Bocce ball dates back as early as 5000 B.C., and the standards for balls and rules have made some changes over the centuries. Many people wonder about the current standards, like whether or not bocce balls are round and weighted.
Bocce balls are both round, like a sphere, and weighted. The official standard is 4.2 inches or 107 millimeters in diameter, and the weight is 2 pounds or 920 grams.
Bocce ball can be a great way to have a good time and get in a little bit of exercise at the same time. Still, there is plenty to learn and understand the game. Keep reading to find out more about bocce ball and the official standards.
Are Bocce Balls Round or Weighted?
If you are from the United States, it could become a bit confusing when trying to figure out if bocce balls are round. Mostly all balls are round, like spheres, but an American football is more oval shaped with pointy ends.
So, it is a valid question to ask if bocce balls are round. The answer is yes, bocce balls are round. Bocce balls are also weighted.
They are weighted for better accuracy when players are tossing them at the pallino. If the balls were too light, they would just be blown around by the wind and hard to aim. They are round so that they can roll across the ground easily.
The Official Standards for Bocce Ball
If you decide to play bocce ball and take it seriously, then there are some rules and standards that you should follow, just like any other game.
Official Standards for Bocce Ball
- You must have eight balls. You should have two different colors for the balls, with 4 of each color to differentiate between the two teams. Since approximately 8 percent of people in America have color blindness, you can also purchase a set of bocce balls with four light colors and four dark colors.
- Each ball should be 4.2 inches in diameter or 107 millimeters.
- Each bocce ball should weigh 2 pounds or 920 grams.
- You should also have a pallino. It marks the spot that your bocce balls need to be targeting. It is about the size of a golf ball and colored differently than the team balls.
The History of Bocce Ball
Forms of bocce ball have been around since there were enough people around to gather a couple of teams. For millennia, people have thrown objects, like stones, at a particular target aiming to be the closest one to the target.
The bocce ball that we play today can be traced back to the Roman Empire. Unlike most other countries that played, the Roman Empire would use coconuts as their balls, rather than stones, then later started to carve their bocce balls out of olive wood.
After many years had gone by, the sport became incredibly popular throughout all of Europe. Many rulers over the centuries even started banning people from participating in bocce ball because they believed it was distracting individuals from completing their duties.
When bocce ball arrived in America, it was known as a French game called boule.
While a few things have changed over the years, such as the bocce balls’ material and the type of ground that it is played on, it is still pretty amazing to think that you are participating in a game that people have been around since the beginning!
How to Play Bocce Ball
As we have learned from the information above, bocce ball has been super popular and thoroughly enjoyed by people for a long time. It is no wonder that it is still an awesome game to play to this day.
Learning to play bocce ball is quite easy. Just follow these rules, and you will be good to go!
How to play bocce ball:
- Obtain a bocce ball set. This is important because you will need eight balls that are precisely the same size but two different colors to distinguish between the teams. The set will also come with the pallino, which is the target ball that each team will be aiming at.
- Find the right spot to play. Bocce ball is best played on soft and flat terrain, like grass. Don’t play on any hard terrain, like concrete or brick, because you may break the balls.
- Gather some players. Bocce ball is played with no less than two players and up to eight players. It is best to have either one, two, or four members for each team due to the cycle at which each player would take turns.
- Toss a coin. The coin toss will decide who gets to toss the pallino. However, if the team tosses the pallino out of bounds on the bocce ball court, then the other team gets the advantage of tossing the pallino.
- Toss the bocce balls. Once the player has tossed the pallino, it is now his or her turn to toss the bocce ball at the target. If the bocce ball rolls out of bounds, he or she will be allowed to throw the ball until it is in play.
- Take turns. Once the ball is in play, it will be the other team’s turn to pick a member to toss or roll a bocce ball at the pallino. It will then be the opposing team’s turn again, and this will repeat until each team’s balls are gone.
- Tally up the score. Whichever team has the most bocce balls closest to the pallino will receive a point for that round. The team that won the round will also be the team to toss the pallino onto the bocce ball court.
- Start again. Once the pallino is back onto the court, you will continue to take turns like in the first round and keep repeating until you have decided to finish the game.
Following these rules will have you becoming an expert at bocce ball in no time!
For more, check out out How To Play Bocce Ball for the full set of rules.
Best Bocce Ball Sets
If you are getting super excited about organizing a bocce ball game, you are going to need to be sure that you have an excellent bocce ball set, first.
You can choose between regulation and non-regulation sets.
Regulation sets are for seriously playing bocce ball and, perhaps, joining a team. Non-regulation sets are perfect for having a casual game day with your friends and family.
Check out out Bocce Ball Cost And Compare Guide to find the right set for you
You can find bocce ball sets anywhere from online to sporting goods stores. There are many options as to whether you want to go with beginner, professional, or just a set that the whole family can enjoy.
Conclusion
To sum everything up, bocce balls are both round and weighted. The official standard for bocce balls is 4.2 inches or 107 millimeters in diameter, and the weight is 2 pounds or 920 grams.
If you are taking the sport seriously, and maybe you are doing it professionally, then this is the size and weight that your bocce balls should be.
Bocce ball has been around for such a long time and is still popular today for a good reason. It is so much fun and a great way to bond with the people around you!