It’s now a game called Stones.

In 2006, at a camp on his property near Bemus Point, Jason Sivak, hatched an idea to create a golf-like experience.

Sivak used a lawn mower to cut swaths of land that would later become “Stretches,” and soon, he introduced Bocce balls. He was “cutting weird stuff into the field” and marking out-of-bounds and in-bounds zones.

“And all of a sudden, we just kept getting crazier and crazier with it (the course),” Sivak said.

Jeff Nail throws a stone on Stretch No. 1 at Brewers Hollow Stones Course at Southern Tier Brewery in Lakewood. Waiting to throw is Jason Sivak. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Sivak said the game was first called Bocce Golf, but he realized that it needed a different name, so he and a group of friends were in a wooded area, on his property and began throwing stones at a tree to see who could get their stone the closest.

And Stones was born.

“It’s just throwing stones at a target,” Sivak said.

In Chautauqua County, he said, there is one public Stones course, Brewers Hollow, located at Southern Tier Brewery, 2072 Stoneman Circle. Another course, Crooked Tongue, is located in Edinburg, Pa.

Sivak said besides breweries, he would like to expand to colleges, universities and public golf courses, so more people can have the opportunity to play a round or two.

“We don’t want to limit ourselves to breweries now,” Sivak said.

At Brewers Hollow, players can rent balls for play. The stretches are marked, and each stretch has a sponsor. Also the course may look demanding as it is not flat, but on a hill with a pool and a waterfall. It definitely does take some skill to complete.

Sivak said he is trying to create a public course in Jamestown, where players would have to bring their own sets of balls.

The world championship will be held at Brewers Hollow on Sept. 14.

“Stones is attractive because of the strategy element that is along with the skill,” said Jeff Nail, co-owner. “There’s a lot of times you get locked up in it (a game) – like a chess match. …You run into something unique almost every time you play.”

Sivak agreed.

“The scenarios are different every time you play,” Sivak said.

The rules may seem complex, but as a player gets more familiar with the game, the rules become easier to follow.

THE COURSE

According to stonesthrowing.com, the game is played on a course of five stretches. Players throw from a zone known as a base to a landing or landing zone. As in golf, there may be hazards from the base to the landing. The course is usually made up of natural materials and can vary greatly depending on what kind of setup is desired. Stretches can be any shape (think of a dog leg on a golf course), and can be any length, but suggested length is between 35 and 75 feet. As well as normal out-of-bounds markings on the course, there is an out-of-bounds area surrounded by the course known as the X. It is two to feet in diameter. Points can be scored in the X, Sivak said.

GAME PLAY

Games are played in a one-on-one format or in teams of two, the website noted. The sizes of the four-ball set used include one 90mm, two 100mm, and one 110mm. A 50mm ball, known as the mark, is what the players shoot at. Rounds consist of a designated team member to shoot first by standing within the base of the first stretch, throws the mark in a forward direction to a distance greater than 1 meter. If the mark is thrown less than a meter or is thrown out of bounds, another opportunity to throw the mark is granted to the same player, but if the first mark throw goes into a body of water, the opportunity to throw the mark immediately goes to the other team.

Like Bocce, once the mark is established in play, the team that threw it then throws one of its stones towards the mark in an attempt to get as close as possible. If the throw remains in bounds, the team has “established” their stone as the one closest to the mark. If the throw goes out of play, that team must continue to throw until they establish a stone in play. Once the team has established a stone in play, the other team throws their stones, one at a time, until they either establish one of their stones as the closest to the mark or they run out of stones. Unlike Bocce, a player does not have to throw a stone underhanded. The player can throw any way the player wants, Nail explained.

And arriving at the total number of stretches, Sivak said, is because Sivak likes the number 5. Sivak and Nail have discussed doubling the course making essentially two different courses – the front five and the back five.

For more information visit stonesthrowing.com.