Bocce Ball            

        Bocce ball is for any age.

This page will contain all things Bocce of interest to bocce ball players.  Questions and comments should be addressed to IAC President - Agostino Bonaminio.  Pictures regarding Bocce Ball should be delivered to the  Webmaster if you wish them to be included on the Bocce Photo Page (be sure to identify location and people in the pictures).  Pictures should be in focus and in landscape format (portrait formatted pictures will usually not be published).

Bocce Tutorial

There seems to be a growing population among us who like and play bocce ball.  In an effort to bring their knowledge of bocce, especially where required and recommended dimensions are not clear, we offer the following:

First of all, there is only one organization that governs competitive play in the United States and it is the U. S. Bocce Federation.  In order that they remain current in their rules and regulations, the USBF is a member of world-wide governing organizations.  These organizations are Confederation Mondiale Sports Boule (C.M.S.B), Confederazione Boccistica Internazionale (CBI), Federation Internationale de Boules (F.I.B.), and Federazione Italiana di Bocce (FBI).

According to USBF rules, the following are the official dimensions of courts for sanctioned competition:

Volo -- Length: 27.5m (90.22ft)   Width: 2.5m to 4m (8.2ft to 13.12ft)  
Raffa -- Length: 26.5m (86.94ft)  Width: 4m to 4.5m (13.12ft to 14.76ft)
Open -- Length: 26.5m (86.94ft)  Width: 4m (13.12ft)

In the same vein, official materials, dimensions and weights of balls are:

Volo -- Bronze  Diam: 90-100mm (3.5in to 3.9in)   Wt: 900-1200g (1.98# to 2.65#)
Raffa -- Plastic  Diam: 107mm (4.21in)     Wt: 920g (2.03#)
Open -- Plastic  Diam: 107mm (4.21in)     Wt: 920g (2.03#) USBF Recommendation

And finally, official materials, dimensions and weights of pallinos are:

Volo -- Wood      Diam: 35-37mm (1.37in-1.46in)   Wt: (no requirement)
Raffa -- Plastic    Diam: 40mm (1.58in)    Wt: 60g (2.17oz)
Open -- Plastic    Diam: 40mm (1.58in)    Wt: 60g (2.17oz) (USBF Recommendation)

Regarding the eight public courts in the Boise parks, we have measured all eight accurately.  The court is the playing surface for each and the inside dimensions from end to end and from side to side are as follows:

Municipal Park Bocce Courts are 58'5.5" x 9'9" and are surfaced with fine crushed oyster shell.  They are dressed and tamped prior to spring play and twice during the summer when possible.  The court's surface is moderately soft and craters easily.  They are used for IAC League Play starting in late spring.  There is a concern with the amount of wild bird droppings and the bacteria it contains.

Julia Davis Bocce Courts are 60'0" x 9'10" and are surfaced with crushed oyster shell.  They receive little maintenance and are not used for any sort of league play.  The surface of both courts are somewhat level but quite soft and crater easily.  Wild bird droppings are of concern due to the bacteria it contains.

Ann Morrison Bocce Courts are 79'10" x 11'10" and are surfaced with coarse crushed oyster shell.  They are maintained by a bocce club and host some competition.  The four court's surfaces are relatively level but are quite soft and crater easily.  We are unsure of any league play.  Wild bird droppings are of concern due to the bacteria it contains.

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The Italian American Club Open Bocce Regulations
(based on the USBF Open Bocce Regulations)
All team captains are requested to be conversant with these
regulations so they can arbitrate close calls when their team is competing.

LINKS:      Code of Conduct Rules  -=-  Open Bocce Regulations