ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — Morning, afternoon, and night.
“We play every single day,” Chuck Moulton, Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club treasurer, said.
Seniors are sliding their discs away.
“This facility here is the best, if not one of the best, in the state of Florida,” John Houghtaling, a Florida Shuffleboard Hall of Fame member, said.
If you’re looking for competition, you’ll find it at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club.
“Just because we are in our 70s doesn’t mean our brain doesn’t think we are 25-30 years old,” Houghtaling said. “Absolutely, there is trash talk, especially here in the morning amongst all the pros.”
Houghtaling, 77, blew out his knees several years ago, so this sport is perfect for him and many others. It’s low impact and keeps his competitive juices flowing.
“Probably the biggest attribute to shuffleboard is that it not only offers the competitive side of sports which I enjoy, it’s the camaraderie, the socialization at this age, and it keeps your brain active,” he said. “It’s a very underestimated sport concerning your brain. There’s a lot of calculations and a lot of strategy that most people don’t realize.”
Players earn points by landing their discs in scoring zones and strategically pushing their opponents' discs out of play.
The competition level at this member-owned club is elite. The club has 148 members, nine in the Florida Shuffleboard Hall of Fame, and according to Mouton, 80% are on the professional level.
“We have one fellow that’s 98, and he still plays,” Moulton said. “He was a Hall of Famer. He still plays a real good game.”
The ZSC was formed on April 4, 2007. The club hosts a Mingles/Singles event every Wednesday and Saturday morning for $5. Membership is $50 for singles and $85 for couples. For more information, visit ZephyrhillsShuffle.com.
