Finding Your Form in Beach Bocce
Whether you roll or toss, good form makes the difference
between a great shot and an okay shot. With flawless bocce form, you will
impress your friends and strike fear into your rivals. If you can’t get out to
play beach bocce every day, you can still improve your technique at home. Just
stand in the center of your living room and strike that bocce pose.
A quality bocce shot starts with the feet and works upward.
Take a step forward and bend at the knee. You want to get as low to the ground
as possible when you release the ball. Swing your arm backward and forward
gently like a pendulum. The smoother and steadier you can make your arm motion,
the more consistent your shot making will be. Most importantly, be sure to keep
your eyes on the target the whole time.
In soft, sugary sand, a toss might work best. A roll might
not cover the distance to the target ball.
Nothing’s more frustrating than a beach bocce ball stuck in the sand. On
firm sand, you can try out your backhand technique, also called an inverted
shot. The hand controls the ball's direction, speed and distance, so it is
important that the ball is held with a good grip. With the back of your hand
facing the target, you’ll give some backspin to the ball at the release point. Backspin
slows the ball down on a fast surface.