Building a bocce court requires quite a bit of space, the standard size usually being 12’ x 60’ for competitive play. But what if there isn’t sufficient room outdoors? What if you have more space indoors than you do outside?
Luckily, there’s no need to worry if you only want to play a casual game of bocce with your close ones. A 10’ x 40’ area should be just enough to set up your make-shift indoor bocce court. With a few good bocce balls and a way to mark the boundaries, you can start playing bocce anytime. Here we take a look at some of the best indoor bocce ideas for when you lack the space outdoors.
What Do You Need to Play Bocce Indoors?
The requirements of an indoor bocce court are easy to fulfill. These are what you’ll need:
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A Bocce Ball Set: Of course, you cannot play bocce without a nice bocce ball set, complete with 8 larger colored balls (4 of each color) and one small pallino ball.
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Small Bocce Scoreboard: Whether you’re playing outdoors or inside your house, you’ll need something to keep track of the scores. A small metallic or wooden bocce scoreboard can be easily put up near your playing zone without taking up too much space.
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Measuring Tools: You could use some measuring tape or a similar tool to measure the length of the boundaries. It can also be helpful in calculating the distances between the bocce balls and the pallino.
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Markers for the Court: Grab some markers to highlight the bocce court area. You can use colorful painter’s tape to demarcate the lines of the boundary.
You can throw in some other bocce accessories into the mix if you want to make it feel as similar to playing outdoors as possible.
Preparing Your Indoor Bocce Setup
Now you can’t simply start throwing the bocce balls everywhere. You’ll need to take care of a few things before you can actually start playing.
1. Make Sure the Court Surface is Suitable
Bocce requires a surface that will allow the balls to roll smoothly as well as stop them from rolling away too far. Grass, oyster-shell dust, granite, concrete, solid rubber and the like are generally used for making permanent bocce courts. For your make-shift one, coarse wood and smooth carpeted floors can work just fine. If you have a small portable bocce court that fits inside, you can use that too.
2. Choose the Correct Bocce Ball Material
Most tournament bocce balls are made of resin, which despite not being the ideal indoor choice, may still be used. Metal and composite balls are too heavy for playing inside the house and can accidentally break things if not careful. Plastic and wooden bocce balls are your best bet if you want to play indoors with your family.
3. Put Up the Scoreboard and Tools
Some bocce scoreboards can be used on the ground while others may need to be mounted on the wall. A few bocce gear and measuring tools, like calipers, etc., need prior preparation before they can be used. Use markers and posts to make the boundary of the playing area distinguishable for the players.
Once your indoor setup is complete, you can get behind the starting line and finally begin throwing the balls. You could even adjust the gameplay a little bit to better suit your style.
Final Thoughts
Though bocce is primarily considered an outdoor game, you can also choose to play it inside your home without worries. Just remember to get a bocce ball playset with some bocce gear, and you’re good to go. Find quality accessories for the whole family at All Things Bocce, with tournament ball sets, scoreboards, and more.