What do bowlers bowl down the green

If a bowl comes to rest outside the side boundary of the rink, after it has been played at a boundary jack, it becomes dead. The result is the same even if the bowl touches the jack and then comes to rest beyond the boundary, or comes to rest touching the jack but wholly beyond the side boundary. Should the jack become damaged during play, the end is declared dead and is played again in the same direction using a new jack. If the jack is driven against the bank and rebounds on to the rink it remains in play.

If the jack is displaced from its position by a non-toucher rebounding from the bank it should be restored, as near as possible, to its original position by a player of the opposing side. If the jack has been played into the ditch and it is displaced from its position by a non-toucher, then the jack must be restored to its marked position by a player of the opposing side. Should the jack be diverted from its course while it is moving on the green, i.

He has a similar choice should the jack be disturbed by an opponent when it is at rest on the green or in the ditch. A jack in motion, or at rest on the green or in the ditch, which suffers displacement by a person not playing on the rink, or by a bowl played from another rink, should be placed in a position acceptable to the two captains.

If they cannot reach agreement on its position the end is played again in the same direction. Similar action is taken if the jack is displaced by any object lying on the green or in the ditch. The basis of the game of bowls is fours play. The fours game is, however, the most popular one, since it accommodates the maximum number of players 8 on a rink, demanding that each side of four players should combine to play as a team. Matches are invariably played as fours games. Fours play demands a greater skill than the other games.

Each player is limited to two bowls, and with only a pair of bowls to deliver in each end, no player can afford to be careless with either shot. The four players in each side are known as lead, second, third and skip.

They play in that order, alternating their shots with their opposite numbers in the other team, and continue to play in that order until the end of the game or match. Changing the order involves forfeiture of the game or match to the opponents. Each player must be a specialist in his position. In addition each player has certain duties to contribute towards the smooth progress of the game.

His special responsibility is to place the mat and throw the jack, ensuring that the jack is properly centred before playing his first bowl. To commence the game the mat is placed with the back edge 4ft from the rear ditch; at subsequent ends the back edge of the mat shall be not less than 4ft from the rear ditch and the front edge not less than 27 yards from the front ditch and on the centre line of the rink of play.

If his side has won the preceding end, the lead is in a position to place the mat and throw the jack to a length preferred by his four — a big advantage. He must be a skilful player at any length. With an open jack to play at, his object must be to get both bowls nearer the jack than any bowls delivered by his opponents. The choice of hands back hand or forehand rests with the lead — he should decide which hand most suits his team.

The duties undertaken by the second man consist of keeping a record of all shots scored for and against his side. He records the names of the players on the score card, and after each end he compares his record of the game with that of the opposing second player. At the close of the game he hands the score card to the skip. As a player the second specialises in positioning. If the lead has placed a bowl nearest the jack the second should play his bowl into a protecting position.

If the lead has lost the shot he must attempt to place his bowls closest to the jack. Versatility is required of him — an ability to play almost any shot in the game. The third man needs to be an experienced player, who must be ready for forceful play but who can, when necessary, play any shot in the game.

The skip has sole charge of his rink and his instructions must be obeyed by his players. He decides, with the opposing skip, all disputed points and their agreed decision is final. If the two skips are unable to agree the point in dispute is referred to an umpire whose decision is final. In the game the skip plays last. While his players are delivering their bowls he issues directions to them by hand movements. It is he who decides the tactics and strategy of his four.

Possession of the rink belongs to each side in turn, belonging, any any moment, to the side whose bowl is being played. As soon as each bowl comes to rest, possession of the rink is transferred to the other side unless a bowl becomes a toucher when possession is not transferred until the toucher has been marked.

Players not in possession of the rink must not interfere with their opponents, distract their attention, or in any way annoy them. The position of players during play is important. Players standing at the head of the green, unless directing play, i. The skip or third man directing play may stand in front of the jack, but must retire behind it as soon as the bowl is delivered. All players at the mat end of the green, other than the one actually delivering a bowl, must stand behind the mat.

All players must stick rigorously to their order of play in each end. If a player plays out of turn, the opposing skip may:. A player shall not be allowed to change his bowls during the course of a game, or in a resumed game, unless they be objected to, as provided in LAW II 3 c of the Laws Of The Game, or when a bowl has been so damaged in the course of play as, in the opinion on the umpire, to render the bowl or bowls unfit to play.

The umpire may stop a game, or the teams may mutually agree to cease play, on account of the weather, or because of the darkness. When the game is resumed the score will be as it was when the interruption occurred, an end that was not completed not being counted. On resumption, if one of the four original players in the rink is not available, one substitute player is allowed.

In a game of winning ends the side with the bowl nearest the jack in each end become the winners of that end, i. To allow all the bowls to come finally to rest, up to half a minute, after the last bowl has stopped running, may be claimed by either side before counting the shots. The jack or bowls may not be moved until the skips have agreed the number of shots.

Exception is made, however, where a bowl must be moved to allow the measuring of another bowl. The end is counted as a played end. Great care must be taken when measuring a bowl to ensure that the positions of other bowls are not disturbed. If the bowl to be measured is resting on another bowl which prevents the measurement, the players must use the best available means to secure it in its position before removing the other bowl.

Similar action should be taken where more than two bowls are involved or where measurement is likely to cause a single bowl to fall over or change its position. In a game of winning ends — victory decision goes to the side with the majority of winning ends.

Other games — victory decision goes to the side with the highest total of shots. In tournament games, or games in series, victory goes to the side with the highest number of winning ends or the highest net score of shots, according to the rules of the tournament or series of games. If, in an eliminating competition, the score is equal when the agreed number of ends have been played, an extra end or ends are played until a decision is reached. The length of a full size bowling green is 44 yards, and the jack must be delivered to a distance of 25 yards from the mat.

Each bowl must traverse a distance between 25 and 40 yards. The beginner must learn to estimate the various distances over which each bowl is to be delivered. At the same time, if he is to attain prowess at the game, he must learn to deliver each bowl to a chosen point on the green — against the jack, or to a point in front or to the side of it.

This, the elementary shot in the game of bowls, is called the draw. Until he achieves that ability he is recommended to stick to the drawing shot and not to attempt to include other shots in his armoury. The trail is a difficult shot to achieve. The object of the trail is to take the jack along with the bowl, the two rolling together and coming to rest while still in contact. If they come to rest with the bowl hiding the jack from view, then the perfect shot has been made.

Further, should the jack be carried into the ditch, the player is in an unbeatable position while that end is being completed. The trail demands accurate judgement of land in that the bowl must still be running when it strikes the jack.

Weight must be calculated exactly to prevent the jack running ahead of the bowl, or being knocked to one side or the other.

This shot is often known as the skittle or drive. It is a shot delivered at speed and straight, or almost straight, down the green. A destructive shot, is difficult to accomplish and it should be used only when no other shot is possible. The guard is a shot which can be used to defeat a possible firing shot by an opponent. The bowl is delivered to come to rest about 2 feet in front of the jack along the straight path from the mat to the jack.

When accurately positioned it provides a physical guard to the jack, and has a psychological effect on the next player by disturbing his estimate of the distance from mat to jack. It can also be used against a player expert at the trail shot.

The bowl should be delivered so that it comes to rest at least 3 feet from the jack and makes an angle of about 40 degrees with the path from the mat to the jack — perhaps more than 40 degrees on a fast green and a little less on a heavy green.

So positioned, it will prevent a trail shot becoming effective, nor will it be driven on to the jack. The wise bowler will develop a tactical approach to his play. He will aim to be on the offensive and will play a defensive shot only when forced into it.

The first bowl should find the jack — it should finish either immediately in front or immediately behind the jack, and not more than 6 inches away. In such a position the jack and the bowls offer guards for one another. A bowl which finishes resting by the side of the jack, even though touching it, merely serves to give your opponent a longer target for his aim. The positioning of later bowls will depend upon the progress of play. If the first bowl has been placed in front of the jack, then the second bowl should be placed about a yard behind it.

Subsequent bowls should be placed in strategic positions — it is obvious that against such a start your opponent will attempt a trail. Place some of your bowls so that a trail is impossible and, as a safeguard, place the remainder so that should he achieve the impossible he will drive the jack on to your bowls.

In a fours or triples game the second player keeps the score; in a pars game either of the partners may function as scorer; in a singles game the score should be kept by a marker.

During the playing of each end he remains at the jack end of the rink and, in addition to keeping the score, he performs the following duties:. An umpire shall be appointed by the controlling body of the association, club or tournament management committee. His duties shall be as follows:. In a competitive single fours game where a club is represented by only one four, all the members of the four must be genuine members of the club.

The failure of all four players to appear and play after a period of thirty minutes, or the introduction of an ineligible player, will cause the side at fault to forfeit the match. In a team game where not more than one player is absent from either side after a period of thirty minutes, the game proceeds. In the defaulting side or four, the number of bowls is made up by the lead and second players each playing three bowls.

One fourth of the score made by the defaulting side or four is deducted at the end of the game. If two or more players are absent from a four or side, play takes place only on the full fours. In a single four game the defaulting side forfeits the game. In a team game the aggregate score of the defaulting side is divided by the number of fours which should have been played, whereas the aggregate score of the non-defaulting side is divided by the number of fours actually played.

Should play be interrupted due to darkness, weather, or a similar reason, it is resumed with the scores as they were when play was stopped, an uncompleted end being declared null.

If one of the four original players in any four is not available when play is resumed, one substitute is permitted but that substitute must not be transferred from another four. A substitute is allowed to take the place of a player who has to leave the green owing to illness.

The substitute must be a member of the club to which the four belongs, and he must join the four as lead, second or third man — never as skip. Should a player in a single game have to leave the green owing to illness, the game is resumed, if possible, at a later time or date.

A player may not delay play by leaving the rink except with the consent of his opponent, and then not for more than 10 minutes. Contravention of any of the above conditions entitles the opposing side to claim the game or match. Persons not playing in the game must remain beyond the limits of the rink and clear of the verges. They must preserve an attitude of neutrality and are not allowed to disturb or advise the players.

Except for the marking of a live jack in the ditch, no extraneous object intended to assist a player may be placed on the green or rink, or on a bowl or jack. If the position of the jack or bowls be disturbed by wind or a storm, and the two skips are unable to agree the replacement positions, the end is played again in the same direction.

Betting or gambling in connection with any game or games is not permitted within the grounds of any constituent club of a National Association. I recently suffered a severe sciatica attack which has left me with a weak and numb left knee. I cannot find any information as to whether I should continue playing lawn bowls with this condition. Can you give me any guidance please? We use 6 ball collectors at our club with no visible damage being caused. They are banned during wet weather though.

I think your green keeper is being over officious and possibly trying to assert authority unnecessarily. If collectors were likely to damage the green, why are they made and sold? If your green-keeper has done his green-keeping course, you might want to check to see if they were told then, about damage caused by collectors.

I agree I look after our green and would allow pushers onto the green in wet or dry times as some people are unable to push vast amount of woods back with their feet we want everybody to enjoy the gams wet or sunny? I am interested to hear if the bowling green is available for learners on a Tuesday Wednesday or Thursday I am a young oap and live at Galmpton and have free time on those days.

What is the rule if a player drives and his wood and the Jack leave the rink, hit the clubhouse wall or a bench and rebound back on to the green? Dead bowl I belong to an outdoor EBA bowls club. We have yellow and white jacks. The Laws of the Sport of Bowls state: Clubs sometimes make their own conditions of play for local events, however I would suggest that the colour of the jack should not be one of them. Needless to say the opposing team were losing heavily and my feeling was an element of gamesmanship was being tried.

As you say, the opposing team were losing heavily, he was just trying to upset you and make you lose your concentration. A jack is moved in a way that is not approved with in the Laws of the Sport of Bowls.

What is being defined. We have ten teams competing against each other in our Club. We have been told that we are not allowed to put small 8mm stickers on both sides of the bowl to indicate to which team we belong. Is this correct? Email Us. There are many varieties of the game of bowls. In all, the basic rules of the game are exactly the same - it is only the equipment and the playing area that differ. Accordingly, the descriptions of each game are given separately but the common rules of play are given only once.

As in all such games, specific rule variations abound according to the area and the club or pub. Drakes Pride Professional Bowls Black. Taylor Ace Bowls - Black. Drakes Pride Midi Bowls Bags. Bowling Arm aid for bowler who has difficulty bending. Bowls - Basic Play The Equipment Each person has a set of uniquely marked bowls called "woods" which are slightly eccentric balls - each bowl is a tad less than spherical on one side.

The resulting weight differential is called the "bias" and woods are rolled with the bias on the left or right side so that the bowl adopts a curved path towards the target. In the past woods were normally made from lignum vitae but these days hard rubber or a compound material is often used.

The target is a smaller ball, usually white, called a "jack". The Play A coin is tossed to decide which player will start the first "end" or "leg". After that, the player who won the previous end bowls the first wood of the next one. To start, players take turns to bowl the jack until one bowls it to a position that is in accordance with the rules.

The player who is to bowl the first wood of the end is the player who has the first chance to bowl the jack. Under most circumstances, the first try is all that is needed. Once the first wood has been bowled, the other players then take turns to roll their bowls towards the jack. Woods are not always played with the aim of being closest to the jack - they are often played to knock opposing woods out of contention or to move the jack or other woods of the same team into a more advantageous position.

The winner of the leg scores one point for each wood that is closer to the jack than the opposing team's closest wood. The player or team that first reaches 21 points or some other amount agreed up front, wins. The Equipment A standard bowling green is a flat square lawn between 33 and 44 yards long. Delimiting the edge of the lawn is a ditch.

The surface is divided into strips or "rinks" 19 to 21 feet apart so that multiple games occur across the whole lawn, one in each rink. The Play The game is played up and down a rink. In "singles", each player plays four bowls. In "pairs", for each end, each player plays four bowls - the first player on each side bows all four bowls and then the second player bowls four bowls.

Do not be short A plea to a bowler to use sufficient pace or weight, and with the correct green or land, to arrive exactly at its objective. Fast green Usually a dry and closely cut surface which offers little resistance to the progress of the bowl. Fire or drive A shot where the bowl is delivered at a very fast pace. Fluke A shot excruciatingly executed, yet sublimely successful — do at least say sorry! Follow through This should be the natural movement forward of the delivery arm following the line or path of the bowl.

Foot fault When the rear foot is not completely on or above the mat at the moment of delivery. The player could incur a penalty. Forehand When, for the right-handed player, the bowl is delivered so that the curve of the bowl is from right to left as it travels towards its objective. Green The total playing surface, the measurements of which are laid down in the rules.

Green line The curved line that the bowl must travel from the mat to reach its objective. Head The jack and as many bowls as have been played at any stage of any end.

Bowls in the head may be on the rink or in the ditch. Heavy bowl Where a bowl has been delivered with too much pace and will end beyond its objective. Jack or kitty The round white ball towards which play is directed. The size of the jack must conform to the rules.

Jack-High bowl A bowl which, when it comes to rest, is at the same distance from the mat as is the jack. Lead The player who lays the mat, rolls the jack, and delivers the first bowl in an end. He may sometimes toss the coin at the beginning of the game to determine which team has the right to start play. Live bowl Any bowl that comes to rest within the confines of the rink and is acceptable under the conditions laid down by the laws of the game, or any toucher in the ditch.

Long jack A jack that is the greatest distance allowed from the front edge of the mat, or is close to this limit. Mark it or chalk it To mark a toucher with chalk. Marker A person who undertakes to see that a game of singles is played according to the rules. He marks all touchers, centres the jack, measures, and keeps the score.

During the playing of an end, it could be wiser for the marker not to talk to the players unless asked a direct question. Mat The mat from which a bowler must make his delivery the size is laid down in the rules. Measure A device used to determine which bowl is nearest the jack. Measuring The process of determining which bowl is nearest the jack. Narrow shot Where a player has not allowed enough green or land.

But this shot can sometimes be played intentionally. Open it up An instruction for a bowl to be delivered with enough pace to clear any obstruction in the way of bowls that are between the player and the jack. Pace of the green See fast green and slow green. Pace or weight The amount of force with which the bowl is delivered to execute a particular shot.