Have you ever wanted to go bowling in your front lawn? Maybe play billiards in a large grass field? Well, bocce ball isn't exactly like either of those things, but it's kind of similar.

About a month ago, a friend introduced me to a yard-game called bocce ball. The game consists of eight large, heavy spheres-- half of them one color, the other half another color-- and a ninth ball that is much smaller. The game is played in rounds and in the beginning of each round the small ball is thrown in front of the players, as short or as long as the throwing player wants. Then the two players take turns throwing the larger balls at the smaller one with the goal of having their balls stop the closest to it. With the exception of a few simple rules, that is pretty much all there is to know about playing the game of bocce ball.

This may seem kind of rudimentary, like a child's game perhaps, but trust me when I say that the game is not as easy as you would think.

For anyone familiar with golf, bocce ball requires some of the same skills that are used while putting. In order to get good throws in bocce ball, one has to work with the surface of the land being played on; more power is needed for thick grass and inclines and less power is needed on short grass and dirt, and so on. Just as a golfer determines whether to chip a shot or putt it, bocce players need to determine how high and far to throw the balls according to how they will likely roll after hitting the ground. Furthermore, because the ground is not level, the balls must be thrown in adherence to the slants, bumps, and holes that accompany any natural landscape. While this game could easily be played by children, that is not to say that the action of the game is thoughtless. Depth perception becomes a far greater problem than most people think and, as in any game, there is some strategy to it.

What makes bocce ball so addicting, in my opinion, is that it is generally a fair game, regardless of athletic skill and physical strength.

Granted one of the players is not an MLB outfielder and the small ball isn't thrown more than ten or twenty yards, bocce ball is generally a game of very close scores and last-minute game changers. While skill and depth perception do come in handy, there is never any way to tell for sure what the bocce ball might do after it leaves the hand. Too many times to count, I've had a ball lined up perfectly, rolling toward a victory, when, at the last second, it hits a bump and jumps a foot in the wrong direction. In addition, balls can be knocked away later in the round by either player, which means there's really no guarantee as to who will win a round.

While bocce ball is a lot of fun to play, the best part of it is that it forces people to interact with one another in a fun and lighthearted way.

Since first introducing me to the game, my friend and I have gotten together quite a few times to play, which is probably more than we would have hung out otherwise. We've also gotten to talk to each other a lot more than usual and about a lot more things than usual because we've played so many games of bocce ball. It's almost as if bocce ball is just a good excuse to get outside and spend time with others, sharing in good conversation and having some laughs. Since buying a bocce ball set for myself, I've introduced the game to more of my friends and have spent even more time socializing with people that I might not get the chance to as often.

Final thoughts on the great game of bocce ball.

I'd urge others to get outside more and play yard games with their family, friends, etc., whether the game is bocce ball or not (although bocce ball really is a lot of fun). With school and work and the million other things people are always doing, it can be really hard to make down-time to spend with the people that really matter. Bocce ball, along with other yard-games, gives people the space and time it takes to relax, decompress, and bond with those who are important and dear to them.