STORYLINE
Summer 1964
Two Welsh families spent two weeks on holiday together in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in a rented house. It rained every day.
Summer 1965
By then, the four intrepid teacher parents had planned a holiday that guaranteed sun.
The new family tent was on the roof rack, under an Opel that leaked oil.
The two loaded cars arrived in convoy at the southern tip of Italy five days later and pitched camp for the fifth time in so many days. Us four kids were allowed to have a swim in the sea first before we did our jobs.
After a couple of days of getting used to the heat and our surroundings, the four of us ventured down the beach toward the town.
It was a Sunday.
We were attracted to a large group of kids and a few adults several deep standing around a course built on the sand, with walls and a flattened track. Six painted ping pong balls were, in turn being pinged around the course by their owners, the weeks finalists, as it turned out.
Summers 1966 - 1967
We returned to the same campsite, I kept my special balls safe over the winter.
Summers 1968 - 1972
We took a day off our journey and camped east of Grosetto, Camping Acapulco, 100 miles north of Rome. The game was still a big part of beach life with the local kids, we used to drag the youngest, his legs raised and his bottom making the course. It was very basic but was a good part of the holiday. I have a postcard with me it, at a distance, but me. Haha.
But then I grew older....
Summers 1998 - 2007
I had cut down a spade blade into a semi-circle end to drag out the course into the sand early in those years.
My family were then camping also looking for sun; my kids loved the game and also the attention the game gave them on new campsite beach. We had tunnels through mountains and jumps you had to lay up to.
One year, in SW France, our regular spot on the beach had neighbours. Twenty or so German students became neighbours to our regular beach spot. The German kids took an instant interest. When we left to go home a few days later they had two courses going. There was even a blackboard on an easel on the beach.
Summers 2018 - present
Regularly walking the promenades of Norfolk and Suffolk with my elderly parents, sitting on benches, watching, while making our way to a pub for lunch. We saw families set up, maybe the kids building digging a hole in the sand. On our slow way back to the car an hour later. most families all on their phones.
That saddens me.
Over the last few years, I hope to have developed a solution.
HOW TO PLAY
COURSE SETUP
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
FIND YOUR PLAYERS
You need about a box-room sized piece of beach (2 x 4m ish), with no gravel or grit! Damp sand is perfect. Using the spade you have bought to the beach, drag the spade walking backwards to create a track.
Maybe start with a figure of 8 taking up the space with a jump at the X over (just one track higher than the other and maybe a lip).
FIND YOUR PLAYERS
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
FIND YOUR PLAYERS
1 to 4 players. (If flying Solo, ask a nearby kid to play with or try to improve your course record).
Agree to the number of laps for the specific course you've created.
START PLAYING
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
From the Start / Finish line the youngest player pings his ball down the track, if it stops on the track, he marks its position with his peg on the side of the track; the other players follow in age order. A ping is a flick of the ball using the nail of thumb or finger while the wrist remains stationary, younger players could use a sweep action using fingers.
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
LET THE RACE COMMENCE
The race is on; the balls get pinged in order around the track, the winner passing the finish line first.
HOUSE RULES
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
YOU MISS A TURN!
Only when it is your go again do you replace the ball at your peg and carry on.
NO TOUCHING
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
Your ball is only allowed to be touched by you in your go, you cannot touch anyone else's ball.
IN IT TO WIN IT
BALL OUT OF PLAY?
IN IT TO WIN IT
If your ball is ahead, you can ask the ball behind to be picked up to give you room to ping.
But if your ball is close behind another, you may think about bouncing your rival off the track, him losing a turn. It is a risk – get it wrong, you could go off yourself, missing a turn and he is advanced down the track.