laid down. Has a foam inner lid and base liner. Also has a pre cut perforated foam filler so the equipment can be place in a customised position as you like. We have shown an example made to fit three boule and equipment but can be used with or without the foam sectional liner. Outside size 31cm x 24cm x 13cm. Inside dimensions 29cm x 23cm x 10cm

Equipment and boule shown not included. Metal details may vary in colour.

Case for 6 £29.50

Perfect petanque weather at last.

After what seems like months of rain at last the weather has improved so we can get out on the piste. Boule fixtures this summer are still coming in and most are on our events page. On the web site at the top just click on the picture and it sends you straight to the page. Oh and the boule takes you to..........

Boule Magnets! The game is ideally suited to those among us who wish to be fitter but require an activity that is accessible at their level. No great strength is required just a keen eye and most importantly a cunning mind. The sport of Petanque can be played by young, old, disabled, in fact by the spectrum of abilities. The sport is ideal for people getting to know each other in an open environment without the need for expensive clothing as with Bowls. Those of us lucky enough to play the game know throwing metal balls around is fun, skilful and thoroughly enjoyable.

So bending over to pick up your boules can be tricky sometimes and boule manufactures have thought of this and most supply them in their range.

Obut have two types. A traditional round boule magnet with a concave magnet face. These will pick up a boule easily but can be tricky to release as these magnets are very very strong. If you have difficulty with these magnets then that have one on a strap that can be easily flipped off the boule when you have it in your hand. Same curved magnet grip but the design means you can break it away from the boule with an angled push of the long magnet section.

Last week we looked at practicing petanque shots with your boule

It is clear there are two different types of petanque piste! The one you are playing on and the one you are practicing on. Never confuse the two! Playing a shot in a petanque match that you have not practiced away from the match piste is going to bring some surprises. Not only for you but also your team.

This week we have been looking at petanque jacks jumping. Here we have some more thoughts. Jumping jacks Last part
In this session we are looking at practice but also an explanation of why you are practicing the shot and how all types of situations can lead to different situations your team will find themselves in. In this end your first boule has held the first four of the oppositions boule. This means when opposition teams play their 5th boule and you still have five in hand, things can get a little desperate for the opposition. The oppositions 5th boule can do lots of things and maybe the opposition are going to go for a dead jack. This can be a controlled shot or a very hard point/shot/wang ( you get the idea and this is not meant to insult anyone). Desperate times call for desperate deeds. The boule the opposition will have in hand could be gold dust if the jack moves on the fifth boule they throw. If the jack goes dead it will be proudly held aloft like a sacrifice to the gods. If the jack jumps towards the back of the piste and stops 10cm from the dead boule line this sixth boule of the opposition may still win the end. 1 against five is not good odds but it can happen. So how do you solve the problem? Let us look at a situation where the jack has jumped to the back of the piste and they are holding with a boule they had missed your boule with earlier in the end approx. 5 feet from the jack. This boule is the closest and makes you play your 2nd boule of the end. This is a shot that you can practice on your own as there are a lot of factors to take into account. Distance is a factor as the jack could be over 10 metres from the circle. The task for your team is to make the opposition play their last boule. I know that is basic stuff but at this point in the end you just need to be on! Look at the scoring zone and make sure your boule is within that five foot circle. I know you have all noticed the five foot circle has a flat end across the back of it where the dead boule line is. Well done! To practice you could draw a circle that is the scoring zone and try to beat the closest boule. In a game situation the opposition will have to play the last boule they have and then you can have some fun and maybe score a few points. There is a debate that to put one of your boule right on the jack will make them play the last boule. Well, of course that is correct. A great point from your team trickles the jack over the dead boule line and the opposition hold up their last boule. You have blown the chance of a big end. What if the pointer of your team is not able to reach the distance to the jack but can beat the closest boule. Who plays next? Another member of your team? You knew the dilemma was coming. Petanque is all about thinking. I have an opinion that the next boule you play needs to be on so the opposition will be out of boule when you next visit the circle with your four boule left to play. But, you ask, what if you make them play the last boule and it is right on the jack because all you focused on was getting on. It could be the opposition are either very brave or very foolhardy as the jack is only 10cm from the dead boule line. A very risky shot to get near the jack. If it moves the jack 13cm with a must reach point, the score will be four to you without playing another boule. Good times! If they do manage to get a very close boule that needs shooting the jack could die as the impact on the boule shocks it over the line. A miss may kill the jack accidently on purpose or you could play a hard point on to the jack / boule in a percentage shot kind of way to kill either for points. I said you could have fun with your last four boule but the main focus on this tactic is to make the opposition play that last boule with your 2nd boule of the end.

Have fun

They are still moving! Jumping jacks part 3.
In this session we are looking at pointing into a space once the jack has jumped to the back of the piste. We are looking to clear all the boule in the old head and get our boule into a scoring position. On rare occasions when the opposition are out of boule it maybe possible to knock in the boule from the old head to score more points. Very easy to point through the gap to be on but what about some more points! We mentioned this in the original tip and it is worth covering but has only happened to me 5 or six times in 30 years of playing. It is rare but you never know when it will happen to you and your team. Generally it happens when you have tried to shoot the jack in a tight head to get more space or to kill the end and gain points from the boule in hand rule. Several factors need to be taken into consideration and you will need to know who’s boule are whose. Very embarrassing if you put the oppositions boule onto the jack by promoting it. So we have assumed the opposition have no back boule, good! The boule that is holding is a back boule in the head of the opposition and you should be able to clearly see one of your boule to knock into an on position and the boule you will throw will also be on otherwise there is little point! Obvious to us but others may not be so clear on the task in hand. To practice this shot line up 6 boule in a line across the piste at 6.5 metres from your circle and practice promoting alternate boule in the line of boule. Simple!

Well that pesky jack has jumped again! Further information on Jumping jacks. Practice sessions you can play on your own.
If you are playing on an international size piste 15m x 4m the chances of a jack moving from 6m to between 11m to 12m is possible. The jack moving to the sides may have a larger chance of going dead. This is why practicing this type of shot is so important. The jack jumping away from the circle but to a position behind the current head. There could be just two boule in this head or 11! And you may have the last boule to play. The jack movement could be for all sorts of reasons. By accident or on purpose, it could be a million reasons. They are all irrelevant. It is just you, the piste, the position of the jack and your boule. Prime importance is on the landing spot. Finding an area free of boule that will get your boule into an “on” scoring position. It can be tricky to focus on a landing spot over a lot of boule. Your team will be there to help. Practicing on your own can be difficult but use a string circle to mark a landing area over the other boule on the piste. This will improve your ability to focus on an area of piste away from the obstacles. It can be easy to be drawn to focus on these boule rather than an open space. Practice and practice again.

Yesterday we looked at pointing to a jack that has jumped into space. In order to try various situations get a playing partner to assist in moving the jack into a space behind a mocked up head. ( You can put the jack somewhere yourself) Then you are ready to play the Jumping jacks game.

How to score so you have a game you can play with a colleague or on your own

The game should be simple to play. Before you throw your boule the opposition are scoring three points. Each boule you throw should be closer than the nearest opposition boule or brick or wooden block, whatever you have used. Your boule should not go dead or hit the side of the piste. You score three points if all three boule count. If just one of your does not make it to a scoring position then the opposition score three! It is about focus on every boule! First to 13!

Jumping jacks.
The art of winning a game of Petanque is to always make the best of a bad position. The game is full of moments were the game can twist and turn. Good luck or bad luck can fall upon you at every moment.
One of the most common problems in a game is movement of the jack. When shooting a boule the jack is usually in close proximity. One of the reasons for shooting! This is a time when anything can happen. The shooting boule is coming into the head at speed causing boule, gravel or jack to be pushed out of the head. If the jack is hit it may not go out of play. It can move two or three meters from the head. Chances are it will move away from the circle leaving a lot of boule between the circle and the jack. If there are still boule to play they will be thrown with extreme caution and care. The crowded head is now right in the way of any boule played towards the jack. This really is make or break of a game. Crashing into the boule left two to three meters from the jack will not help your situation. The length is best walked out so it is clear in your mind. The landing spot for your point must also focused upon. A lob over the pack is possibly the most productive shot or spinning your boule in from the side. This is totally dependent on the terrain and of course the boule left for each team to play. This is a shot best practised away from a game situation. It may only happen once a competition but the longer you play on the day as you reach the semi’s and finals there tends to be more shooting and more jack movements.
Practice session.
If you do not have spare boule to use take three or four half house bricks and place them in a circle approximately one metre in diameter. This circle should be approx. 7 meter’s from the throwing circle. Place the jack two metres behind the circle of bricks and practice pointing to the jack. The bricks represent the old head after a jack movement. With practice you should be able to miss the bricks but point close to the jack. It is a shot you will only use a couple of times during the competition but one day this practice will reap rewards. Try different permutations to try to represent changing situations. Later in the tactics sessions we can look at knocking in the boule from the old head to score more points. This will mean you will need to know who’s boule are whose. A shot may lead to a big head but remember the boule you are shooting may have to pass the jack. Very embarrassing if you put the oppositions boule onto the jack by shooting it. Anyway that is for another time.

Check out my blog post How to throw a jack https://wix.to/vtolNc7

How to throw a petanque jack when playing boule Throwing the Cochonnet is very important. It should be thrown like a small boule, with some backspin and a gentle loop in the air. The picture shows how to hold the jack. Gently in the fingertips but firm enough to give backspin. The middle finger is used as a guide and the jack is held between inde...

Our Petanque web site is mobile friendly and hopefully easy to navigate on your laptop and tablet devices

Our web site has some nice features. "Back to top" buttons ease browsing and our drop down or pop up menu along the top of every page should take you to where you wish to go. The photos in the top right of every page are also links to more of the items, so click on the bags to take you to bags, the trophy will take you to our petanque trophy page and of course the boule in the corner takes you to... you get the idea. The online catalogue is there for you to make your choice of boule equipment and then you can telephone through your order or send us an email. Choosing petanque boule can be a little tricky so please ring us for help as we have over almost 30 years of experience giving advice to customers so they can play with the best boule for them.

Playing Petanque in the rain is no fun!

Please stop raining!!! Nature loves this weather as plants of every description begin to grow and flower. Our boule are struggling to make it through the weeds!

A big thank you to all the players and supporters who attended the Pen-Y-Coed Petanque East Anglian Air Ambulance Mixed Doubles held at British Sugar Sports and Social Club in Bury St Edmunds. The annual event in aid of The East Anglian Air Ambulance raised £658 from entries, the raffle and donations. We thank you all for your support of this great charity. Well done to all the 22 teams that made this a wonderful event to run. The competition winners were ( from right ) Stephen and Annie and the runners up Karl and Carole. Third place went to Mike and Martha and fourth place was Richard and Janet. We hope everyone had a great day and once again thank you!

Check out my blog post https://wix.to/g08iYKh

If you are planning a holiday in the UK where to play Boule? Our events page has all the petanque competitions in the UK that we have been told about. If you are travelling this summer and want to play or watch a competition have a look at our events to see if there is a local event near your holiday location. If you have an event you would like to add to our...

Less than a week to go to the Air Ambulance petanque comp

Raising money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance this Petanque event is in its 15th year and held in Bury St Edmunds.

We can provide not only French Boule but also Petanque trophies

We have been supplying boule in the UK since 1994 but we also supply bespoke trophies. We know the quirky side of petanque players and the ability to supply a unique trophy for your events. Designed by Petanque Players for Petanque players.

Free vintage petanque badge with our Euro bag
We all love free stuff and as we have loads of vintage petanque badges we thought we would fasten them to our current Euro bag to add a touch of Tradition French sporting memorabilia. Also shows you which bag is yours next to the piste!
Khaki Fawn Eurobag

Tough Canvas bag in Khaki Fawn with contrast black zip and handle. Holds three boule Ideal for competition boule or leisure sets.

Takes 65 to 74mm boule.

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£12.50 includes postage

Loads of Petanque competitions coming up in May 2024

May May 25th 3rd Wycliffe Weekender Triples Wycliffe Bowls Club, Lutterworth LE17 4LN.

Saturday 25th, registration at 9:00 to 9.30am looking to start at 10am. Timed games 1 hour plus 1 end Entry £5 per player. Closing date 19th May 2024

For further details or to enter contact Ginny email [email protected]



26th 3rd Wycliffe Weekender Doubles Wycliffe Bowls Club, Lutterworth LE17 4LN.

Saturday 25th, registration at 9:00 to 9.30am looking to start at 10am. Timed games 1 hour plus 1 end Entry £5 per player. Closing date 19th May 2024

For further details or to enter contact Ginny email [email protected]

Our shop will be closed on Fri 3rd and Sat 4th May. We are sorry for any inconvenience this will cause.

GOLD SILVER ENGRAVED SHIELD PLAQUE FOR YOUR PERPETUAL TROPHY. We all have those shield trophies that need a new plaque every year with the winners name and date. These can be a pain but this new service brings an engraved plaque to your door with two pins to put on the large wooden shield. We are offering a chrome steel or gold shield measuring 40mm high x 32mm wide engraved with up to 20 characters all for the Buy it now price of £3.50 plus postage. The plaque will come with two pins so you can place it on your own trophy. We will engrave most wording up to 20 characters so let us know what you want and we will try to help. Please let us know the size of the letters so it will match the others on the trophy. Height in mm will do. Font will be Arial. We have lots of different styles to match tour particular version so just send us a photograph if you are unsure and we can match it. If you need blank shields we can also provide them at £2.50 each. Postage is £3.00.

This is the 15th year we are holding this event. Support a great charity and play boule!

Breaking news. New Boule launch 2024. Left handed boule
Over the years boule manufacturers have used the very latest technology to produce outstanding performance and reliability. Special alloys and heat treatment techniques have been honed to produce world class competition boule. Every type of boule have been manufactured using soft steel, hard steel, stainless steel and bronze alloy to get supreme performance. Small and big, heavy and light and every mix in between to fulfil player’s needs.
However, one boule has eluded manufacture until today and it has been a long time coming. To bring Petanque in line with the European Discrimination Policy Act of 2014 a boule has been developed especially for left handed players. It is to be designated the code Ravil 1 and to be used by left handed players. These players have always found it difficult to keep the standard right handed boule under control in a left handed spin. This is due to the balance of the boule, although the right handed boule are made to close tolerances the tendancy is always leaning towards a right handed players use. It is also why you can block a left handed players route to the jack by placing your first point just left of the jack. The forging process and welding techniques in manufacturing have been adjusted away from the right handed bias. Some experimentation has taken place in the past and boule have been made for left handed players. These boule have been passed from player to player and may now be in the hands of right handed players. These are easily identified by an L at the beginning of their serial number. This denotes the grain on the left hand side of the boule is .001 percent more dense than the right side. If you are playing with an L serial number and are not left handed this would account for your boule veering to the right when you are throwing making a right hand spin more difficult. Now you Know!
These new boule, although significantly more costly to produce are being offered at the same price as right handed boule due to equal opportunity grants for the EU. The launch date is 1st April 2015 and sales are expected to be high as 22.5% of players are left handed. The new boule is to be coded as Ravil 1 in France and should soon be available in the UK very soon. The range is expected to be developed so Left handed jacks will also be available as well as Circles and Baseball caps
If you would like more information on the boule and how it can help your game please feel free to contact us and we will sent you our latest catalogue.