The choice of boule in Petanque

Soft Boule?

So far in the series we have looked at techniques and practice tips you can use to improve your play. Nearly all the coaching tips on shooting have been to increase your performance. Hopefully with the correct practice your game has improved. You are confident when shooting and will look for the shot during your play. You could now be hitting 75% of boule you go for instead of the 30 to 50% we can usually peak at without any coaching. The 25 to 45% increase has come from practice we have encouraged and the improved hit rate is going to be enough to swing the balance in most games that before the practice may have slipped into a loss.

The one thing we have not discussed yet in the shooting tips is the choice of boule and whether you should go for the soft boule or stay with your harder boule or semi soft boule. As we explain to many players if you shoot with a hard boule against a hard boule using the techniques of earlier sessions and hit the boule squarely you will carreau. Some players find they get a fair amount of screw back if they shoot with a hard boule as the recoil from the impact can send your boule over three feet back from the original targets boules position. In all honesty, if you shoot boule to boule and hit the target boule correctly, you will tend to carreau using a hard boule or a soft boule. The advantages of a soft boule become apparent when you hit the target boule but not as squarely as you would like. Hitting the target boule slightly off centre will remove the boule from the head, however your boule will also exit the head in the opposite angle as shown in out fast exit tip. If you are shooting because you are holding the second boule then this split is not a problem as long as both hit boule and shooters boule miss your boule.

If, for example, the first boule is the opposition’s first point 1 inch from the jack your shot would generally want to carreau this boule and thus you would not need to play the next boule. It is always a sign of danger when your team throws two consecutive boule unless the opposition are out of boule. In general terms a hard boule hitting a hard boule off centre will send both boule in equal lengths from the impact point. Weight and size may affect the distance the boule travel after impact as will the piste surface. The distance travels determine’s who plays next as you may hit the boule away from the jack but if your boule has travelled further than theirs they will still be on. If however you are shooting with a soft boule you will see the impact is absorbed by your boule. The soft boule generally only going half the distance of the hard boule you have just hit. Now this is a rule of thumb as we all know anything can happen in this game but one thing is for sure shooting with a soft boule does give you an advantage.

Obut Match Noir Popular semi soft boule 120kg/mm Shown new and after months of play.