A beginner's guide to playing bowls.

Introduction:

Lawn bowls, a sport known for its leisurely pace and gentle competition, is a pastime that has been enjoyed for centuries. Its accessibility and simplicity make it an ideal activity for people of all ages. In this guide, we’ll break down the basics of playing lawn bowls, from understanding the equipment to mastering the techniques, and hopefully, by the end, you’ll be ready to step onto the green and give it a try.

Understanding the Equipment

Before you begin, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the basic equipment used in lawn bowls.

Bowls: These are the heavy, slightly asymmetrical balls used in the game. Each player typically has a set of four bowls. They come in various sizes and weights to accommodate different preferences.
Jack: The smaller white ball is called the “jack.” It serves as the target that players aim to get their bowls close to. The jack is typically rolled or placed at the beginning of each end (round).
Bowling Green: The rectangular, flat playing surface, or bowling green, is where the game takes place. It’s meticulously maintained and marked with a variety of lines and markers to indicate distances and positions.

In the above picture after all bowls thrown black has the closest 2 bowls to the jack and would be awarded 2 points.

Basic Rules and Techniques:

The Toss: At the beginning of the game, a coin toss determines which player or team delivers the jack and the first bowl.
Delivery: To deliver a bowl, stand on the mat (a designated starting point) and choose your line of play. Hold the bowl with both hands, placing your fingers inside the grip holes. Step forward with one foot as you release the bowl. The key is to maintain balance and follow through smoothly.
Scoring: After all the bowls have been delivered, the player or team with the closest bowl(s) to the jack earns a point for each bowl in that position. The game is typically played over a set number of ends or to an agreed score. The winner is determined by calculating the highest score after the number of ends has been completed or a player or team reaches the agreed score.
Bias and Weight: Bowls have a bias, meaning they are not perfectly symmetrical. This bias causes the bowl to curve as it rolls. Players must learn to anticipate this curve and adjust their aim accordingly. Additionally, bowls come in various weights, which can affect their speed on the green.
Etiquette: Respect for fellow players, the green, and the rules of the game is crucial. Wait your turn, remain silent during your opponent’s delivery, and avoid walking on the green or crossing a player’s line of play.

The Objective:

The primary objective of lawn bowls is to get your bowls as close as possible to the jack. The team or player with the bowls nearest to the jack scores points. Points are awarded for each bowl that is closer to the jack than any of the opponent’s bowls.

The game can be played with either 1, 2,3 or 4 players in a team with the size of the team determining the number of bowls each player throws.

Team Size / Bowls

1 (Singles) 4

2 (Doubles) 4

3 (Triples) 3

4 (Rinks) 2

Bowls Terminology

Common terms you will hear once out on the green.

Term	Definition
Bias	Bias is the amount of curve that a bowl will take during its course to the jack. Bowls are available with several different biases for use in different conditions and competitions. As part of the manufacturing process all bowls are tested against "Master Bowl", which defines the limits of this bias
Burnt End	A Burnt or Burned end is one where the Jack has been moved outside the boundaries of the rink by a bowl in play. In normal competition burnt ends must be replayed
Deliver	Deliver is the word used to describe the throwing or rolling a bowl. The delivery is the action of delivering a bowl. A bowler with a good delivery can be compared to a golfer with a good swing.
Draw	The term Draw can have several meanings in bowling. As a noun it can refer to the type of shot being played. A "dead draw" is an attempt to deliver the bowl as close as possible to the target (generally the jack). It can also be used as a verb. You may hear a skip issuing an instruction such as, "Just draw to the jack".
Drive	A Drive is type of shot in bowling where the player delivers the bowl with maximum force toward the target. Otherwise know in Scotland as a "blooter"!
End	Bowls are played from one end of the green to the other alternately. An "end" of bowls comprises the placing of the mat, the delivery of the jack and the delivery of all the bowls of all of the players in one direction on the rink.
Guard	A Guard is a bowl played to a position that restricts the opposition from getting to the target. Can also be known as a "policeman".
Head	The Head refers collectively to the Jack and the bowls that have been delivered and have come to rest within the boundaries of the rink..
Heavy	When a player unintentionally delivers a bowl beyond the jack or the intended target it is described as being Heavy
Jack	The Jack is the small white ball that is the target in bowls. You may also hear it referred to colloquially as the "White", the "Kitty" or the "Sweetie".
Jack High	If a bowl is Jack High it means that it has reached a position such that its nearest part is laterally aligned with the jack. Effectively it means that the bowl and jack are precisely equidistant from the mat.
Lead	A Lead is the person who plays first in pairs triples or fours (rinks) game. The lead is responsible for setting the mat and delivering the jack to start the end.
Line	The Line or Road is the curved route taken to the jack. E.g. "You are a yard short but your line was good."
Second	The Second in a triples or rinks (fours) game is the player who plays second. In the rinks game the second is normally responsible for marking the score card.
Short	A bowl that does not reach the jack or the intended target is described as being Short.
Shot	Shot can have several meanings. The shot or shots are the number of points scored in an end. It can also mean the type of delivery, e.g. a drawing shot, and during an end, it can be used to describe the bowl that is currently nearest the jack.
Skip	The Skip is the captain of a team in pairs, triples or rinks play. The Skip is always last to play and is responsible for directing the play during an end. The other players in a team must follow the Skip's instructions.
Third	The Third is the third player to play in a fours (rinks) game. The third is normally responsible, with his corresponding opponent, for deciding the result of an end, i.e. who is lying the shot and how many shots have been scored. The skips however have the final say in this in the event of any dispute.
Toucher	A Toucher is a bowl that during its course touches the jack before finishing within the boundaries of the rink. A toucher remains live even if it finishes in the ditch.
Weight	Weight is the term used to refer to the power applied to a delivery.
Woods	Before the introduction of plastic composition bowls they were made from the heaviest most dense wood available, Lignum Vitae. At this time bowls were often called Woods and some people still use this as a generic term for bowls.

Stepps Bowling Club

A beginner's guide to playing bowls.

Understanding the Equipment

Basic Rules and Techniques:

The Objective:

Bowls Terminology