  Never
played Bocce before? You could be in for a very pleasant experience, and learn
new skills. Myrtleford Savoy Sporting Club has great facilities - The Bocce Pavilion
has 7 under cover Courts, and a active Bocce Club. There
is opportunity for social and competition play, and travel to other venues. Come
along and try it and enjoy a pleasant afternoon and make new friends.
Equipment
Two sizes of balls are used to play Bocce. The balls are
usually made of a tough, composite material like small bowling balls (without
the finger holes). The target ball is called the pallina or pallino and is about
2.25 inches in diameter. The team balls are called bocce's and are about 4.25
inches in diameter. Four bocce's are used for each team and are color-coded by
team. The pallina can be white, cream, or yellow but contrasts in color with the
bocce balls. Rules of BocceStart
of Match:
The match shall begin with the
flip of a coin between the capos (captains) from each team. The winner of the
coin flip may have the  first
toss of the pallino or choose the color of the balls. A
player may toss the pallino any distance so long as the pallino passes the center
line of the court and does not hit the back wall. If a player fails to validly
toss the pallino after one attempt, the opposing team will have a chance to toss
the pallino and put it in play. If the opposing team fails to toss the pallino
past the center line the pallino reverts to the original team. In any case, when
the pallino has been properly put in play, the first bocce ball will be thrown
by the team who originally tossed the pallino. Play
the Game:
The team who originally tosses the pallino, whether successfully
or not throws the first bocce ball. If the bocce ball hits the back board,
that team must roll again. Otherwise he/she steps aside and his team does not
roll again until the opposing team has either gotten one of its bocce balls closer
to the pallino or has thrown all of its balls. The team whose bocce balls are
closest to the pallino is called "inside" and the opposing team "outside." Whenever
a team gets inside, it steps aside and lets the outside team roll. The team outside
throws until it beats (not ties) the opposing ball. This continues until both
teams have used all their bocce balls (a total of 8, 4 from each team). The team
who scored last, throws the pallino to begin the next frame. A)
If a player rolls the wrong colored ball, simply replace it with the correct color
when the ball comes to rest.
B) If a player rolls
out of turn the opposing team may leave everything, including the thrown ball,
exactly where it is or may return any moved balls to their approximate original
positions and remove the thrown ball from play.
C)
When a team wins a game players exchange ends of the court and substitutions may
be made. The team winning the previous game will toss the pallino to start the
next game. Dead Balls:
Should a player's
bocce ball make contact with the back board the bocce ball is considered a dead
ball on impact and is removed from play until the end of the frame. A)
If a bocce after hitting the backboard strikes a stationary bocce, that stationary
bocce shall be replaced in it's approximate original position. The thrown ball
is removed from play.
B) If a bocce after hitting
the backboard strikes a stationary bocce, that stationary bocce shall be replaced
in it's original position. The thrown ball is removed from play.
C)
If a bocce hitting the backboard is not removed quickly enough and, as a result,
strikes a moving ball that likely would have hit the backboard, allowing the moving
ball to remain in play, that moving ball remains in play where it comes to rest.
Pallino:
Once the pallino has been
validly put into play, it remains in play even if it hits the backboard. However,
if the pallino is knocked out of the court or it is knocked in the front of the
center line, the frame will end, no points are awarded, and the game will resume
from the opposite end of the court with the same team tossing the pallino.
Foul Line:
Player's movements are limited to
the foul line. The player should not step on or over the foul line before releasing
the pallino or bocce balls. If the intent of the foot foul rule is abused, the
offending player may be removed from the game by a ruling official. When a player
releases the pallino or bocce, both feet must be on the court unless the player
has a significant physical impairment. 
Shooting:
Shooting is lofting the ball
in the air beyond the center of the court. Shooting is not allowed.
Scoring:
Only the "inside" team scores. One point
is given for each ball of the inside team that is closer to the pallino than any
ball of the opposing team. If at the end of any frame the closest ball of each
team is equidistant from the pallino, the frame ends in a tie and no points are
awarded to either team. The game will resume from the opposite end of the court
with the same team tossing the pallino. Capos of each team are responsible for
keeping the score sheet and for reporting the results of the match. The team who
scores 12 points wins the game(must win by 2 pts). Measurements:
All measurements should be made from the inside dimensions of the bocce ball to
the inside dimension of the pallino. Only an official and one representative from
each team may be present for the measurement. Players:
If a team fields less then 2 players, the game is a forfeit. A 2 or 3 member
team may play throwing only 2 balls per player. A 3rd or 4th player arriving late
may enter the game after the completion of the frame.
A team may make one substitution per game. Substitutions may only be made between
frames. No player may play two consecutive games
from the same end of the court. Players need
not alternated throws. Consecutive or alternating throws by teammates shall be
at the option of the players. | 
