Pétanque: The Greatest Game You Never Heard Of: Beyond Bocce, The Elegant & Intelligent French Game of Boules

The Wellington P©tanque Association said: "P©tanque: The Greatest Game You have Never Heard Of!" by Byron Putman may simply be the best English language book ever published!  ... All clubs are encouraged to purchase at least one copy of the book for their members to read. Any player who is serious about improving their game should also purchase a copy for their own study. Anyone involved in coaching should definitely purchase a copy."

La P©tanque Marini¨re (Marin County P©tanque in California) Blog said: "Here is a great book, just published, about P©tanque. Actually the first English language book to be written about the sport."

Almost everyone is familiar with the Italian bowls game Bocce. With the exception of those who have traveled to France, few Americans know P©tanque the "Elegant & Intelligent French Game of Boules." Contrary to the opinion of many ill-informed Americans, the French are a warm and generous people - that is except when it comes to their national game of P©tanque. In America too many clubs are tightly controlled by elitist French-Americans who practice P©tanque as an extension of French culture rather than a competitive sport. With respect and admiration to my French friends, now is the time to relinquish control and let the entire world embrace this great sport.

Since I'm stepping on cultural toes (and with apologies to U.S. Bocce players who outnumber U.S. P©tanque players by a 1,000-to-1 ratio) Bocce is to P©tanque what checkers is to chess. Bocce is a simple, two-dimensional rolling game. Although it reputedly can be played on any surface, other than the most casual  Bocce game is confined to expensive, smooth and level groomed courts enclosed with side and backboards; P©tanque is a three-dimensional throwing game in which the concept of a formal court doesn't exist. Even the world championships are played on rough, unlevel, ungroomed dirt and crushed gravel terrains. Ugly terrains tend to make P©tanque both aerial and savagely aggressive - boules are rarely rolled, instead they are gracefully lofted high into the air and competitor's boules are removed from play with sniper-like precision before the shooter's boule even touches the ground.

If you're looking for a fun distraction during a family barbeque, stick with Bocce; if you want to be challenged with a subtle, complex, multilayered, inexpensive, egalitarian, environmentally friendly and truly universal sport - then you've got to give P©tanque a hard look.

This is the first comprehensive English language P©tanque book. With a few minutes of introductory practice throws, you can play games and have a great time; however, after teaching over 120 people how to throw in just the past year I can unequivocally state that the more technique and strategy one masters, the more engaging and fulfilling P©tanque becomes. The book starts at the absolute novice level and provides sufficient technique and strategy instruction to take a player to a regional-level competition. In P©tanque (like all things French) "function follows form"; throw effortlessly with style and grace, and your game will flourish!

You probably don't live near an existing P©tanque club - but that's not necessarily bad. Starting a new group provides the opportunity to establish baseline etiquette and player ethics to create an inclusive and supportive, yet uncompromisingly competitive environment. Without any prior P©tanque experience you can create a start-up group for less than $100 and a few hours of time. You don't need a formal terrain; play on the types of public spaces reminiscent of the south of France where P©tanque originated: packed dirt public plazas, gravel walking paths, unpaved parking areas, and in America you're never more than a few miles from the dirt infield of a baseball diamond. These surfaces are great terrains.