Why We Built Boccemon Oyster Blend The Way We Did

This story begins in the early 2000s.

Boccemon’s founder, Tom McNutt, was working as a contractor on the San Juan Islands, just a ferry ride west of Bellingham. One evening, the next door neighbor invited Tom and his crew over for grilled salmon, beer, and bocce. Over food, drinks, and laughter shared with friends and strangers alike, Tom experienced firsthand just how uniquely  bocce brings people together.

In that moment, something clicked.

Inspired by the game and the atmosphere it created, Tom set out to build a court — and more importantly, a surface — of his own. Through trial and error, failures and discoveries, he eventually developed what became our Rain Country Blend, now known as the Boccemon Oyster Blend.

That origin story matters.

Tom didn’t design this surface because he had an abundant supply of oyster shell that needed a purpose. He wasn’t looking to capitalize on a byproduct. Quite the opposite. He began as a player. And like a cook who understands quality ingredients, Tom learned to recognize what separates a superior playing surface from a poor one.

As both a player and a court owner, he identified three pillars of a quality bocce surface: playability, maintenance, and drainage.

Execute on those three characteristics, and you create a court that performs beautifully for years to come. 

Playability: the most important characteristic of any bocce court

Without question, this is the most important factor.

A bocce court should be predictable. That’s the whole point of playing on a court rather than on grass or sand. The roll should be smooth, even, and reliable. A properly built court should track straight and offer natural variation in ball speed — faster when dry, slightly slower when damp — allowing for a range of playing styles.

All of this is only possible with a finely textured surface material.

No gravel.
No coarse chunks of shell.

A proper surface should be comfortable enough to walk on barefoot without discomfort. Fine texture allows the material to compact uniformly, creating the consistency that great play demands.

Maintenance: why surface texture determines longterm performance 

A bocce court should not feel like work.

Too often, people are told that a natural bocce surface inevitably requires intensive, ongoing maintenance. In reality, that’s usually the result of improper material selection.

Surface materials that contain large shell fragments, decomposed granite, or other gravel components resist laying flat. Trying to keep them smooth becomes an ongoing battle.

Start instead with a finely textured blend, and it naturally compacts into a smooth surface. Add rain to the equation, and you begin to notice a self-leveling effect. Like sand flats at low tide.

When the material is right, maintenance is straightforward and simple.

Drainage: why oyster shell performs best over time

Drainage is less glamorous but equally critical. It’s one of the most common issues that court owners face and one we are committed to help simplify. Every bocce court needs drainage underneath the surface, but also a surface material that will allow water to percolate through without compromising long-term stability or playability.

Because our blend utilizes a high percentage of oyster shell flour, it must be carefully supplemented with other natural materials. This stabilizes and binds the surface into a uniform consistency — one that resists separation, excessive calcification, and cracking through temperature swings and changing weather conditions.

Drainage should enhance a surface, not deteriorate it.

The Look and Feel: a surface designed to compliment every setting

Although not one of the pillars of performance, this one is important: a bocce court should look beautiful.

Courts are not small features. They take up space and attract attention. While appearance doesn’t directly impact play, it absolutely impacts the experience.

Our blend is a 100% natural oyster shell surface that honors the coastal traditions that established the gold standard in bocce surfacing. It carries a refined white-gray tone that shifts subtly with the seasons, accented with small delicate flakes of oyster shell to remind us what is underfoot. 

No dyes.
No bleaching.
No synthetic additives.

Just real ingredients — mixed by hand, by bocce players, for bocce players.

For more than 20 years and across over 2,000 courts nationwide, we’ve remained committed to these principles. This blend wasn’t designed to be trendy. It was designed to perform for the long haul.

This isn’t a one-time purchase. It’s a decade-long investment in quality time spent with friends and family, all ages and abilities, and the simple joy of gathering together outdoors.

Ready to get started?