If you like to have a lot of fun with family and friends on the beach, you might be looking for new activities to try. Some of the most popular games you can play on the beach are beach ultimate and beach volleyball. Bocce ball or simply bocce is another beach sport that has been growing in popularity.
For those who are not familiar, we’ll discuss the basic bocce ball rules and teach you how to play and win. This wonderful beach game is played by two teams with an equal number of players and only requires inexpensive equipment. All you need is a bocce ball set and a good amount of play area. The two teams alternate throwing each ball to get closest to the pallino. You can keep playing until one team gets the required points (usually 13 points) to win.
Beach bocce ball is a great way to bond and have fun with friends and family the next time you’re spending a day out in the sun. So keep reading if you want to learn more about how to play it.
How To Set Up A Beach Bocce Ball Court
Bocce is a type of boules sport that originated from the Roman empire and developed in Italy. It is widely popular in Italian communities in Europe and the Americas, traditionally played on natural grass or soil in backyards. The great thing about playing bocce is you can do it almost anywhere with a smooth and flat ground. When playing on the beach, try to avoid soft sand which can make it harder to roll the balls accurately.
The official rules of bocce require a play area 91 feet long and 13 feet wide. Unless you’re out on a busy holiday, you should have plenty of space to set up your bocce vall court on the beach. You don’t really need to measure the court exactly, but if you’re on the beach on a quiet day, you may want to follow the official rules.
When setting up your bocce court, try sticking with a 13-foot width and adjust the length, ideally 27 feet long. Once you find a good area to play in and have the right measurements figured out, start with drawing the boundary lines on the sand with a stick or stone. Draw the center line and then the shooting lines and foul lines. The shooting area can be 5 to 8 feet wide. Adjust the measurements to your available area.
How Do You Play Bocce On The Beach?
Bocce can be played by two people or two teams with two or more players each. A beach bocce set contains one pallino ball and four color matched balls for each team or player. The objective of the bocce game is to bowl the larger balls closer to the smaller pallino ball than the opponent’s balls. Scoring points can differ but usually, each team alternates throwing their ball and scores a point each time their ball ends up closer to the pallino than any of the opponent’s balls.
To start the game, decide which team goes first with a coin toss or other selection method. You may also draw a shooting circle around the pallino and each team will throw a ball. Whoever has the ball closest to the target gets to go first.
A round begins when a member of the winner throws the pallino ball in position. If the pallino is tosses out of bounds, you get one more chance to throw it in bounds before the other team does. The player that throws the pallino throws the first ball. The opposing player or team then throws the next ball regardless of the first ball’s position. A round starts with the first toss of the ball and continues until all players have gone or when all the balls are thrown.
A team gets one point for each ball closer to the pallino than the opponent’s nearest ball. Each team can alternate in throwing a ball or the team furthest from the pallino can keep throwing until they are closer to the pallino or are out of balls. If the scoring ball is thrown out of bounds then it is considered out of play, unless the ball hits the pallino out of bounds, in which case all balls are considered in play.
At the end of a round, a team can get two points for a “baci” or leaner when a ball touches any part of the pallino. If both teams score a leaner, the first team to do so will get the pallino. The winning player or team of the previous round can get one to four points and will throw the first ball in the next round. The team that scores 13 points (or whatever pre-decided number) first is the winner of the game.
The Proper Way To Throw A Bocce Ball
The term for throwing a bocce ball is technically “bowling” as the game itself belongs to the family of boules sports which includes the British version lawn bowls and the French version pétanque. When playing bocce on the beach, your stance and grip are the most essential factors in throwing.
It’s important to keep a sturdy stance with your knees slightly bent and feet as far apart as your shoulders. Bocce players can bowl or throw their ball using different techniques, either with an overhand or underhand grip. In both cases, make sure to maintain a strong grip on the ball, either with your palm or your fingertips.
The most common technique is to throw the ball with an underhand grip. Your hand in under the ball with your palm up. This way, you have complete control of the ball. Casual players typically use this technique to maintain a good grip on the ball even with small hands and with less power. You might be tempted to roll the ball on the sand (much like the other popular bowling game) but this is likely to give you a less precise aim.
The overhand grip is less common and is generally only used by advanced players. You hold onto the ball with your hand on top and palm down, which requires more power from you but gives more stability to your throw. There are many other techniques in throwing a ball which may not be of great consequence in a casual game but can be useful to serious players. If you’re a beginner, get familiarized with the game first then try out different types of throws and techniques to see which works best for you.
Strategies and Tips For Beach Bocce Ball
Playing bocce on the beach can be different from playing on grass or concrete. But as long as the sand in your play area isn’t too soft or loose, it should be good. Soft sand can bury your ball or prevent it from rolling to the target ball. You should also remove any seaweed from your playing area before you start. Rolling your ball on top of seaweed can cause it to slip and roll further away.
When throwing your ball, try to keep your control and not use your full force. This usually causes your ball to roll further It’s best to throw the ball soft and high so it can reach your target with greater control and accuracy.
With more experience and skill, you can target the pallino ball, aiming for a two-point leaner. As we’ve mentioned, there also other strategies or techniques to get your ball closer and the opponent’s further from the pallino ball. One such move is called spocking or when you throw your ball hard to knock the opponent’s ball away from the pallino.
Winning strategies can change from case to case, so it’s important to pay attention to your opponent’s moves and throwing styles. It’s most important to maintain a strong stance and grip when throwing your ball to get a precise aim.
Summary of Beach Bocce Ball Rules
To summarize, bocce can be played on almost any flat and smooth surface, particularly on a sandy beach. It’s a fun and challenging game for two, four, or eight players divided into two teams. A regulation bocce ball court is 91 feet long and 13 feet wide but you can work with a shorter length for casual beach games, typically 27 feet long. The main objective is to get the most bocce balls closer to the pallino. You can hit the target directly or knock the other team’s ball away. You can also try other strategies and throwing styles to see which works best for you. The first team to score the agreed upon points wins the game. When playing bocce on the beach, make sure to stay out of the water, remove seaweed from your play area, and keep out of people’s way so that everyone can enjoy playing as many rounds as you like.
