Bocce is a game that is similar to lawn bowling. Each player or team uses a set of colored balls, and competitors score points by tossing or rolling balls as close as possible to a smaller stationary ball. Although traditionally played on a sandy court, bocce can be played indoors or outdoors and on many different surfaces, including grass and carpet. The popularity of bocce has been rising in recent years, and with it, the variety of bocce sets available has increased.
Bocce balls can be manufactured from a variety of materials, such as wood, stone or metal, but they are most often made with the same hard plastic used for bowling balls. Unlike similar sports, such as bowls, that use asymmetrical and weighted balls, bocce balls are spherical and have evenly distributed weight. You can find bocce sets in many styles, sizes and price ranges. Designs may be ornate or plain. These factors, in addition to ball size, weight and material, can alter the price significantly.
As is often the case, the cost may give you an idea of the quality. However, it may be wise to read as much information as you can about the product before purchasing a bocce set, because many other factors can influence price. For instance, metal bocce balls may be beautiful and appear to be well worth the money, but some may rust quickly. Hard plastics may be more durable in some cases, but they can crack if packaged poorly.
If you plan to play in a league or tournament, find out what size balls the other players use. Discovering that you need 109-millimeter balls after purchasing a 100-millimeter bocce set would be an unpleasant surprise. Some groups may prefer certain materials too. For instance, tournaments typically use durable, plastic balls. The more information you get from other players, the easier your shopping decisions will be.