Petanque tips. Yes we are still scooting!

I have been fannied by a 15 year old and his father. The young lad scooted every shot to great effect. He hit every boule he went for. It was just amazing. I congratulated him on his shooting at the end of the game, then pointed out he should be not get used to shooting like that. It was a difficult moment as these things can be seen as sour grapes, but I felt the player should be shooting properly? Properly. That is a perception but I think it goes down to how we see our sport and how we want it to develop. Sure, it is never going to work on a deep piste but we were not playing on a deep piste. Maybe he would have shot beautifully (there I go again) on a deep piste.

Maybe the problem is flat pistes. I know of some players who have scattered large stones over the surface to stop scoot shooting before a competition starts. No really! It is treated like a scourge on the sport but who are the shooting police? Let us be honest, it is a slippery slope to go down but then I like lob pointing. On hard flat pistes I find myself opting for a low rolling shot as it gives better consistent results at times. I do not enjoy playing like that but the will to get near the jack overrides the art form. Anyone who consistently shoots along the ground will only do well on pistes that favour that shot. Deeper pistes rule the shot out. The shot will not work so it’s back to going through the air. It is about adapting your shot to the terrain and the conditions. There is no middle ground though, it is a love it or hate in practice. Some players have a reputation they will never get rid of. Shooting along the ground is sneered at by the players who shoot through the air. The question is how close do we need to land to the boule for them to be happy? The current trend to flatten the area 4 inches in front of the jack shows many are happy to land a bit short to hit the boule