How To Play Bocce Ball | Rules & Instructions To Help You Win
Bocce Ball Rules and Regulations
How Do You Play Bocce Ball?
- Bocce ball set up begins by marking off a court. A relatively flat, level outside space is needed for bocce ball. The size of a regulation bocce ball court is 90 feet long by 13 feet wide. For a friendly game, these dimensions do not need to be exact, but it is best to come as close to these dimensions as possible.
- The bocce court is divided into areas by five lines. Lines are drawn four and ten feet from either end of the court, and a fifth line is drawn in the center. These lines can be marked by string, drawn in the sand or dirt, marked by objects at the courts edge, or whatever works best for the game’s participants.
- Gather your bocce ball sets. Most sets come with eight balls in two different colors as well as a single pallino.
- Once teams are determined, play begins. Bocce Ball instructions are simple: Each frame starts with one team tossing the pallino or jack. Players then try to get as close as they can to the pallino, while keeping their bocce balls within the court area.
- Players toss from behind the 10-foot line on the near side of the court.
How to Throw a Bocce Ball
- Throwing, sometimes called bowling, a bocce ball can be done a number of different ways, but with a few simple bocce ball techniques, you can maximize your chances of bowling a great shot.
- A bocce ball is best thrown underhanded. This allows the thrower the best blend of control and power.
- It is highly recommended to throw the ball at least partially through the air, rather than rolling it. Two good techniques are high, soft lobs, or low, stronger throws. Players should try both methods and see what works best for them.
- The most common way to grip the bocce ball is with the palm underneath and the fingertips resting on the front of the ball. Alternatively, the bocce ball can be gripped from above, with the palm above the ball and the wrist flicked forward at the point of release.
- It is best to aim just in front of the point where you want the bocce ball to come to a rest. For lower angled throws, aim further in front of the target point to account for momentum. Higher arcs will not roll as far forward, so aim closer to the desired resting point.
Bocce Ball Scoring
- Scoring for bocce ball takes place each frame is scored after all bocce balls have been tossed.
- The winner of the frame is the team with the bocce ball closest to the pallino
- Once the winner is determined, the winning team scores one point for each bocce ball that is closer to the pallino than the opposing team’s closest bocce ball. The winning team will always score at least one point and can score a maximum amount of four (assuming you are playing with the standard four bocce balls per team).
- Frames are played until one team reaches the pre-determined score. Official rules list a score of 12 needed to win, but teams can agree at the beginning of the game to play to a lower or higher number.
Where to Play Bocce Ball
- Anywhere outdoors with a relatively large and flat area of ground is a great place to place bocce ball.
- A backyard bocce ball court can be marked off on a patch of lawn.
- Parks and other natural outdoor areas are perfect for bocce ball. Beach Bocce ball on soft sand can be especially fun.
How to Win Bocce Ball
- One of the best bocce ball tips is to decide when to aim for the pallino, and when to aim for previously thrown bocce balls.
- Knocking another team’s bocce ball further from the pallino is a good strategy, especially if your team already has the closest bocce to the pallino.
- Winning the frame is more important than scoring additional points. You get zero points if the opposing team has the closest bocce to the pallino.
Comments
Concetta said:
If you are playing on a boarded court night throw my ball and is 6 inches from the back board at the opposite end and then my opponent throws the ball hits my ball and my ball hits the back board is my ball out or does he get penalized for hitting my ball to the back of the board?
winston said:
I threw my ball, it hit the back wall and then hit the Palino. I took the ball out of play, but I left the Palino where it moved to. Was this correct or should we have moved the Palino to it’s original position?
SiamMandalay said:
If you play where it’s walled – we would say that if you hit the wall it becomes out of bounds.
Kathy Karl said:
Is it allowed to throw the ball hard so it hits the other end and rolls back
Thank you
SiamMandalay said:
Balls should be thrown underhand, hitting your opponent’s ball away from the Pallina ball is part of the game.
Thanks,
Sofia said:
If the players knock each other ball with an underhand throw, does it count as breaking the rules of playing bocce ball?
SiamMandalay said:
Different throws are permissible (even high throws), rolling is not mandatory.
Louise said:
Played with some guys who threw the pallino and balls high (8 feet) in the air. I thought you were to throw the balls as if you were bowling and let them roll to the pallino ball. Is this high throwing allowed?
Billy White said:
I just started playing bocce ball and still have to figure out how to play it. This article is helpful. Thanks for sharing!
SiamMandalay said:
@Kathy, it’s called a kiss.
kathy esposito said:
What is it called when ur ball is touching the jack ty
Dale L Williamson said:
If a frame is started, and a player takes a turn and it is not his turn. It is the turn of his opponent. What is the ruling?
Carolyn said:
Is the Paliino still in play if it hits the side board before hitting the backboard? Also, is the cove ball still in play if it hits the sideboard before hitting backboard?
Steve said:
What is the penalty for stepping on or over the line when you throw the ball?
Rhianna Hawk said:
My friends and I are considering starting a little bocce ball team at our park and are saving up for the game supplies and tools. I’ve been put in charge of enforcing the rules, so I appreciate your detail in your rule descriptions, particularly because I know that my group definitely hasn’t been allowing hitting other people’s balls with theirs, so it’s good to know I can allow that. I’ll be sure to relay all of these to my team and hopefully, there will be a clear 90 by 13-foot area available in our park we can mark off.
https://boazz.com
Maureen Lamperti said:
What is the rule pertaining to the same person throwing the pallino…everytime their team wins…should every player get a chance to throw the pallino?
Michael Ohlsson said:
What happens when you hit the pallino out of bounds on a backyard court
Susie Avery said:
What if one pallino ball is hit and bounces off the court what do you do then do use pick it up and start over or what