Bayside Boules Club - Alden Park

We had twelve players today.  We were rained off for the morning session so, in deference to the players who have a distance to travel, we called it off just after 9 a.m. and postponed proceedings to 7 p.m. Nigel came to watch but when he saw three on  piste A he retrieved his boules from the car and played the full session.  Tom Blake came down to watch and practice on piste D.  Hope he comes down again. It was bright and breezy until the last few minutes when a squally shower spoiled proceedings and sent us scurrying.  It didn't do the score sheet much good either.  When it eventually dried out Ciaran sorted the penultimate table below. All to play for especially for the top seven.  Remember it is your best 8 scores totaled.......If its tied the number of 13s scored decides.......if still tied after that we add the next best score to each......   What got into Tommy and Jimmy.........the evening light I suspect...... Chris identifying the 'offending' enemy boules so his &

Thirteen today on a beautiful morning.   You can tell by the shorts that summer has made a brief re-appearance.  Game 10 of 12 today and the Competition is hotting up.   The top 6 have only a small margin between them.  The top 3 haven't played 10 of 10 so it will remain very interesting to the final day.  The presentation of the Tom Walsh Memorial Trophy will be made on the Monday following the final day of this competition. When we have 5 players we play:  [ e.g. on Piste A ]     Luck of the draw involved....... Game 1:      A1+A2 [ with 3 boules each ]      v      A3+A4+A5 [ with 2 boules each ] Game 2:      A3+A4 [ with 3 boules each ]      v      A5+A1+A2 [ with 2 boules each ] Game 3:      A5+A1 [ with 3 boules each ]      v      A2+A3+A4 [ with 2 boules each ] We could go with 3 players playing singles and 2 players playing singles when we have 5 players but since its a Team Competition  its better to play at least in teams of two. Today, despite the delay between game 1

The weather forecast didn't occur, thankfully, and we had a full morning's event uninterrupted by the predicted rain. To celebrate the french roots of the game and the French National Holiday we had a Bastille Day Boules Event in Alden Park this morning. Our thanks to the volunteer group who set out the area with bunting and flags in the hour before play. A special word of thanks to Gerry L for arranging the background music at short notice with his playlist on his phone playing, via bluetooth, and amplified through a portable speaker. [ would any of that have made sense a couple of decades ago??] Some members of the St. Anne's Group joined us and despite the restrictions of Covid-19 we had the ideal number 16 playing normal team Boules for the first 3/4 hour.  Then we had our 'water break' and progressed onto individual competitions: Piste A:     Pointing Competition Piste B:     Shooting Competition Piste C:     Cluster Competition Piste D:     Shoot the Jack Comp

Despite a cloudburst at 9 a.m we managed to play our allocated time-frame of 9.30 to 11.00 We're getting to the business end of the competition now with 9 of the 12 games played. For the moment Ciaran has replaced Sean in the top three but little enough separates the top seven players and remember: its the best 8 of 12 days scores cumulative that counts.  Should two or more players end up on the same cumulative score the number of 13s scored will determine the winner.  Failing that the best 9th score of those players etc. Tomorrow, weather permitting, is our French National Holiday [ Bastille Day ] event.  The forecast is not great at present but hopefully it'll go ahead.  If not, there's an opportunity to join the St Anne's group in St Anne's on the following day, Wednesday 15th on the same basis. For Whom the Tape Measures.... A lovely little cluster....of boules that is..... Great Social Distancing still..... Gerry thought today was Bastille Day!! All the games w

Nice, if blustery morning.  We had twelve for the 9.30 start.  The 'NEW' cards were drawn fair and square even if some players ignored the one that was pushed towards them!!  The new laminated' Covid Cards' can't be read from the rear even if its raining!!  All the games were competitive and enjoyable.  Some ventriloquists were heard muttering 'Sure its only a Game' but their lips never moved nor did their teeth!! Four players managed scores of 33 today which catapulted Chris to the top of the table....but remember, best eight of twelve to count in the end, so we won't know the winner till the end. Looks like he had one up his trouser leg!!! What's with the Blues?? Hovering around the scoreboard!! A couple of photos from Saturday's play. Ideas for Tues 14th July 10.00 a.m . [ early to avoid large group gathering ] Bunting / Flags and Decorations Picnic chairs / tables Tea/coffee and cake/pastries [own fare ] Dress up with Red and Blue One 'or