The 10 Best Bocce Ball Sets
Updated by · How we research
Ten bocce sets compared on ball size, weight, material and case, from tournament resin to glow-in-the-dark balls. The GoSports 100mm suits most backyards. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Tournament bocce balls are 107 millimeters across and weigh about 920 grams, yet most backyard sets sold in the U.S. are smaller, lighter resin balls. That's fine for a cookout, and easier on kids and older arms. Leagues and serious players should buy full-size balls, and anyone who plays after dark can pick a set that glows.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The GoSports 100mm set now leads. It's the best balance we found between balls heavy enough for the real game and a set a family will happily lug to the park. The old leader, the Perfetta Club Pro 107, is still the set league players ask about, but it's now sold mainly through its U.S. importer, so it moves to our special honors. The Franklin Sports Starter stays as the low-cost choice.
We swapped the Triumph Premium for the heavier Triumph Competition and the Water Sports Lighted for the GoSports LED, and we removed the Park & Sun Sports Pro Elite and Japer Bees Deluxe because of availability concerns. The Coca-Cola themed set, Franklin Soft Kit and Funsparks Crazy were novelty or foam sets, and the St. Pierre Tournament Set costs nearly twice as much as the St. Pierre Professional mostly for its wooden box.
For this update we leaned on each maker's ball size, material and warranty terms, an Italian-set importer's account of why 107-millimeter, 920-gram balls became the tournament standard, owner reports of chipped and cracked balls, and a recall search for every brand. The old note's point about red-green color blindness still holds, and it's one reason the red-and-black Triumph Competition made the cut.
Earlier notes
May 24, 2021, by Sheila O'Neill:
In this update, we removed the Amazon Basics BBSet due to several reports of balls cracking on impact. We also removed the Verus Sports Expert Set and Viva Sol Premium because of availability concerns.
We replaced the Trademark Games AB7400-BL with the Hey! Play! Coca-Cola, which is also themed after a cold drink, but is more appropriate for family gatherings with kids in attendance.
Bocce balls are traditionally red and green, which is perfectly fine for most people, but can be frustrating for those with red-green colorblindness. Most of the sets with non-traditional colors are meant for casual play, so we wanted to make sure we included a high-quality set that has colors that more people can easily distinguish between. The Triumph Premium has dark blue and bright yellow balls that are 100mm in diameter and made of durable resin.
Traditionally, bocce players are divided into two teams, but many people like to split up into four teams instead. The Japer Bees Deluxe makes it easy to play either way, with two solid red balls, two striped red balls, two solid green balls, and two striped green balls. For two teams, simply split into red and green, for four, the stripes are unique enough to easily distinguish from the solids.
Also new to the list is the Funsparks Crazy. This one features a major deviation from a standard set, using wooden cubes in place of balls. While this may not be for everyone, it's a good choice if you're planning to play on especially uneven ground, since a slant won't cause the pieces to roll away. It's also relatively lightweight and compact, which is helpful for taking it on-the-go.
March 26, 2020, by Daniel Imperiale:
It's fair to say I've played an inordinate amount of Bocce ball for an American, though I did grow up in an ethnocentrically Italian community in NJ, so that might have something to do with it. In fact, the only time the courts were free when the weather was nice was on Sunday afternoons, when the old Italian men who practically lived at them from sunup to sundown went home for the big family Sunday dinner. That might also be why when I see Made in Italy stamped on a set like the Perfetta Club Pro 107, I immediately assume superiority, and in the case of this set, my assumptions were correct. At 107mm in diameter, this set's balls are dead on for the International Bocce standard, and the company's proprietary blend of resin creates an undeniably even roll with great control and a flecked pattern that's easy on the eyes.
But this is a game, however, and games are supposed to be fun, so some players might prefer a set with a bit more whimsy, especially one that also manages to maintain its playability. The Viva Sol Premium, Trademark Games AB7400-BL, and Franklin Soft Kit are all good examples of this, even if the squishy build of the last one on that list makes them better for open court play than for the bank shots that a traditional walled surface can provide. Just be careful showing up to my local park with any of those whimsical sets in tow, as you might suffer the ridicule of some very ancient Italianos.
One last word on scoring: some of these sets come with scoring aids in the form of string like the tool in the Park & Sun Sports Pro Elite or measuring tape like the one that comes with the Amazon Basics BBSet. A lot of casual players will merely eyeball it to figure out who wins, but if you're serious about competing (as I can be), you'll want an exacting tool like one of these.
Special Honors
Perfetta Club Pro 107 The Perfetta Club Pro is the set many league players work toward. It's made in Italy from solid phenolic plastic at full tournament size and weight, each ball is laser-engraved, and Playaboule, its U.S. importer, backs it with a 10-year warranty against splitting and cracking. It costs well more than resin backyard sets and is sold mainly through the importer's own store. playaboule.com
Tournament Size Or Backyard Size
Each side gets four balls, so a standard set holds eight plus the pallino.
Bocce is simple: two sides take turns rolling balls toward a small target ball, the pallino, and only the side closest to it scores, one point for each ball nearer than the other side's best (Wikipedia). Each side gets four balls, so a standard set holds eight plus the pallino.
Tournament balls are 107 millimeters across and weigh about 920 grams, roughly 2 pounds. Playaboule, which imports Italian Perfetta sets, explains that those figures came from solid phenolic plastic, the club material when the rules were set (Playaboule). Sets such as the St. Pierre Professional and JOLORLY 107mm match them.
Most backyard sets are 90 or 100 millimeters and noticeably lighter. That's a fair trade for families: lighter balls are easier for kids and older players to control, while heavier ones hold their line better on sand and lumpy lawn. Color matters too. Two-color sets suit singles and doubles; four-color sets let up to eight people play, two balls each. If anyone in your group has red-green color blindness, a red-and-black set like the Triumph Competition avoids confusion.
Resin, Phenolic, Wood Or Lights
Nearly every set sold in the U.S. is resin. Playaboule says most resin balls are a resin shell over a lighter core, which keeps the weight down but can chip when balls crack together (Playaboule). That's an importer's view, but chipping is also the most common complaint about cheap sets, so look for a warranty. Most mass-market sets carry 90 days to six months.
Solid phenolic balls, the Italian club standard, cost much more and are built for years of league play; the Perfetta Club Pro carries a 10-year warranty against splitting and cracking. Hardwood sets like the GoSports Hardwood are light and handsome, but varnish wears if they're stored wet. Lighted sets put a battery-powered light inside a hollow plastic shell, so they're light and best on smooth ground.
Care is simple. Wipe resin balls with a damp cloth, let wood dry before bagging it, and keep any set out of the rain when you're not playing.
Where To Play And Staying Safe
You don't need a court. Any flat lawn, packed sand or fine gravel works. Official courts are long, narrow and boxed in, and the pallino has to land in a set zone near the far end (Wikipedia), but at home a rope or a couple of shoes can mark the ends. Short grass rolls slower and less evenly than sand or gravel.
Full-size balls weigh about 2 pounds each and hurt if dropped on a foot or thrown carelessly, so set a rule that nobody walks into the court while others are rolling. The pallino is small enough to be a choking hazard for children under 3; federal small-parts rules set that cutoff for toys (eCFR, 16 CFR 1501). Some sets list ages that don't make sense for a lawn game, so keep the target ball away from toddlers whatever the box says.
Lighted sets run on small batteries behind a door in each ball. Keep the doors shut and spare batteries away from children. We checked every brand on this page against the CPSC recall database and found no bocce recalls.
How we researched this
We compared 19 bocce sets, read each finalist's maker specifications and warranty terms, studied an importer's explanation of tournament ball standards and the game's rules and history, analyzed owner feedback for chipping, cracking and bag complaints, and checked every brand against Consumer Product Safety Commission recall records. We found no independent measured tests of bocce sets.
Frequently asked questions
How many balls are in a bocce set?
A standard set has eight balls plus one small target ball, the pallino. Each side gets four balls; in doubles each player rolls two, and four-color sets split into four teams of two balls each.
What size bocce balls should I buy?
For leagues and tournament-style play, get 107-millimeter balls of about 920 grams. For family games, 90 to 100 millimeters is lighter and easier to handle, and still rolls well on grass and sand.
How do you score in bocce?
After all eight balls are rolled, only the side with the ball closest to the pallino scores. It gets one point for each of its balls closer than the other side's nearest ball. Games usually run to somewhere between 7 and 13 points.
Where does bocce come from?
Bocce grew out of ball games played in the Roman Empire and took its modern form in Italy. The first written rules appeared in a 1753 book by Raffaele Bisteghi, and Italian immigrants carried the game around the world.
Can you play bocce on the beach?
Yes. Packed sand near the water line works best. Lighter 90- to 100-millimeter sets are easy to carry, and a zip bag keeps sand out between games.
What is the difference between bocce and petanque?
Petanque is a French cousin played with smaller hollow metal balls, thrown from inside a circle with both feet on the ground. Bocce uses larger balls that are usually rolled along the ground.
