Rolle Bolles are made of a hi-tech hard rubber substance that is virtually indestructible. The bolles are shaped like a small wheel that is beveled on one edge causing it to roll on the path of an arc. The size of a bolle ranges from a minimum of six inches to a maximum of eight inches in diameter and weighs a maximum of eight and a half pounds. The bolles are two and a half inches thick.
The bolle can be sized and shaped to the bowlers preference as long as it meets the physical characteristics stated earlier. The most common customizations are the diameter and bevel of the bolle. Changing the diameter effects the size and weight of the bolle. Changing the bevel effects the amount of arc and the speed of the bolle.
- Easy to learn and fun to play.
- Provides fun and exercise for people of all ages.
- Can be played with any number of people.
- Portable and easy to setup.
- Can be played almost anywhere.
- Opportunity to teach competition and sportsmanship to youngsters.
- Promotes social gatherings with friends and relatives.
Shortly after the Reformation, Europeans turned toward sports and games of chance and skill. Based on using local materials and providing entertainment, these games became formalized competition with the sanction of the Church. Some of these came down through the ages, such as Rolle Bolle, Horseshoes, Ten Pin Bowling and Bocce Ball.
The Belgians developed Rolle Bolle as we know it, a game played on bare ground with stakes set 30 feet apart. The bevelled bolle is rolled from one stake to the other. As it slows down, it turns into the stake and comes to rest. The bolle, or bolles which comes closest to the stake scores.
The game of rolle bolle is played on a dirt court, called a rolle bolle alley. It is 42' long from backstop to backstop to backstop, and at least 12' wide. The alley is level and made from clay, dirt, or sand that compacts well and hard and should be kept damp but not wet. Two wooden stakes are driven into the ground, 8 to 10" deep, with the top of the stakes 2 to 4" above the ground. The stakes are 30' apart in a line with the center of the court, 6' in from each backstop. (The top half of a broken baseball bat makes a good stake.)
Backstops are made of 2 X 8" planks or larger, and the planks are as long as the alley is wide. The backstop should be at least 2' in height. An old telephone pole laid 6" above the ground also makes a good backstop.
The bolle is made of hard wood, or hard molded rubber or similar material, formed into a disc 6 to 8" in diameter and about 4" thick, slightly beveled to one side so that the bolle will turn towards the stake when rolled. It weighs from 6 but not more than 8 1/2 pounds.
The bolle is held in the palm of the hand with 3 center fingers on the run of the bolle, the small finger on the inside of the bolle and the thumb on the outside to use as a guide in balancing the bolle. (The small side is the smallest diameter of the bolle or the inside. The outside is the largest diameter.) To roll the bolle, the player stands in a position with feet apart, like a long-walk stride, the left foot forward if you are right handed, and vice versa if you bolle with the left hand. Stand near the stake in line with it, but not more than 6' to either side; facing the opposite stake, the player bends down and rolls and sort of pushes the bolle out of his hand toward the other stake. The 3 fingers on the run are cupped on the bolle and when releasing the bolle they are straightened out during the roll or push of the bolle.
The object of the game is to roll your bolle as close to the stake as possible. The game can be played with from 2 to 6 players on the team, with each player having one bolle. Teams usually consist of three players. The maximum number of points the team can score on any one end is the number of players on the team.(e.g. 3 players per team - 3 points max.) The team scoring 8 points total wins the game. After the teams have been picked (which can be decided by drawing cards - red or black) a flip of a bolle can decide which team starts the game (see rule number 11). Usually the player on each team who rolls first is considered the lead man, and he normally makes the decisions as to what he wants his teammates to do in regard to either rolling or shooting his bolle.
The lead man from the team elected to start the game rolls his bolle toward the stake. The lead man from the opposing team rolls his bolle toward the stake. The team furthest from the stake must have his teammates roll in turn until one gets closer than his opponent. If all the members of one team have rolled and fail to get closer to the stake than the closest Bolle from the opposing team. After everyone from each team has rolled (normally it is referred to as bolled, not rolled), the end is complete, so the winning team for that end starts again by bolling to the opposite end in the same manner as before. (In tournament play or prys-bolling the team consists of three players and eight points is game).
Some players are called "shooters" so named because they can roll (normally referred to as shooting) or shoot their bolle with such force that he can knock out the closest bolle from the stake (naturally, your opponent's) far enough to make his teammate's bolle win. A bolle is shot in a similar manner as a softball pitcher throws an underhanded pitch. A boller can also shoot his teammate's bolle to push it closer to the stake than his opponent's. This can be done when your teammate's bolle is in front of the stake one or two feet or less. A shot like this is called a straight-up and is not shot with as much force as to knock a bolle out. A bolle that is shot or used if it hits the backstop after the shot. If it hits another bolle and stays on the alley without hitting the backstop, it is considered in play. Also, a bolle that is knocked out and hits the backstop is also dead, for the end of play.
Read the rules of Rolle Bolle.
If you have questions or are interested in purchasing a Rolle Bolle, contact Dan Verkinderen for more information.