Mr. Wood mentioned something about playing shuffleboard to Joe and I one evening, and the next morning, there was a knock at the door. There was Mr. Wood, smiling, and inviting me to join him and Mrs. Wood for a round of shuffleboard up by the playground.Always up for a challenge, I grabbed a water and went up to the courts to see how to play. Joe was already gone golfing by then or I'm sure he would have been game too. We are always up for learning something new and shuffleboard (game preference of seniors) seemed innocuous enough.
Dang! If that game wasn't like curling!! Except there isn't any sweeping, which sort of bummed me out because I like that part of curling. Every so often a leaf would fall on the court and I went over and kicked it off, but that didn't improve my scoring or anything and you really couldn't count it as sweeping. Sigh.Whatever.
So, I'm just about a professional shuffleboardian now. I learned how to shoot that puck with precision to land on the box with the points on it. I also learned the very difficult art of boofing (not a technical term) an opponents puck out of their points box. And every so often, if I was really, really lucky, I could rebound one of my guy's into one of theirs and I could boof it out of the points as well. Think pool or curling and you'll get what I'm saying.
It's very complex--much more than you would think. And you can get really competitive if you so wish. Me and the Woods weren't so competitive until their son-in-law, Brian, came up. He sorta lit the fire and we were all about teams and scoring and kicking shuffleboard butt. Except I didn't--but I sure tried.
So, now I think my new sport of choice is shuffleboard. Well, I mean, next to curling--that sweeping still gets me.
16 comments:
I've never played but now I want to. Of course the lack of sweeping only makes it more appealing to me since sweeping would just remind me of housework which I hate to do
This sounds like my kind of game...low impact! I wonder if I can get Hubby to make us a court?
Yet you would be surprised at how "intense" those league players get. I mean, they take their "boofing" seriously. Me, I'm all about fun, which doesn't get it in a league, man.
HAven't played in years. But it was always fun!
Perhaps you can come up with a hybrid of shuffle board and curling. Maybe team members could use squirty guns filled with WD-40 to speed up or shift the course of the puck.
I always imagined shuffleboard to actually be on a board but is that game played on concrete? Maybe you could put a shuffleboard thingy in your backyard!
I played a hundred and four years ago. I think I forget the rules.
you throw the chain and hop...wait. wrong game
Sounds like a fun way to spend the time!!
I remember playing with shuffleboard courts when I was a kid, but I don't think I was really playing shuffleboard. What a great discovery!
It looks a little like hopscotch but with some discs. Is it similar?
I think wii bowling should be in the Olympics as well. :)
Have a terrific weekend Lin!
xo Catherine
Ann--See, I kinda like the sweeping part, but everyone is different, right? Shuffleboard is great because you don't really sweat--it's more about figuring out how to rebound your puck and getting yours in where you want it. It's a lot like pool--only with pucks and its a bigger court.
Melodie--It is low impact, but FUN! I didn't realize how much strategy is involved, but not a lot of running or anything. I would definitely put in a court. Let me know when it is ready--I'm coming over to play.
Vanilla--I can't even imagine a league. Leagues of anything are wayyyy to serious for me. I'm with you--let's just have some fun!
Sharky--Who knew, right?! I really liked playing Shuffleboard. I always connect it with seniors and cruises. But Brian showed me it can be really wicked if you are good at that sport.
Chuck--That's what I miss about curling--that you can somehow help/deter that puck after you have shot it. Shuffleboard just leaves you with all that pressure at the release of the stick. That's a lot of pressure.
Beaded Tail--I think the professional courts are nicer than concrete, but we are in the hills of KY here, pally. We are lucky the courts even exist! No room in the yard for such a thing--that court is HUGE!
Pricilla--It does look like Hopscotch, doesn't it??!
Stephanie--I like to try new things and that was fun this year. It's also nice to spend time with people you didn't really know before. It's a nice combination--learning something new and getting to know some nice people.
Marilynne--Me too! I've always seen the courts, but I never played. It was a hoot! It's not hard to learn, but it is hard to get that darn puck to go where you want it.
Chocolate--Nope. It's like bocce ball or curling. You have to shoot your puck into one of the "squares" that have a point value on it to get points. Or you can boof out an opponents puck out of their points square. There is also a full bottom square that is -10 points--you don't want to be on that one! Your puck has to be completely in the square to get the points and you play until someone reaches 50.
Catherine--I LOVE my Wii! Anything on the Wii should be an Olympic Sport, I'm convinced. Do you have Raving Rabids?? Those are my favorite games.
I've actually played before since as you know, FL is FULL of seniors and that's their sport of choice. It's harder than it looks....I think there is a shuffleboard court in the new neighborhood we're looking to move to, I formally challenge you if there is!
Casey--I am packing NOW! I'm not sure if the neighborhood court is a good thing or a bad one, Casey. I mean, it sucks to be overrun with seniors and that might indicate you have a large population of them. But if you have a good mix of all ages, I say "Grab your stick, woman!"
I always thought it was called Shuffle Board because old people who shuffled along with their walkers played it ;0)
It is kind of like marbles - trying to knock your opponent out - more defense than offense at times. All games are fun when you play with the right people. Sounds like a great way to pass a morning.
We had a shuffle board designed in the tiles in our basement growing up. No one really knew what it was or how to use it. And the triangle design was a pinkish mauve color. Isn't that weird?
I think I want to learn how to play shuffle board now. Got any good tips?
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