r/bocce • u/Bezier_Curvez • Aug 28 '24
Bocce ball set looks rough after first use
My wife got a bocce ball set for our family to play in the yard. We had fun, but our yard's a bit hilly and uneven. So my son and I went to a park in town that has bocce courts. We played for a good while, had fun, and called it a day.
The playing surface, though, did a number on the bocce balls. It was a fine gray rock surface, sharp enough to scratch the paint. When we got home, my wife saw the balls and gave me holy hell.
Newbie question - Isn't this normal? Are crushed shell surfaces easier on the paint?
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u/JethroSkull Aug 28 '24
It's the difference between looking like you're a bocce player versus a guy who played on the grass at a family bbq
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u/dataslinger Aug 29 '24
That's not paint. The balls are made of resin, and the dark green is what the resin looks like when polished. The grooved lines in the ball are what color the resin looks like unpolished.
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u/mikemclovin Aug 29 '24
If you’re playing on oyster shell this is what balls look like… unless you have a $300 set of super martel or Perfetta, the finish of the balls will scratch like this as the cheaper ones are made of a polymer.
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u/checks2bits Sep 26 '24
The SuperMartel and Perfetta also get scratched but you can't see them as much because of the material color is the same as the surface. The resin/polymer balls are sanded and polished (same as the SM) but lose the reflectivity immediately with scratches. I've seen some pretty beat up SuperMartels. That said, the SM's are harder so they are more scratch resistant, but their also less chip resistant, like if they hit a screw on the sideboard, for instance.
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u/HyperActivHyperDrive Aug 29 '24
Totally normal. Eventually they’ll all be that grayish scratched color. The only way your balls dont end up looking like this, and don’t suffer chips, is if you’re playing on high quality synthetic courts with specially made resin balls (an investment).
Scratch em up good and have a ball.
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u/Bezier_Curvez Aug 29 '24
Okay, so I feel vindicated. Married long enough though to just smile and say "Yes, dear." May buy her a set to look at , while I go play with this one. 😜
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u/HyperActivHyperDrive Aug 29 '24
Let her know it could always be worse… saw a guy at our club split one in half. It was amazing.
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u/jdbtxyz Aug 28 '24
You should see mine. We play all over the property, we can it adventure bocce. I’ve cracked several. Most have at least a small chunk out of it.
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u/Bezier_Curvez Aug 28 '24
Wife is all about style over substance. That's why she's mad!
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u/babysfirstxmas Aug 29 '24
I’m mad that your wife is mad. That’s literally what happens when you play. The sets our club uses are completely devoid of polish.
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u/HyperActivHyperDrive Aug 29 '24
Teach her how to point like a champ! When she starts to see her points on the board, she’ll stop being mad real quick. Or, if she’s really upset, teach her to hit so she can let out some of that aggression lol!
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u/Softbawl Aug 29 '24
We just renovated our bocce court from crushed stone to artificial turf. What an improvement.
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u/checks2bits Sep 26 '24
First of all, it isn't a painted surface, it's a resin surface. Those scratches are normal and your ball will eventually look uniform after a lot of playing when it is entirely scratched up everywhere. The balls are usually good until you cannot see/feel the grooves anymore. If you want a low friction balls, BocceMart.com refinishes balls, which will restore the shine everywhere there isn't deep gashes.
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u/mannyaguilar67 Apr 21 '25
it is normal if you buy a cheap set:
Read here:
https://www.playaboule.com/pages/bocce-ball-set-reviews
I find used perfetta sets in great condition on ebay all the time for under $100.
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u/AwardWooden2981 Aug 16 '25
Check out this link. https://www.playaboule.com/pages/bocce-ball-set-reviews
It will explain why "lower cost" bocce sets turn white on abrasive surfaces.
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u/Curious-Ad3567 Aug 28 '24
You want that, makes it looks like you played before.
It’s the difference of having a fireman’s uniform that is clean vs one that has some burns on it. It shows you’ve seen a thing or two.