The diameter of a boule affects how much control you have and how comfortable you feel throwing it. If the boule is too small or too large you will have less control when throwing it and your hand will tire out more quickly. In general, the smaller your hand the smaller the boule. Pointers usually prefer smaller boules and shooters usually prefer larger ones. The International Pétanque Federation (FIPJP - Federation International Petanque & Jeu Provencal)) only allows boules with diameters from 2 3/8" and 3 1/8" (70.5mm to 80 mm). To determine the size of a boule, measure your throwing hand in centimeters from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your middle finger.