About the sport of Lawn Bowling

This is a game that has been played for many hundreds of years. It provides competition, exercise, fresh air and a pleasant social experience.

The game is played on a “green” that is divided into eight rinks (lanes). Our green is approximately 120’ square.

The playing equipment is comprised of a set (4) of bowls, a mat and a “jack” (a small white or yellow ball).

The mat is placed towards the end of the rink, on the center line. Standing on the mat you roll the jack down the rink and the jack is then placed on the center line at the distance it has comes to rest. The bowlers then take turns to roll their bowls, aiming to get as close to the jack as possible. When all of the bowls have been rolled the score is tallied. If you get one bowl closer to the jack than any of your opponent’s bowls then you score one point. Two bowls closer will give you two points and so on. At this point you have now completed what is called “the end.” You now place a mat at that end of the rink and repeat the process in the opposite direction.

What could be simpler?

Well…………………

The bowls are not quite round. In the manufacturing process one side of the bowl has been “shaved” slightly resulting in this side being marginally less heavy than the other side. As the bowl travels down the rink it gradually slows and at this point starts to curve in the direction of the heavier side. There is an emblem on the side of the bowl that indicates the heavier side, the direction in which it will turn.

The amount of this turn can vary but will typically be several feet. This is what presents the challenge and tests the skill of each player.

Strength is not an element of lawn bowling so is a game that can be played equally well by both sexes.

The game can be played as singles or with two or three players per side.

A typical club game generally takes about two hours to complete.

Flat soled shoes are required to protect the surface of the green.