BOCCE LEAGUE — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

When: Mondays at 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM (check your schedule to see which time slot
your team plays)
Who: 12 teams
Season: 8 weeks
Contact: Sue Veitch — 954-298-7490 or smtveitch@gmail.com

JOIN ON PLAYPASS

Download the PlayPass app and join the league here to check schedules and standings.

Desktop Link: https://playpass.com/go/RMQr8E7

Or scan the QR code above
Captain?
Register with your email to see your schedule and enter scores.

Not a captain? Just register to see your team's schedule and what time your team plays
(either 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM).

Bocce League Rules

Welcome to our bocce league! These rules are intended to keep games fun, fair, and easy for everyone to understand, including players who are new to bocce.

1. Objective of the Game

The goal of bocce is simple: get your team’s bocce balls closer to the small target ball, called the pallino, than the other team’s balls.

The team with the closest ball to the pallino scores points at the end of each frame.

2. Teams and Player Positioning

Each team may have up to 4 rostered players.

To play a match, a team must have at least 2 of its own rostered players present.

For a full 4-player team:

• Two players from each team should be positioned at one end of the court.
• The other two players from each team should be positioned at the opposite end of the court.
• During each frame, only the players at the throwing end roll bocce balls.
• The two players from each team at that end each throw 2 balls, for a total of 4 balls per team per frame.
• The next frame begins from the opposite end of the court, where the other two players from each team will throw.

No player may throw more than 2 balls per frame.

If a team has only 2 rostered players present, the team may still play as a 2-player team. Each player throws 2 balls per frame.

If a team has 3 rostered players present, the captain may decide which 2 players throw during each frame, as long as no player throws more than 2 balls in a frame.

Substitutes are optional. You are not required to have substitutes if you have at least 2 of your own rostered players present.

Need a substitute?

• First choice: Contact someone from the substitute list. Sue will provide the substitute list.
• If no one from the substitute list is available, you may bring in another substitute, but you must let Sue know who it is.

• 3. Team Captains

Each team must designate a team captain.

Team captains are responsible for:

• making sure their team is ready to play at the scheduled time;
• identifying substitutes when needed;
• participating in the coin toss or other method used to start the match;
• helping resolve questions during the match;
• agreeing on measurements and scoring;
• keeping the match moving; and
• reporting the final score promptly on Playpass.

Only captains should go onto the court to check ball positions or make measurements, unless a captain asks another player to assist.

4. Starting the Game

Before the match begins, team captains should decide who starts by coin toss, rock-paper-scissors, or mutual agreement.

The team that wins the toss chooses one of the following:

• throw the pallino first; or
• choose ball color.

The other team receives the remaining choice.

5. Starting a Frame

A frame is one round of play in which all bocce balls are thrown from one side of the court.

A frame begins when one team throws the pallino onto the court.

6. Throwing the Pallino

A player may step on the foul line, which is the first white line, but may not step over the foul line when releasing the pallino.

The pallino when thrown can be anywhere on the court as long as it goes over the center line and is a minimum of 12 inches from the side and back board (without hitting the back board).  

The player throwing the pallino gets 2 chances to place it properly. If both attempts are unsuccessful, the opposing team’s first thrower gets 1 chance.

If the opposing team also does not place the pallino properly, the pallino is placed in the center of the designated area between the second and third white lines.

The player who originally threw the pallino still throws the first bocce ball.

7. Order of Play

After the first bocce ball is thrown, the opposing team throws next.

From that point forward, the team whose ball is farther from the pallino continues to throw until:

• it gets one ball closer than the other team’s closest ball; or
• it has thrown all of its balls.

This is sometimes called the “nearest ball” rule or the “inside ball” rule.

A team whose ball ties the opponent’s closest ball must throw again.

Once one team has thrown all of its balls, the other team throws any remaining balls.

A frame ends when all bocce balls have been thrown.

8. Throwing Rules

Players may roll, toss, or bank their bocce ball, as long as the throw is safe and under control.

Players must stay behind the foul line when releasing the ball.

A bocce ball may legally hit:

• another bocce ball;
• the pallino;
• the side boards; or
• the back board.

A rolled bocce ball must go over the center line. If it does not go over the center line, it is a dead ball and is removed from play.

If a bocce ball hits the back board without first touching the pallino or another bocce ball, it is a dead ball and is removed from play.

If a bocce ball leaves the court or is clearly out of bounds, it is removed from play for that frame.

If a player throws the wrong color ball, the ball should be replaced with the correct color ball after it comes to rest.

If a player throws when the other team should have thrown, that ball is removed from play.

If a player throws more than 2 balls in a frame, the extra ball is removed from play.

9. Scoring

Only one team scores in each frame.

At the end of the frame, determine which team has the bocce ball closest to the pallino. That team scores 1 point for each of its balls that is closer to the pallino than the other team’s closest ball.

A team may score between 1 and 4 points in a frame.

Example: If Team A has the two closest balls to the pallino, and Team B has the third closest ball, Team A scores 2 points.

If there is a tie for closest ball and it cannot be clearly measured, no points are awarded for that tied position.

10. Measuring

If players are unsure which ball is closest, the teams should measure.

Captains should agree on the measurement. Measurements should be made from the closest edge of the pallino to the closest edge of the bocce ball. Use the measurement cup tool we have.

Please do not move any balls until scoring has been agreed upon.

11. Next Frame

The team that scored in the previous frame throws the pallino to begin the next frame.

Play then continues from the opposite end of the court.

12. Winning the Match

Regulation play is 60 minutes.

During regulation play, teams play to 10 points. To win before time expires, a team must reach 10 points and win by at least 2 points.

At the 60-minute mark, regulation play ends. The team that is leading wins, regardless of the score.

Example: If the score is 9–8 at the 60-minute mark, the team with 9 points wins.

If the score is tied at the 60-minute mark, sudden death begins.

Sudden death rules:

• Sudden death should be completed within the 5-minute window.
• Each team gets one roll.
• The captain may throw, or the captain may choose another player from the team to throw.
• The pallino should be placed approximately midway between the center line and the far end of the court.
• The designated players throw from behind the line.
• The team whose ball is closer to the pallino wins the match.

• 13. Sportsmanship

This is a recreational league. Good sportsmanship is expected at all times.

Players should:

• be respectful and encouraging;
• avoid distracting players while they are throwing;
• help newer players understand the rules;
• resolve close calls fairly; and
• keep games moving so all matches stay on schedule.

Captains are responsible for helping settle questions during the match.

14. Reporting Scores

After the match, the winning team captain should report the final score on Playpass.

Please report the score as soon as possible so standings remain current.

15. Standings and Tiebreakers

League standings will be based on wins and losses.

16. Most Important Rule

Have fun. Bocce is meant to be social, friendly, and easy to learn.

When in doubt, be fair, keep the game moving, and enjoy the league.

QUESTIONS?

Text or email Sue: 954-298-7490 or smtveitch@gmail.com