Playing Petanque under lights.

Playing Boule under lights.

It is amazing how the nights begin to draw in but dark evenings are a feature until April when most leagues begin. It can be a shock to players who venture out on a Sunday in the winter to play to be confronted with playing under lights at the beginning of the new season. If you get the chance try to play under floodlights at least once a month during the winter. I know it’s cold in the evenings and its bad enough freezing in the winter leagues but practice under lots of conditions will improve your play. In tight leagues the season can be made or lost in the first few weeks, Be prepared. Everything seems to change under lights. The jack you can see in the daylight disappears in the glare of lights. Dark ones can show up more clearly under lights but depending on the surface you play on this can vary. White or dark red can be amazingly different during daylight hours. 

I have always gone on about the landing spot of your boule, how important it is and why it makes so much difference to players. Under lights it all changes, glistening damp gravel can deflect light and cause a judge of distance to be a problem. You may find yourself throwing short or long. This is why it is best to turn on the lights before you start to play, knowing it will soon be dark. It can be difficult to judge when they come on how it will affect your game.  If the lights are on already then as the darkness arrives it will do so on a gradual way giving you time to adjust.  Over the winter the lights may need cleaning and re positioning. Branches may need pruning

away from the lights as the gradual growth from last year may have covered the beam of light. It goes without saying you should consult an electrician when cleaning and moving lights and the owner of the shrubs before you get out the secateurs.