Bocce ball, a lively game with roots in ancient Rome, is played on a long, narrow court. The objective is to get your team’s balls closest to a smaller ball called the “pallino” or “jack.” It’s an excellent choice for social gatherings, whether played casually or competitively. With its European origins, Bocce has gained popularity in the United States, boasting around 1 million players.
Tom McNutt — also known as “Boccemon — is a pivotal figure in the local bocce scene. In 2000, while managing a project on Crane Island, McNutt and a colleague stumbled upon an old bocce court while at a neighbor’s barbecue. Inspired, McNutt built a bocce court in his yard upon his return to Bellingham.
His innovative use of oyster shells in the court sparked interest, leading to the construction of additional courts, including ones at Barkley Village and Fairhaven. To commercialize his bocce court material, McNutt launched boccemon.com to sell materials and construction expertise.
“Boccemon would never have gotten off the ground without the support of my friends and local businesses,” says McNutt. “We’ve shipped over 2,000 court surfaces in the past 22 years, not only across the U.S., but also to places like Greece, Dubai, Canada, Jamaica, and Costa Rica.”
In 2005, the Boccemon company even shipped 12,000 pounds of materials in flat-rate boxes to a field operating base in the Sunni Triangle of Iraq for the Combat Bocce Club.
According to McNutt, Whatcom County bocce ball has expanded since the first commercial court was built at Barkley Village. He finds more people familiar with the game as they pass by his Sehome-area bocce group that plays on Wednesday afternoons. McNutt’s court is not public, but people are welcome to play on Wednesdays after 3 p.m., weather permitting, at the corner of Carolina and Iron Streets.
During these Wednesday sessions, folks from Skagit County to Custer come to play, representing various professions and backgrounds. “They are folks who have stopped by to ask a question or two, and we inevitably convince them to join in a quick game,” McNutt says. “Some have been coming for 21 years, and others have joined more recently.”
Beyond McNutt’s courts, of course, bocce is also played on beaches and lawns throughout Whatcom County, with regular games taking place in Lynden, as well.
Suzan Brawnlyn oversees the bocce program at the Lynden Community and Senior Center. “Currently, the bocce program is simply for playing,” says Brawnlyn. “Lynden has a well-maintained, sunken field at Bender Sports Fields where the Community Center and Senior Center meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon.”
Brawnlyn has enjoyed watching bocce ball grow in Lynden over recent years. “Lynden has maintained the bocce ball surge,” she says, “and we’ve opened it up to all Whatcom County Senior Centers and the public who want to play.”
She noted that seniors come from Bellingham, Everson, and occasionally Blaine or Ferndale — and folks are starting to put together their own teams.
Nearby, Anacortes has a bocce court at Anthony’s Restaurant, and Roche Harbor on San Juan Island has two publicly accessible courts surfaced by Boccemon.
“It can be played anywhere with minimal equipment or experience,” says McNutt. “And court bocce is great because when played on a groomed court, there’s predictability in where the ball will end up.”
And whether you’re nine or 90, it’s easy to play on a bocce court. “People should play simply because it’s good for them!” McNutt says. “It’s a low-impact game that gets people outdoors. Smiles and new friendships are great reasons to play.”
Bellingham hosted Washington’s largest bocce ball tournament for 18 years before COVID-19, with all proceeds going to local nonprofits. Today, large tournaments are held at Seattle’s Festa Italiana in late September, and the Seattle Bocce Club hosts frequent games and tournaments at Woodland Park.
Looking to the future, McNutt sees potential for more local park courts in Bellingham and across Whatcom County towns, wineries, breweries, neighborhoods, and country clubs.
McNutt and Brawnly are hopeful that bocce ball will continue to grow in Whatcom, keep rolling, and gain even more popularity as players pick up the game for the first time or continue to enjoy with friends and community.
More on Bocce Ball in Bellingham and Whatcom County
Boccemon
For more on bocce ball in Whatcom County, visit the Boccemon website or Facebook page.
Lynden Community Center Bocce
Bender Sports Fields Bocce Ball Area
Area Bocce Ball
Anacortes
Anthony’s Restaurant Bocce Ball Court Website:
Seattle
The Seattle Bocce Club can be found on their website
