Greetings All -
Let's enjoy our First Petanque Games Event ( Playing Paytonk) together today inside the Stonefields Residential Subdivision at the Maungarei Springs and Wetlands area .
With the mountain of Mt Wellington/ Maungarei watching over us, this is a usually quiet green space for people living here to walk their way to better health and also exercise their family pets.
We will gather here , by the seats in the grassed areas, or just relax . There's free gas BBQs and tables for us , so let's make this Sunday afternoon a fabulous way to learn something together about playing Petanque and the Boules..which look like steel heavy marbles we play with .
I will bring along my 4 sets of Boules , so feel free to bring along a picnic chair for your comfort. Traditionally games of Petanque are enjoyed with a glass of wine or something similar. Your choice..
While sipping on a glass of your "favorite " between shots , ( throwing the Boule) you can be excused for imagining you're cruising through a French Provencal afternoon, tho maybe drawing a picture of Mt Wellington instead , and pretending you're in a different country today, instead of here in the Stonefields, former Winstone Rock Quarry at Mt Wellington.
We will toss these metal balls , or roll them , you decide what suits your own pace to play Petanque. We will keep the rules simple, so if you’re a professional Petanque player elsewhere, just relax and remember what it was like when you first started..I will be the friendly umpire and coach ..to hold the days activities at a happy place and pace, as we play a few rounds, soak up the stories of one another, and sip on that glass or cup, of your 'favourite ".
When - Sunday Afternoon- October 19th - 2025.
Meet and Greet is from 2.30pm onwards .
Lets gather at Stonefields on the Maungarei Green Reserve near the Wetlands Walkway on the corner opposite Tephra Ave and Wynne Gray Ave .
Free parking here . Great Toilets.
Bring along everything you need to keep yourself warm and happy, fed and hydrated. Picnic chair and blanket for the grassed areas.
BBQ'S are gas fired, and free...Large Stainless Trays heated by Gas. Bring meat that cooks quickly, rather than chicken that often requires longer time. BYO plates etc.
No Dogs or Smokers or Children today please. We will Include them on future events.
Carpooling- Transportation. Please make your own ways to gather here . Or add a Note below with your Mobile number and Area where you live and contact each other prior to the Event. Buses come to Stonefields, and the Train station is close by at Glen Innes or Panmure.
A game of Petanque commences with a coin toss normally, inside a throwing circle. We will play casual, use a line to stand behind on the grass.
First person of winning toss , then throws a small target ball, called a " cochonnet, or a jack...to a distance of between 6 and 10 metres ..from the line ..This player then throws the first Boule , using an underhand bsck spin , and other variations of the throwing style , they prefer.
All players should watch the roll of this first Boules closely so as to check the ' lay of the land' . Ideally, this first Boule will have stopped close to the Jack, or small target ball, which will be colorful to easily see, so no glasses are required..and we can also walk up to check , where other Boules are ...and the Jack throughout the games state of play, when its appropriate..being careful not to drop these heavy steel Boules on your feet ..or at someone...please.
The aim of the second player, is to get their first Boule closer to the Jack..Rolling or Tossing the Boule...requires patience and luck mostly, while we learn to play on the grass...( in other events, we will play on the sand at a nearby beach).
Play continues to happen with all others tossing or rolling their Boules, to get closer to the Jack ..and at the end of this round after all have used their Boules, this first game of Petanque is won by the player closest to the Jack or Small Target ball.
There are variations and we will learn more about the throwing techniques on the Day, depending on your circumstances, abilities and passion for enjoying a relaxing socialable game..for others..this may not the group suitable for you...particularly in the terms of safety with these heavy Boules, let's be mindful , as Ideally our Petanque Games are suitable for Beginners and Casual Games only .
Scoring finishes when the group playing reaches a nominal number of points. Playing casually, we can keep this to play to 5, 8 or 11..or as I have done previously, to a time limit when other people are playing alongside. Players can swap their team around, have girls against guys , or younger against older..smarter or ..well you get what I mean..
In between refreshments and good banter, let's make today about having fun recreational outdoor gentle exercise and ..a little bit of comfortable competition..
Then let's eat .
