Penalties and Points in Bocce Games

Published by Larry Boress

Sep 24, 2025

Below are the penalties and points to be awarded under the Bocce Club Rules:

Foot Foul: A player may step on, but not be totally beyond, the white foot foul line before releasing the pallino or a bocce ball.
- If this foul is committed with a pallino, the pallino goes to the other team.
- If this foul is committed with a bocce ball, the ball is removed from play, any balls hit are placed in their approximate original position by a judge and the same team bowls again.
Pallino Foul: The pallino does not go past the center line or hits the back wall directly
- It is a foul and the opponent will bowl the pallino.
Bocce Ball Hits Backboard Directly: A bocce ball hits the backboard without first touching a sideboard, another ball or the pallino.
- It is a dead ball and is removed from the court.
- If this was the first ball thrown after the pallino, the same team bowls again because they have failed to put a target bocce ball close to the pallino.
Ball Exiting Court: When the pallino or a ball leaves the court or hits the top of a wall or scoreboard or concrete wall, even if the ball falls back in, it has exited the court.
- If the pallino exits the court on the initial throw to start a frame, the other team throws the pallino and no penalty points are awarded.
- If the pallino or ball exits the court after the initial throw, 2 points go to the opposing team and frame ends, with the opposing team throwing the pallino the next frame.
Touching or Moving a Ball Before a Frame Ends:
- An active or inactive player touches a ball after it has been rolled before the end of the frame.
  - The ball shall be replaced in its proper position by the Judge.
  - The opposing team will be awarded one point for that frame AND the frame continues.
  - This does not apply to removing a dead ball or if a judge touches or moves ball.
- An active or inactive player moves a ball that is to be measured before the measurement is made,
  - The ball shall be replaced in its proper position by the Judge
  - The opposing team is awarded one point AND the measurement continues.
- An active or inactive player moves more than one ball other than a dead ball before the end of the frame.
  - 3 points are awarded to the opposing team and the frame ends.
  - The opposing team throws the pallino the next frame.

A team cannot get more than 4 points in a single frame from the other team
Ineligible Player: When a team plays a non-resident or non-paid player, that person is ineligible to play
- The game the person played in is forfeited and the other team gets 12 points.

Throwing the Wrong Colored Ball: A player throws a colored ball in place of the pallino on the first throw of a game or throws the wrong-colored ball during the game.
- If a colored ball thrown instead of the opening pallino, the judge will return the ball and the same player is to throw the pallino. If a player throws the wrong-colored ball, it is replaced with the correct colored ball by the judge.
- No penalty points are awarded.
Throwing More than Two Balls: A bowler inadvertently bowls more than two balls in a frame,
- The third thrown ball is considered dead and is to be removed from the court.
- If the third ball strikes any stationary ball(s), the disturbed balls are placed in their approximate original position by the Judge.
Playing From the Same End Twice: Once play has begun, a player is identified who has bowled from the same side in the previous game.
- The opposing team gets one point AND the frame is over,
- The offending player must move to the other side of the court.
- In the Playoffs and Championship matches, if there is a third game, a player who played from one end the first game can play from that end in the third game.