French in origin, Pétanque (pay-tonk), also known as Boules, has been played in Oakmont since the mid-1980s at the site of the current Pétanque Court in the Central Activities Complex between Berger/OVA Maintenance Building and the OVA Offices/Umpqua Bank just off Oakmont Drive.
Pétanque is similar to its cousin bowls sports Bocce and Lawn Bowls: players try to get closer with their balls than their opponents to a small target ball. It’s played with baseball-size metal balls on an open court of any surface rather than on a groomed or bordered court and is more a throwing than a rolling game.
Anyone, regardless of experience, is welcome to enjoy the challenges and camaraderie of a simple game that is inexpensive, fun to play, learned quickly, and endlessly fascinating in its deeper levels of execution and strategy. It’s a sport where players can compete equally regardless of gender or age. Pétanque has 12 million players world-wide in 160 countries, and Northern California has the largest concentration of pétanque clubs of any region in the United States. The Oakmont Pétanque Club was recognized as an OVA organization in 1996.
The Club encourages all who may be interested in playing or learning to play to come to the Pétanque Court at 9:45 a.m. on the Club Play days of Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Club Play days are casual friendly games with teams randomly assigned. The Club has boules to lend, and you’ll be playing right away.
There are no Club dues – just sign up to be on the Roster and receive communications, and play when you can. The Club hosts three tournament-and-potluck picnic lunch events each year (Springtime, Bastille Day, and Oktoberfest) as well as evening dessert socials in the summer.
Meeting details:
Pétanque Courts – Central Activity Complex off Oakmont Drive
Designated Club Play Days:
Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays:
Meet at 9:45 a.m. & play at 10 a.m.
Additional Open and Pick-up Play:
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday:
9:45 a.m. – 12 noon
Contact Information:
Steven Payette, Chair
Phone: 415-877-0248
Email: spayette1@comcast.net
Don McPherson, Assistant Chair
Phone: 724-388-0588
Email: mcpherson.donald@comcast.net