RULES OF PLAY
Revised September 20, 2023
You can download a printable version of these rules by clicking the button below.
THE COURT
The four (4) Bocce Ball courts at Sun Lakes II consist of concrete, covered with an artificial grass carpet.
They are 60’ X 10’. They have a center line and a foul line four feet from each end.
THE BALLS
There are eight large balls, and one small ball called the PALLINO.
The Pallino is the red target ball that players try to get close to.
Two sets of four large balls are called the Bocce Balls.
One set of four balls is white and the other set of four balls is blue.
THE PLAYERS
Four players are split into two teams; they all must be at the same end of the Bocce Court.
In some cases, like a tournament, when eight players compete, two players from each team are stationed at opposite ends of the court and play alternate frames.
Substitutes are only allowed if a partner cannot play due to illness or injury for the remainder of the session.
Substitutions are not allowed in the temporary absence of one's partner.
A team member cannot play alone.
Substitutes must be from outside the Club, and the Bocce Club Membership Director must be notified.
THE GAME
The object of the Game is to roll your team's Bocce Balls as close to the Target Pallino as possible.
a.
The Game starts with a toss of a coin.
The winner of the coin toss may have the first throw of the Pallino or choose the color of the balls for their team.
b.
Each team must decide which member will serve the Pallino from which end of the court.
Team members must alternate who serves the Pallino from each end of the court and then observe that decision throughout the Match.
In other words, the same team member cannot serve from both ends of the court.
Failure to alternate is a Foul (see Fouls).
c.
Each player rolls only two balls in a Frame.
Each team chooses whether to roll their Bocce Balls in Consecutive or Alternating order. In other words, no team member will be allowed to throw the 1st and 4th balls.
The rolling order must be consistent throughout the game.
The rolling order alternates at each end of the court. In other words, the same player cannot roll the last Bocce Ball from both ends of the court.
Failure to do so is a Foul (see Fouls).
Examples:
d.
The team member rolling the Pallino must be completely behind the four-foot line and roll the Pallino completely past the center line and completely short of the four-foot line at the opposite end of the court.
If the Pallino is not as stated, it is a Foul, and the other team rolls the Pallino.
If that team also fouls, the first team tries again.
The serve must alternate between team mates on each try, but this will not permanently change the originally decided sequence of who serves the Pallino from which end of the court.
e.
The team member who was successful in rolling the Pallino then rolls the first Bocce Ball as close to the Pallino as possible.
All rolled Bocce Balls must stop completely past the center line and not touch the back wall.
If it does not meet this criterion, it is a Dead Ball and it is removed from the court and the team member that was scheduled to roll next, from the same team, then rolls.
Example: If Team A threw the Pallino, followed by rolling a Dead Ball, the same player from Team A will roll a second ball if their team is rolling in Consecutive order. However, if Team A is rolling in Alternating order, the partner player from Team A will roll the next ball.
f.
After a team rolls their first Bocce Ball without a foul, they stop.
Then the other team rolls their first ball and attempts to get “closer” to the Pallino than their opponents, and they continue to roll until they do so.
A tie does not equal “closer”.
As soon as a team gets closer to the Pallino than the opposing team, they stop.
If the opposing team has rolled all their Bocce Balls the team with balls left continues, trying to get closer.
g.
Any rolled Bocce Ball that touches the back wall of the court is a Dead Ball and is to be removed from the court.
If a stationary Bocce Ball is knocked into the back wall by a rolled Bocce Ball, it is a Dead Ball and is to be removed from the court.
h.
If a rolled Bocce Ball, after touching the back wall strikes a stationary Bocce Ball, the stationary Bocce Ball shall be replaced to its original position.
The rolled ball is “Dead” and is removed from play.
In other words, a Bocce Ball touching the back wall because of a Dead Ball is NOT Dead and is returned to its original position.
SCORING
a.
Scoring is started after all Bocce Balls have been rolled and the number of points scored is agreed to by both teams.
b.
A team scores a point for each of their Bocce Balls that is closer to the Pallino than their opponent's closest ball.
To determine the closest ball(s), a measurement should be taken using the tape measure provided.
If a tie occurs between the two closest Bocce Balls of each team, no points are recorded for that Frame.
c.
A Game is complete when a team has eleven (11) points, and the opponents have no balls left to play.
Remaining balls of the winning team do not need to be thrown.
d.
A Match is complete when a team wins 2 games.
FOULS
Fouls are described as follows:
a. A Foot Foul occurs when a player’s foot touches or goes past the four-foot foul line. When a player releases the Pallino or Bocce Ball, both feet must be in the court unless the player has a significant physical impairment.
b. A member of a team rolls 3 Bocce Balls.
c. A team member removes a Bocce Ball from the confines of the court during the game.
d. A Bocce Ball or the Pallino is rolled out of turn or not in the correct sequence.
PENALTY: For the above fouls, loss of offending team's ball closest to the Pallino.
e. There is unauthorized touching or moving of a ball prior to scoring.
PENALTY: Return of all balls in play to their approximate original position and one of the offending team’s balls closest to the Pallino is removed for each ball moved. Play then continues.
f. Rolling of the opposing team's Bocce Ball.
If the foul occurs before any other Bocce Ball has been rolled, the offending team will lose one Bocce Ball and the rolled ball is returned to the opposing team.
The offending team loses its turn.
When the foul occurs after both teams have rolled, the offending team will lose their ball closest to the Pallino, and the opposing team will be given their ball furthest from the Pallino for replay.
OUT-OF-BOUNDS
After the initial legal roll of the Pallino, it is never out of bounds unless it leaves the court or is knocked in front of the center line, in which case the Frame is voided.
If a Bocce Ball leaves the court, it stays out for that Frame.
FORFEITS
A team that is unable to schedule a Match(s) due to unforeseen circumstances, will post a forfeit (F) and their opponents will post a win (W).
If a team forfeits any three matches, they will be dropped from that session of league play, and it will be recorded as such on the division sheets posted at Sisk Park.
The result of all games previously played will stand.
SCHEDULING
Due to the flexible nature of our scheduling process, it is necessary for the individual teams to be considerate and work with the teams in their division to schedule their Matches as early as possible.
However, at the end of the League Session, if two teams are unable to arrive at an acceptable date to play, both teams will forfeit to each other, each receiving an (F).
If two teams have a scheduled game and one team is unable to keep that scheduled date, both teams must try to find a mutually acceptable date.
If they cannot agree on another date the team that cancelled the scheduled game will mark "F" and the available team will post a "W".
Please direct any questions to the Membership Director at [email protected].
The four (4) Bocce Ball courts at Sun Lakes II consist of concrete, covered with an artificial grass carpet.
They are 60’ X 10’. They have a center line and a foul line four feet from each end.
THE BALLS
There are eight large balls, and one small ball called the PALLINO.
The Pallino is the red target ball that players try to get close to.
Two sets of four large balls are called the Bocce Balls.
One set of four balls is white and the other set of four balls is blue.
THE PLAYERS
Four players are split into two teams; they all must be at the same end of the Bocce Court.
In some cases, like a tournament, when eight players compete, two players from each team are stationed at opposite ends of the court and play alternate frames.
Substitutes are only allowed if a partner cannot play due to illness or injury for the remainder of the session.
Substitutions are not allowed in the temporary absence of one's partner.
A team member cannot play alone.
Substitutes must be from outside the Club, and the Bocce Club Membership Director must be notified.
THE GAME
The object of the Game is to roll your team's Bocce Balls as close to the Target Pallino as possible.
a.
The Game starts with a toss of a coin.
The winner of the coin toss may have the first throw of the Pallino or choose the color of the balls for their team.
b.
Each team must decide which member will serve the Pallino from which end of the court.
Team members must alternate who serves the Pallino from each end of the court and then observe that decision throughout the Match.
In other words, the same team member cannot serve from both ends of the court.
Failure to alternate is a Foul (see Fouls).
c.
Each player rolls only two balls in a Frame.
Each team chooses whether to roll their Bocce Balls in Consecutive or Alternating order. In other words, no team member will be allowed to throw the 1st and 4th balls.
The rolling order must be consistent throughout the game.
The rolling order alternates at each end of the court. In other words, the same player cannot roll the last Bocce Ball from both ends of the court.
Failure to do so is a Foul (see Fouls).
Examples:
- Consecutive: If Player A starts the game throwing the 1st and 2nd ball, Player B will then throw balls 3 and 4.
- Alternating: If Player A starts the game throwing the 1st and 3rd ball, Player B will then throw balls 2 and 4.
- On the opposite end of the court, the rolling order is reversed. Player B rolls before Player A.
d.
The team member rolling the Pallino must be completely behind the four-foot line and roll the Pallino completely past the center line and completely short of the four-foot line at the opposite end of the court.
If the Pallino is not as stated, it is a Foul, and the other team rolls the Pallino.
If that team also fouls, the first team tries again.
The serve must alternate between team mates on each try, but this will not permanently change the originally decided sequence of who serves the Pallino from which end of the court.
e.
The team member who was successful in rolling the Pallino then rolls the first Bocce Ball as close to the Pallino as possible.
All rolled Bocce Balls must stop completely past the center line and not touch the back wall.
If it does not meet this criterion, it is a Dead Ball and it is removed from the court and the team member that was scheduled to roll next, from the same team, then rolls.
Example: If Team A threw the Pallino, followed by rolling a Dead Ball, the same player from Team A will roll a second ball if their team is rolling in Consecutive order. However, if Team A is rolling in Alternating order, the partner player from Team A will roll the next ball.
f.
After a team rolls their first Bocce Ball without a foul, they stop.
Then the other team rolls their first ball and attempts to get “closer” to the Pallino than their opponents, and they continue to roll until they do so.
A tie does not equal “closer”.
As soon as a team gets closer to the Pallino than the opposing team, they stop.
If the opposing team has rolled all their Bocce Balls the team with balls left continues, trying to get closer.
g.
Any rolled Bocce Ball that touches the back wall of the court is a Dead Ball and is to be removed from the court.
If a stationary Bocce Ball is knocked into the back wall by a rolled Bocce Ball, it is a Dead Ball and is to be removed from the court.
h.
If a rolled Bocce Ball, after touching the back wall strikes a stationary Bocce Ball, the stationary Bocce Ball shall be replaced to its original position.
The rolled ball is “Dead” and is removed from play.
In other words, a Bocce Ball touching the back wall because of a Dead Ball is NOT Dead and is returned to its original position.
SCORING
a.
Scoring is started after all Bocce Balls have been rolled and the number of points scored is agreed to by both teams.
b.
A team scores a point for each of their Bocce Balls that is closer to the Pallino than their opponent's closest ball.
To determine the closest ball(s), a measurement should be taken using the tape measure provided.
If a tie occurs between the two closest Bocce Balls of each team, no points are recorded for that Frame.
c.
A Game is complete when a team has eleven (11) points, and the opponents have no balls left to play.
Remaining balls of the winning team do not need to be thrown.
d.
A Match is complete when a team wins 2 games.
FOULS
Fouls are described as follows:
a. A Foot Foul occurs when a player’s foot touches or goes past the four-foot foul line. When a player releases the Pallino or Bocce Ball, both feet must be in the court unless the player has a significant physical impairment.
b. A member of a team rolls 3 Bocce Balls.
c. A team member removes a Bocce Ball from the confines of the court during the game.
d. A Bocce Ball or the Pallino is rolled out of turn or not in the correct sequence.
PENALTY: For the above fouls, loss of offending team's ball closest to the Pallino.
e. There is unauthorized touching or moving of a ball prior to scoring.
PENALTY: Return of all balls in play to their approximate original position and one of the offending team’s balls closest to the Pallino is removed for each ball moved. Play then continues.
f. Rolling of the opposing team's Bocce Ball.
If the foul occurs before any other Bocce Ball has been rolled, the offending team will lose one Bocce Ball and the rolled ball is returned to the opposing team.
The offending team loses its turn.
When the foul occurs after both teams have rolled, the offending team will lose their ball closest to the Pallino, and the opposing team will be given their ball furthest from the Pallino for replay.
OUT-OF-BOUNDS
After the initial legal roll of the Pallino, it is never out of bounds unless it leaves the court or is knocked in front of the center line, in which case the Frame is voided.
If a Bocce Ball leaves the court, it stays out for that Frame.
FORFEITS
A team that is unable to schedule a Match(s) due to unforeseen circumstances, will post a forfeit (F) and their opponents will post a win (W).
If a team forfeits any three matches, they will be dropped from that session of league play, and it will be recorded as such on the division sheets posted at Sisk Park.
The result of all games previously played will stand.
SCHEDULING
Due to the flexible nature of our scheduling process, it is necessary for the individual teams to be considerate and work with the teams in their division to schedule their Matches as early as possible.
However, at the end of the League Session, if two teams are unable to arrive at an acceptable date to play, both teams will forfeit to each other, each receiving an (F).
If two teams have a scheduled game and one team is unable to keep that scheduled date, both teams must try to find a mutually acceptable date.
If they cannot agree on another date the team that cancelled the scheduled game will mark "F" and the available team will post a "W".
Please direct any questions to the Membership Director at [email protected].