Bocce Banter: Hand Signals

The hand signals are used to speed up game play and help determine if point was gained or not. Some will chuckle at the idea of the ref dancing the YMCA in the middle of the court to indicate who is closer. As soon as players catch on, the game will speed up and you will avoid confusion without having to yell across the court to say whose turn it is.

Hand signals:

  • One hand up in the air (thumb up) = Point
    • Your roll ended in a scoring position
    • Opposing team rolls next ball
  • One hand horizontal to the ground = No Point
    • Your ball did not end in scoring position and is still father away
    • Same team keeps rolling

These signals have helped speed up the game and end controversy over who should roll next. Try it out with your team next time you’re on the court and see if it helps. When the match happens and it’s used on a consistent basis, you’ll notice the game will flow a lot faster than most.