Washington Square Park is our pétanque home. Two pistes, small enough for only 3 simultaneous games. They don't drain well and get muddy in the rain. Sometimes sandy and slow, they can bake into a hard, uneven mass in the Summer. The general wretchedness and variability of conditions can bedevil a good pointer. But generally speaking it is considered an easy surface to shoot and point in.
What we loose in size and conditions we make up in exposure. Park benches surround the pistes for regular spectators. And do we have some. The layout of the park funnels foot traffic of locals and tourists right past to our pistes, which is on elevated ground. It's not uncommon for many passersby to stop and take in the action before moving on. Many come back again and again. Some become members.
We also play in several other parks around the city. Most importantly we hold most of our tournaments in Bryant Park, where we also give free petanque lessons every weekday during lunch time (from April to October). The success of free lesson program cannot be underestimated. The support from the Bryant Park Foundation has allowed us to have an almost permanent presence, focused on teaching and promoting. Once a month, on Sundays, we hold a tournament on the stone-dust path surrounding the lawn. The path is just wide enough for tournament regulation games. It is a very hard surface.
The ground where "the old guys" used to play has been renovated, resurfaced with grass. It's a nice enough area now, but not for pétanque. So the unofficial playing area in Central Park has moved to the bridle path next to Tavern on the Green, bordering West Drive. We've held a few tournaments here when Bryant Park was not available (Fashion Show). Unfortunately we have to contend with the army of joggers that insist on carelessly pass through. To get here enter the park at West 67th Street and Central Park West.
(Click on park name to change map.)