What is in the set
A standard set contains 8 balls, four matching balls in one color for each team, plus the pallino. In singles each player throws all 4 of their balls. In doubles each of the two players throws 2. The USBF open rules also describe triples, which use 12 balls instead of 8, and foursomes with two members of each team stationed at opposite ends throwing 2 balls each.
A tape measure is worth adding to the bag from the first game. Most frames come down to a difference you cannot judge by eye, and the USBF rules list tape measures, antennae, expanding pens, string devices and laser tools as the measuring equipment in normal use.
| Item | USBF open rules | Backyard substitute |
|---|---|---|
| Balls | 8 balls, four matching per team, plus a pallino | The same 8 plus a pallino; a resin set rolls well on cut grass |
| Playing area | Official courts 86.92 ft by 13.12 ft; unofficial courts can be smaller | Any flat lawn strip, edges marked with cones or string |
| Foul line | One line for pointing and shooting, recommended 13 ft from the back wall | A garden hose or chalk line that both teams agree on |
| Boards | Side boards may be used at any time; back wall rules apply | None, so no bank shots and no dead back wall rule |
| Format | Singles 4 balls each, doubles 2 each, triples uses 12 balls | Doubles with 2 balls each is the easiest first game |
| Winning score | Usually 12 points; finals usually 15 as a USBF recommendation | Pick a total out loud before the first throw |
Playing a first frame
Decide who starts, then that side throws the pallino out and immediately rolls its first ball. From there the rule that keeps the game moving is simple: the team that is not currently closest keeps throwing. Under the USBF open rules the side that has thrown the pallino rolls until it establishes a valid point, then the opposing team must point or shoot until it makes a new, closer point, and possession of the throw switches back and forth on that basis until all eight balls are gone.
That single rule is the thing most new players get wrong. Turns do not simply alternate one ball each. If your team is closest, you stand still and watch, sometimes for three balls in a row.
Scoring the frame and starting the next
After all eight balls are played, measure from the pallino. One team receives one point for each ball closer than the opponents’ nearest ball, up to four points. Under the USBF open rules, the scoring team starts the next frame with the pallino.
Adapting it to a backyard lawn
You do not need a court. The USBF open rules state that official courts are 86.92 ft long and 13.12 ft wide and that unofficial courts can be smaller, which leaves plenty of room to play on whatever strip of grass you have. Pick a flat run, mark a throwing line with a hose or a length of rope, and use the far end of the lawn as the natural limit for the pallino toss.
Two court rules stop applying on grass. There are no side boards to bank off, and there is no back wall, so the dead ball rules about hitting the backboard are irrelevant. Longer grass also slows balls considerably, so expect to throw with more pace than a court game and expect fewer balls to travel past the pallino.
Gear to consider
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SetsCheck price on AmazonFranklin Sports Starter Bocce Set
Starter; eight 90 mm balls and 40 mm pallino
A low-cost starter set for family games on grass or sand.
The 90 mm balls are recreational size; this version comes in a carrying box.
SetsCheck price on AmazonGoSports 100 mm Resin Bocce Set
Eight resin balls; red/green, 45 mm pallino and case
A full resin set with a divided canvas case for regular backyard play.
Check league specifications before buying: 100 mm is smaller than the 107 mm format used by some competitions.
A few common questions
Do the two teams simply alternate throws?
No, and this is the most common beginner error. Under the USBF open rules the team that does not hold the point keeps throwing until it takes the point back, so one team can throw several balls in a row while the other waits. Strict alternation is a house simplification, not the standard method.
How far should the pallino be thrown on a lawn?
On a court the toss is valid between the center line and the far foul line. On an unmarked lawn there is no such boundary, so agree a minimum and maximum before you start, for example a rough halfway mark and the end of the mown strip. Keeping the range consistent is what matters, because the pallino distance changes which shots are realistic.