How to Play Bocce on Grass

Bocce can be played on grass.

Bocce is bowling-type game that often is thought of as being Italian in origin, but a version of the game actually was played by Egyptians as far back as 5,000 B.C. The modern game typically is played on a regulation court that is about 8 feet wide and 60 feet long. To play in grass, you'll need an open space of roughly the same size.

Things You'll Need

• Bocce set
• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Find a safe area for the court. Ideally, you need additional space around the court, so an area of roughly 12 by 80 feet would be best. The ground needs to be level and the grass fairly short to reduce friction.

2. Play bocce on a synthetic grass court. Manufacturers sell these courts and some offer installation or instruction on installation. For example, Forever Putting Greens in Livermore, California, says the court must be built on level ground to allow water runoff. It offers a concrete or timber border for the court. It also says the court needs a 4 to 18 inch sub-base, depending on several factors, and uses a crushed drain rock base, poured concrete or pervious concrete.

3. Make teams. Two to eight people can play at a time. With just two players, each bowls four balls and then alternate ends of the court. More than two people are divided into two teams of two, three or four players, with half of the players are at each end of the court. Each team gets to throw four balls per frame. A team and person is chosen to start and throws the jack ball underhanded at least halfway down the court. The same team and player bowls first. The object of each frame is to get your ball or balls closest to the jack ball. All throws, including lobs in the air, must be done underhanded. The team farthest from the jack continues bowling until it gets a ball closest to the jack. The other team follows in the same way.

4. Score the game according to normal rules. Only the team with the closest ball or balls can score, with one point given for every ball that is closer to the jack than all of the other team's balls. The game ends when one team reaches 13 or more points. Sometimes the game is shortened to 11 or 12 points.

Tips & Warnings

• The jack ball must always go beyond the center line of the court.

• This is a great game for spring, summer and fall. In some states though, like Florida, we get to play outdoors year round.

• There are smaller, lighter bocce sets for younger children. You'll need to search for them on the internet.

• A tape measure is handy for measuring to see which ball is closer.

• Don't overdo it!

• Don't throw a ball if it could possibly hit and hurt someone.

References

• Bocce.org: History of Bocce
• Forever Putting Greens: Bocce Ball Courts on Synthetic Grass