bowls
I learned today that the bocce courts I thought I saw in Palo Alto were actually lawn bowling greens. There’s a Lawn Bowls club! My grandma in South Africa used to go lawn bowling (or as she called it, bowling) every week until she must have been 85. I know the basic rules—it’s very similar to bocce except the balls are weighted so they curve as you bowl them. My brother and I even got a carpet bowls set one time in South Africa.
It turns out that there’s also bocce in the area.
Palo Alto Weekly even did an article on the club.
I think I might investigate this place. They give free lessons.
[Update: Apparently my great aunt was the national lawn bowls champion of South Africa for her age group.]