How to Win at Bocce Ball

Bocce ball is a very entertaining physical activity for kids and adults in a party or social setting. It's simple to play and creates an opportunity to get outside and stay physically active. With a little practice and the right strategies, you can dominate the game and impress your friends and family.

Things You'll Need

• Bocce ball set
• Two to eight players

Instructions

1. Find your range. The black ball, your target, can be thrown away from the rest of the players at any distance. This is one of the unique concepts of bocce ball, as no two games are exactly the same. Some people may throw the black ball as far as possible, while others will merely toss the ball a few feet from the contestants. Work on finding your range, by tossing the target ball (small black ball) at various distances starting from a short distance and slowly working your way out. This will enable you to work on your touch when it comes to different ranges.

2. Toss the bocce ball underhand like a softball pitch. Slowly cock the ball back in your palm, extending your hand halfway up your back. Slightly bend your knees. Extend your throwing hand forward, moving it from behind your back to in front of your chest in an underhand motion. Release the ball before your hand becomes eye level with your chest. The key to maintaining accuracy is keeping a straight arm throughout the throwing motion. Keep a steady arm and release at the right point, and your throw will be accurate.

3. Study the land formation. Before you make any throw, you must examine the formation of the land in front of you. Does it slope down or up? Is the grass rough or soft, long or short? If the land is rather flat, then you will rely on a straight toss at the approximate distance. However, if the land is filled with slopes and rugged terrain, you must adjust your toss to reach to the different bounces the ball will take.

4. Prepare for the way the ball will bounce and roll. A bocce ball is rather heavy so it will not bounce in the same way as a basketball would. However, it still is going to bounce upon impact with the ground, so you need to make adjustments based on the terrain surrounding the black ball.

5. If you are on a team, and other team members still need to throw their ball, then try to knock the other team's ball away from the target ball. This is completely legal and encouraged in bocce ball. If you have mastered the art of range and accuracy, then you should be able to line up your ball on a collision course with the other team's nearest ball to the target. This simple defensive strategy will allow your other team members to focus on landing their ball closet to the target.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice all these steps and they will produce results in games.