Bocce Club

Membership Form

Rules

Rules for Sun City Bocce Club

Revised April 2015 (Amended 1/29/2016)

  1. Types of Balls Used
    Composition: 107 to 114 millimeters, 4.21 to 4.49 inches in diameter. Weights from 920 to 1100 grams, 2.02 – 2.425 pounds.
  2. Starting: Red Ball Starts Game
    The starting team must toss the Pallino to a legal position, which is past the center white line, and not come in contact with the backboard. If this is not the result, the opposing team will then toss the Pallino for the starting team. If the oposing teams fails to place the Pallino legally, it is given back to the starting team, etc.
  3. Pallino
    The Pallino remains in play unless it is knocked out of the court. If this occurs, the frame ends and plays resumes from the opposite end of the court. The team that tossed the Pallino for the cancelled frame tosses it again.
  4. Dead Ball
    A ball hitting the backboard without hitting another ball first is considered a “dead ball.” It is then removed from the court and play resumes. If a “dead ball” has not been removed in a timely manner (by the time the next ball has been thrown) the “dead ball” is no longer considered “dead” and play continues.
  5. Thrown Ball 
    If the first thrown ball of the starting team hits the backboard without first hitting the Pallino, the ball is then out of play and that team must roll again until the intial point is established.  A thrown ball that doesn’t touch another ball and hits the backboard returning into the field of play striking another ball, and/or the Pallino, is out of play. The Pallino and/or the other balls are returned to their original positions.
  6. Foul Line
    A player who steps over the red foul line as he releases the ball commits a foul. That ball is removed from play and all balls that were struck are returned to their original position.
  7. Sideboards
    Players may throw the Pallino and their balls straight or bank them off the sideboards.
  8. Scoring
    The first team to reach 11 points wins. Any remaining balls the winning team has on the rack will not be “in play.”
  9. Etiquette
    All players must remain outside the court, except for the player who is rolling the ball.
  10. VOLO Shooting
    VOLO shooting is lofting the ball in the air beyond the centerline and is not permitted in Sun City.
  11. Ties
    In case of a tie between two balls, the team that rolled last will continue to roll untill the tie is broken or until that team does not have any more balls. If a frame ends in a tie, no points are awarded and play resumes at the opposite end of the court with the same team tossing the Pallino.
  12. Wrong Color Ball
    If a player rolls the wrong color ball, simply replace it with the correct color ball when it comes to rest.
  13. Team Rolls Out of Turn
    If a team throws a ball out of turn, the ball will be out of play and all balls that were struck will be returned to their original position.
  14. Illegal Roll
    If a player delivers more that his allotted number of balls, the ball would be removed from play and all balls that have been struck will be returned from play and all balls that have been struck will be returned to their original positions.
  15. Measurement
    Any member of a team may request a measurement of a ball at any time at their end of the court. Measurements are to be made by a membeer from each team.
  16. Shooting
    When shooting, a player must first announce their intention to do so. The players would do this from the white line after the red foul line. The ball must be thrown with such force so that if it didn’t hit another ball or the Pallino it would have hit the backboard. If it hits the backboart without hitting another ball or the Pallino, it is removed from play, considered a dead ball and play continues.
  17. Throwing Order
    Players may change their order of throwing, but no player may throw more than two balls per frame. The player that throws the Pallino must also deliver the initial valid ball.
  18. Crossing the Center Line
    Players shall not cross the centerline to evaluate ball positions at the other end of the court.
  19. Throwing From White Shooting Line by Mistake
    A ball thrown from the shooting line that was not intended to be a shooting shot will be removed and declared a dead ball. Any balls that were struck will be returned to their original position.
  20. Balls Not in Use
    Balls not in use must be set in ball racks, not out of sight of the opposing team. This allows the opposing team to always know how many balls remain to be thrown, thus avoiding removing balls from the court prematurely.

Random Draw Tournament Rules

Revised 2/2023

  1. All standard Bocce Rules apply (See No. 8).
  2. All members with current dues paid are eligible.
  3. Teams are created by a random draw with Team Captains included.  32 players are needed to start the Tournament.
  4. No early play allowed prior to Tournament play.
  5. Before starting each game, the Team Captain can select on which side of the court each player should play.
  6. Each randomly drawn “red” team shall start the first game.
  7. A coin toss will determine which team starts the second and third game if both teams have same colored balls in previous round. The starting team will always be “red.”
  8. MEASUREMENTS: all standard Bocce Rules apply with one exception: Each Team Captain may choose to cross “the middle white line” to observe a measurement or to call for a measurement.
  9. SCORING:  The first team to reach 11 points wins. Any remaining balls the winning team has on the rack will not be “in play.”
  10. After each round, the Team Captain must report the outcome directly to the Tournament Coordinator at sign-in table.
  11. Captains are asked to take their teams, Bocce balls and measuring cans down to lanes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
  12. If your team wins the first game but loses the second game, you MUST remain and play in the play-off round for third or fourth place.
  13. DISPUTES:  The Tournament Coordinator will resolve all disputes.
  14. SUBSTITUTES:   The Tournament Coordinator will establish a substitute list based on the sequence of sign-ups. A team may make only one substitute. The Team Captain must notify the Tournament Coordinator when a substitution is needed.