Bocce Ball in The Woodlands

Bocce is a lawn bowling game from Italy. Two sides take turns rolling heavy balls toward a small target ball, and the side that ends up closest scores. It’s easy to learn, needs little running and works for mixed ages. The Woodlands Township park system has one public bocce court, at Avalon Park in the Village of College Park.

Where to Play: Avalon Park

8585 Grogan’s Mill Rd., The Woodlands, TX 77381, Village of College Park.

Neighborhood park, about 2.9 acres, in the park system since 2004.

6 benches, 2 picnic tables, 2 grills, a drinking fountain, a restroom building and a bike rack.

Avalon Park sits about two blocks into the Grogan’s Forest neighborhood, just north of Research Forest Drive. It has the Township’s only bocce court and a horseshoe pitching court, along with two lighted tennis courts, play equipment with bucket and belt swings, picnic tables, BBQ pits, restrooms, a drinking fountain and shaded trails. Parking is along the curb. The bocce court isn’t lighted, so bring your own set and plan on daylight.

Township parks are open from dawn to dusk, and lighted courts and fields stay open until 11 p.m.; the rest of the rules are on our Park Types & Rules page. For hours, reservations and closures, see Avalon Park on the Township’s official parks site.

More parks nearby: College Park public parks. Other courts: Tennis & Pickleball.

What You Need

A set has eight bocce balls, four each in two colors, and one smaller target ball called the pallino (or jack). Regulation balls are 107 mm across and weigh about 920 grams, roughly 2 pounds. Lighter 90 to 100 mm sets are easier for children to throw.

The Court

An official court is about 87 by 13 feet with low walls around it, but a casual game works on any fairly flat patch of grass, packed dirt or sand. On open ground, agree on the boundaries and a throwing line before the first frame.

How to Play

1. Split into two sides: one against one, or teams of two, three or four. Each side gets four balls, shared out among its players.
2. Toss a coin. The winning side throws the pallino from behind the foul line, then rolls the first bocce ball as close to it as it can.
3. The other side rolls next. From then on, the side whose closest ball is farther from the pallino keeps rolling until it gets closer or runs out of balls.
4. Hitting the pallino or knocking an opponent’s ball out of the way is allowed, and it’s a big part of the strategy.
5. When all eight balls are played, the frame is over. Switch ends for the next frame; the side that scored throws the pallino.

Scoring

Only one side scores in a frame. It gets a point for each of its balls that is closer to the pallino than the other side’s closest ball. If the two closest balls are tied, nobody scores. International games go to 12 points; casual games often play to 13, 15 or 21. Some backyard players count a ball touching the pallino (a “baci,” or kiss) as two points, so agree on that before you start.

Throwing Tips

Most players throw underhand with the palm under the ball. A high, soft lob stops close to where it lands, while a low, firmer roll keeps going, so aim short of the spot you want on low throws.

A Little History

Bocce belongs to the boules family, along with English lawn bowls and French pétanque, and all three trace back to ball games played in the Roman Empire. The modern game took shape in Italy, where bocce is the plural of boccia, “bowl.” Italian immigrants brought it to the Americas, and it has spread well beyond those communities since.