If you are new to the game of bowls you will undoubtedly hear lots of strange terminology. You might find it a bit bewildering to start with. However, if you are a member of a club, you will be guided by experienced bowlers. In no time at all you will pick up the lingo. I have highlighted some of the more common ones below.
The Green.
- The green is the grassed area that the bowls game is played on. It is square with minimum dimensions of 30m x 30m and a maximum of 40m x 40m. Occasionally you will get an outdoor synthetic bowls green and all indoor bowls greens are synthetic. Ideally a bowls green should be very flat.
The bowls green is the most important asset of any bowls club. It is the most expensive part to upkeep and it requires the most attention to keep it pristine. In the winter time, usually from the end of September to the middle of April, the green is closed down. Most clubs employ a green keeper or employ the services of a professional company to manage the green.
Rinks
- Each green is marked off in rinks. These are lanes of play. They can vary in width but are usually about 3.048 metres (10 feet) wide. Most greens will accommodate 6 rinks. However, there are other variations. Rinks can run vertically or horizontally and they are changed to maintain the integrity of the green. Each rink can be moved to what are called marks to avoid unwanted wear and tear on the green.
- Sometimes a rink refers to a team of players. This will consist of a Lead Bowler, a number two, a number three and a Skip. They all have different roles throughout a game (see below for more details)
Ditch
- The green is surrounded by a gutter called the ditch. Bowls delivered too far will fall into the ditch and become dead and have to be removed before the next bowl is delivered. If a bowl touches the Jack, the target, and then drops into the ditch, it is counted as a live bowl and is still in play. This may vary in some formats
Mat
- The mat is a rectangular rubber mat and is used to stand on to deliver the bowl. They should be a regulation size of 360mm wide by 600mm long. At one time they would be dark grey or black, but are now available in other colours as well. A bowler must have at least one foot on or over the mat at the point of releasing the bowl. If they don’t a “foot fault” can be claimed and the bowl is null and void.
Jack
- The Jack or “Kitty” as it sometimes referred to, is a hard white or yellow ball. The Jack should weigh no less than 8 oz and no more than 10 oz. The first player to bowl will stand on the mat and cast the Jack down the rink. It should be no less than 23 metres from the mat. It is then placed centrally in the rink and then becomes the target or object ball. If a Jack is hit and moved it is still in play unless it goes outside the area of play. In most cases this will result in a dead end. If the Jack is hit and rolls into the ditch at the end of the rink and still within the parameters of the rink, it is still in play and a marker is attached to the sidewall of the ditch to show where it is.
Bowl
- A bowl is what is used to try and get as near to the Jack as possible. Bowls usually come in sets of four. They vary in size, colour and bias. They are often referred to as “Woods” as originally that is what they would have been made of. Modern bowls are made of a hard composite material and should weigh no more than 3.5 lbs each.
Bias
- Interestingly, bowls originally had no bias and just rolled in a straight line down the green. It is reputed that in 1552 the Duke of Suffolk was playing when one of his woods split. He decided to repair it with some metal and noticed how the wood curved as it rolled down the green. This added a new dimension to the game and for a while all the woods were weighted to create a bias. Modern bowls don’t have weights, they now are shaved on one side to create the bias. The bowls are stamped on the side of the bias so a player knows which way the bowl will curve. There is a range of different biases available and new players are encouraged to practice with different bowls before deciding which bias they prefer.
Beware the Wrong Bias! This can happen when a player forgets to check which side the bias stamp is. The ensuing bowl will start to curve dramatically in the wrong direction and will end up nearer to the Jack on the adjacent rink than yours. This error will bring cries of laughter and derision from just about everyone on the green and you will have to take a serious amount of leg pulling. In truth, there’s not many bowlers who have avoided this in their bowling career .
Live Bowl
- A live bowl is any bowl that ends up in the area of play. A bowl that touches the Jack and then drops into the ditch within the parameters of the rink is still considered a “Live Bowl” and will count. A marker is attached to the end of the rink to indicate where the bowl is.
Chalking a Bowl
- If a bowl touches the Jack it is marked with either a stick of chalk or chalk spray. This bowl remains live throughout the end, even if it lands in the ditch or is subsequently knocked into the ditch by another bowl. Chalking the bowl is usually carried out by the Skip or the number three when the skip is bowling
End
- A game of bowls is made up of so many “Ends”. The number of ends is pre-set before the game starts. An end is when all the players from both teams have bowled all their bowls from one end of the green to the other. Once the scoring from that end is complete. The team who won the end now set the Jack and play back the other way and so on.
The Measure
- During a game of bowls there may be occasion when it is not clear which bowl or bowls are nearest to the Jack. When this happens either side can ask for a measure. In this instance a player will use a proper bowls measure to determine the outcome. The player will measure the distance from the Jack to the suggested nearest bowl, lock in the distance and then compare it to other bowls. It is not uncommon for a tied end and as long as both sides agree the result stands. In some major competitions, if a decision can’t be reached, an official umpire can be called in to decide the outcome.
Shots
- Shots are simply the number of bowls that are nearer to the Jack than your opponents at the end of each end. Effectively you score one point for each shot
The Head
- This is the name given to the end of the rink where the Jack has been set. It is how the various bowls lie and how near they are to the Jack
Reading the Head
- This is a skill that is usually learned from experience over a period of time. In a game of Four’s there will be up to 16 bowls in the head and it is where good tactics can affect the outcome of an end. The main players who have to read the head are the number three and the skip. Information about the head is relayed down the rink to help decide what shot is required.
Visiting the Head
- This means where a team member might require the next bowler to visit the head to see where all the bowls are. It’s usually only allowed in top level matches and it is usually reserved for the back-end player or players. It is not usually permitted in friendly matches
Lead Bowler
- This player sets the Jack and then bowls their bowls alternately with the opposition lead bowler. Their main objective is to deliver the perfect draw bowl/bowls and put pressure on the opposing team.
Number Two
- This player is there to back up the lead bowler and consolidate any advantage gained. In most games of Four’s the number two will be asked to record the score on the scorecard
Number Three
- This player should have an all-round game. The skills required are to be able to play all the different shots, read the head and communicate clearly what shot the skip should play. They are also responsible, along with the opposition number three, on determining how many shots have been scored. This will sometimes result in a measure to be used. In games of Pairs or Triples, this role is the responsibility of the last but one player.
The Skip
- This is without doubt the most influential player in any team. Skips are usually players who have experience of playing in all the different positions. They effectively boss the rink and make decisions on where the mat should be placed, what length the Jack is set, what shot should be played. On top of this they should be good communicators and create a spirit of positivity within the team. Ultimately they have the last bowls in each end. There is an old saying in the game “The game is won from the front end and lost from the back end.
The Forehand Delivery
- If you are right-handed, when you hold your bowl prior to delivery, ensure that the bias stamp is on the left side of the bowl. This is so when the bowl is released the bowl will curve from right to left. If you are left-handed, just reverse the procedure.
The Backhand Delivery
- If you are right-handed, when you hold your bowl prior to delivery, ensure that the bias stamp is on the right side of the bowl. This is so when the bowl is released the bowl will curve from left to right. If you are left-handed just reverse the procedure.
The Draw
- This when a bowler delivers the bowl and it ends up right next to the Jack.
The Running Bowl
- This is when bowl is deliberately delivered overweight and is designed to move other bowls or the Jack.
The Firing Bowl
- This is when a bowl is delivered at high speed with the intention of causing massive disruption to the head and sometimes designed to kill the head. If the end is killed that end then has to be replayed.
Scoreboard/Card
- Most clubs have free standing scoreboards that are placed at one end on the green during a game. The number of shots and ends are recorded on the completion of each end. This is carried out by the elected member of the team. The score card is usually held by the skip and is filled in on completion of each end. In some major competitions the scorecard has to be signed by both skips at the end of the match and handed in to the match officials.
Marker
- In competition matches where there are only two players i.e. a singles match, a marker is required. The marker is there to set the Jack centrally, and ensure that it has been cast to at least the minimum length. They can also answer any direct questions a player asks about the head, and they keep a tally of the score. They must not show favouritism and are not allowed to give advice to any player. The marker also carries out any measuring required.
Full House
- This where all the bowls of one team finish in a scoring position. When there are four players in a team it means they will score a maximum of 8 shots for that end. If the game is an official club, inter club or competitive match, the team can apply to Bowls England for a “Hot Shot” award. This award is only available to matches of Fours or Triples. They will receive a certificate, a set of bowls stickers and a badge.
The game of bowls can be extremely competitive and complex when played at the highest level. The sport is governed and played to a firm set rules There is a degree of etiquette that has to be abided by and club members are encouraged to learn this.
In recent years, some of the more stringent rules have been relaxed in order to appeal to younger players. There was a time when men would play in collar and tie with grey or white trousers, and the ladies wore cravats and blouses with grey or white slacks. Bowls would have been predominantly black or brown.
Bowls England set the rules for our game and in an attempt to give the game more appeal they have allowed club polo tops, bowls of just about any colour imaginable, coloured trousers and even shorts. Times have changed!