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Bocce

2017 Fall Bocce Champions

We are currently not running bocce leagues.

A little about Bocce...

The Playing Field

The length of the playing field will be 60 ft. and the width will be 12 ft.

How to Play

Each team consists of a minimum of 2-4 players and will have 4 balls to play in each frame. Begin the match with the flip of a coin between the captains of each team. The winner of the coin flip may have the first toss of the pallina (small target ball), or choose the color of the balls.

One frame consists of all 8 balls and the pallina being thrown. The object of the game is to get as many of your team’s balls closer to the pallina than the other team’s balls.

Only one team scores per frame and each ball is worth 1 point. For example, if at the end of a frame there are 3 green balls closer to the pallina than the closest red ball, the green team receives 3 points. Thus, a maximum of 4 points are possible per frame.

The team starting the frame must throw the pallina between the halfway point and approximately six feet from the end line of the playing field. The same player then throws one of their balls and steps aside until the opposing team has either rolled one if its bocce balls closer to the pallina or has thrown all of its balls.

Teammates shall alternate throws to ensure as many players as possible participate in each frame. Team splits (Ex. a team of 4 playing only 2 people in the first frame and the other 2 people in the second frame) are allowed. If 4 or fewer team members are present, then all team members must throw at least once per frame and throws must alternate.

Whenever a team gets a ball closer than the opposing team, it steps aside and lets the other team roll. The other team throws until it beats (not ties) the opposing ball. This continues until both teams have used all their balls, at which point the frame is finished. The team that scored throws the pallina to begin the next frame.

Teams

Teams will consist of at least 2 players. A match will be forfeited if a team fails to have 2 players appear before 10 minutes past the designated start of the match. Each game can be played with up to 4 players.

Regulation Games
  • A regulation game is played to 15. The first team to reach that score wins. If no team has reached that score within the allotted time, then the team with the most points will be declared the winner. Ties are possible.
  • A game is official once one team reaches 7 points.
  • At the end of the match, captains must submit their game score to league officials or the Recreation Supervisor via email. A record will be kept of all game results to determine the overall League standings and eventual playoff tournament seeding. Standings will be posted on the website.
  • A playoff schedule will be determined after the final week of regulation play and sent to each team’s captain (via email) and posted on the website.
  • All teams in the League will make the playoffs. First tiebreaker will be head-to-head, then the team with the highest overall game points, then points allowed.
Scoring
  • Only one team can score per frame. One point is given for each ball that is closer to the pallina than the closest ball of the opposing team. If at the end of any frame the closest ball of each team is equidistant from the pallina, no points are awarded to either team and a new frame begins, with the same team tossing the pallina, as the previous frame.
  • No team can score more than 15 points in a match. Matches are never “win by two”.
  • A forfeited match results in a score of 15-0. If both teams fail to show up by the designated time, the result will be a tie score of 0-0.
Measuring and Disputes

Only team captains may measure any disputed balls.

Fouls and Dead Balls
  • If a ball is knocked out of bounds by another ball, the ball out of bounds is considered dead and is taken out of the field of play.
  • If a ball hits the end wall it will be removed from play.
  • If the pallina is knocked out of the field of play, the frame is replayed beginning at the opposite end, with the same team throwing the pallina as the previous frame.
  • No dead ball can count in scoring.
Game Changes

Any schedule change (weather or otherwise) will be either e-mailed to the captains or posted on the website at least 1 hour before the scheduled game. If cancellation has not been announced by the 1 hour mark, you must show up for your scheduled game or risk a forfeit. The League reserves the right to make cancellations or changes up to or during games. Make-up matches will be determined on a case by case basis.