Shoafs' home terrain-- Charlotte, NC

Ed and Anne Shoaf invited Frank, Denyse, Shirley, and me to play on their home court on Saturday afternoon.  The offer of being able to play on a really good court, not to mention the enticement of burgers on the grill, was an offer we just couldn't refuse!

It had been a while since we were able to get over their way, and we were impressed by the improvements they've made while, at the same time, we renewed our appreciation of the original venue.  The improvements consist of an extraordinarily nice new stairway that steps its way down from the upper level of the yard to a large deck adjoining the terrain.  The deck makes a wonderful spot for dining and entertaining the petanque-a-teers [first saw this coined word in a Facebook post by Linda Motschiedler of Fresno, CA, and I liked it so much I'm "borrowing" it!] who are enjoying play.

The terrain itself is ideally located in a mostly shaded wooded area.  It's much more comfortable on warm days than most terrains we play on routinely.  There's no need for umbrellas, pop-up shelters, and the like.  The playing surface  is ideal for pointers--just a notch on the soft side.  Shooters can make contact by shooting a little short without too much worry of bouncing completely over their targets; however, they need to make solid contact to move the target any considerable distance.

We hope to play there again in the not-too-distant future.  Thanks, Ed and Anne, for a very enjoyable afternoon.