How do I know I have correct boule size? If I compare all manufacturers suggestions and some suppliers my ball perfect size vary from 72-75 mm. (Handlength and longfinger size guides) I have then considered OBUT is the biggest manufacturer so they have probably some experience, and then it should be 73 mm, but in the lower end handsize 82-86 mm -> 73 mm. (I saw a list where many good male player had size and weight listed , and most had 71-73 680-690) Due to my handshape I think I could gain with 72 but how do I know if that is correct size ? Is there any exercise practice to do to decide with size is the correct one or is it only based on feeling ? I started with OBUT Match 73/690 my first ball in my short career, works ok, but when do a high lob or plombing it releases to early, is it size or technique? Then I tested OBUT RCC 72/690 a used ball, but very slippery, ok when hi loob and slippery when plomb, but shooting miss left, size or technique? Now I got MS Master Inox 72/690 to test, it is a used boule so the surface have good grip. Any suggestions how to decide correct size quickly, so I can drop that mental thought and focus on playing better.

Today I flubbed a point that didn’t look all that difficult. But… it was the game winner, in the finals, against a team we were not favored to beat. My partner and I had started a great end, and the opponents unexpectedly missed a couple, and suddenly we were holding 4 with only me to play. Wow! Make this throw and go home undefeated! In my excitement I managed to knock the opponent’s ball up, giving them 1 point on that end, and they eventually beat us. As I play more tournaments and my skills improve, I find myself in higher stakes situations more often. Semis and finals against quality competition are less uncommon. Sometimes now I’m in the shooting role or milieu, meaning that something might already be wrong when I step up to play. And when I mess up in those roles, the consequences can seem much worse because you do something that is actively terrible… instead of maybe going a bit short and failing to get the point, now I’m the guy who gives away the game by shooting the wrong ball or pushing the jack to the opponents. I didn’t completely fall apart after today’s f***-up, we did win the next two ends before they put us away. My partner was extremely gracious about it. And thanks to the rest of the team, we won the overall on points differential. But it’s not the first time I’ve failed on an important ball… and it seems hard to train under those mental conditions. I could certainly use your tips and tricks on performing as well on the game-winner as I would in a practice session.

I wrote this back in 2008 and all the stuff I was preaching then is pretty relevant now with lots of extras. Maybe I should redo it and publish with video content

I’m returning to the UK this weekend for one of my favourite tournaments, the Worthing weekend which has a singles, doubles and triples for cash. I’m VERY interested in how my game will be after a month of playing in France every day. I will have to adjust tactics accordingly to the English game and I’m playing with a future French Junior Champion in the triples so I’m excited to see how I play in the middle .

Lucky shots 😀👍