Grounds maintenance might be undertaken throughout the year, but outdoor lawn bowls typically runs from April to September - commencing in the Spring and concluding at the end of Summer.
Clare Bowls Club does not operate an indoor bowls arena, but the indoor game is available at some clubs in the Suffolk and Essex area during the autumn and winter months.
Lawn Bowls: Played on outdoor greens made of natural grass. The playing surface (the Green) is affected by the weather (e.g., wind, drought, frost or rain) and the risk of occasional damage being caused by local wildlife (e.g., badgers, squirrels and moles, etc.) - Variables which influence the speed and path of a bowl.
Indoor Bowls: Played inside a facility on a man-made synthetic carpet. The playing environment is more controlled, offering a dry, more predictable, and faster-running surface.
Lawn Bowls is played on a flat green surface. Crown Green Bowls (primarily played in Northern England, the Midlands, and North Wales) utilises a raised central mound (the "crown").
Playing a series of 'ends', the primary aim is to finish an end with your bowl (or wood) lying closer to the jack (i.e., the small white or yellow target ball) than an opponent's bowl.
A point is awarded for each bowl that comes to rest closer to the jack than an opponent's closest bowl.
Scoring is cumulative - the total of each end's points is added together, for all ends played. The player (or team) with the most points wins.
The playing area (i.e., the Green) is a large, flat, playing surface sub-divided into parallel playing 'rinks'.
The green is natural grass surrounded by a small trench-like ditch and a raised bank.
The ditch around the green's perimeter catches any stray bowl or jack which leaves the Green.
Each playing rink has a minimum width of twelve feet, each of which is marked out for separate matches.
An end is a single round of play, which begins when a player places the mat and rolls the jack - and concludes after players have delivered all of their bowls.
Each round's score is counted cumulatively and the direction of play is reversed between rounds.
A standard game usually consists of 18 to 21 ends (depending on local rules, competition format, etc.,). A casual / social game might be played over fewer ends.
Singles matches are often played until a player reaches 21 points, rather than completing a set number of ends
In a team event, only one team scores after each end.
Bowls are designed to curve or "bias" as they roll.
Effectively controlling release speed and directional bias, enables a player to position their bowl(s) (e.g., near the jack, knock an opponent's bowl, or to block a route to the jack).
Lawn Bowls is played on a flat green surface. Crown Green Bowls (primarily played in Northern England, the Midlands, and North Wales) utilises a raised central mound (the "crown").
Learn moreDiffering regional or local league variations might apply to how bowls is played. Common examples of playing formats are:
At the beginning of each end the mat is placed lengthwise on the centre line of the rink, with the mat's back edge at least four feet from the ditch.
The mat is a designated area from where a player must deliver both the jack and their bowls'. It ensures a fair starting point and protects the grass from excessive wear.
Player's should stand with at least one foot on the mat when releasing a bowl.
Player's should stand with at least one foot on the mat when releasing the jack.
At the start of each end the jack must travel a minimum distance of 23 metres from the front of the mat; and come to rest at least 2 metres away from the front ditch, within the rink boundary.
If the jack stops short of the 2-metre mark from the ditch, it is picked up and placed on the centre line with its nearest point 2 metres from the front edge of the ditch.
If the Lead rolls the jack and it fails to go 23 metres, goes off the side of the rink, or straight into the ditch, the opposing player/team gets a turn to place the mat and re-deliver the jack.
Before play begins at the start of an end, the jack must always be centred on the middle line of the rink.
When commencing a new end, if the Lead rolls the jack straight into the ditch, the opposing player/Lead gets to re-deliver the jack.
If the opposing player/Lead also delivers the jack into the ditch, the jack is centered at a spot 2 meters from the front of the ditch, and the original player/Lead plays first.
A jack driven or pushed into the ditch during play remains live - as long as it stays within the playing rink's side boundaries. Play continues (with the jack in the ditch), and its position is marked with a white indicator on the bank.
The jack becomes dead if it is knocked completely outside the side boundaries of the playing rink, or over the face of the back bank, resulting in a 'dead end' that is usually replayed.
A 'toucher' is a bowl delivered by a player that hits the jack during its original delivery path.
A 'toucher' must be marked with 'chalk', or ('nominated' to the opposing Skip, if the act of chalking might cause it to topple) before the next bowl delivered comes to rest, otherwise it ceases to be a toucher.
A 'toucher' bowl counts even if it ends up in the ditch.
If during the course of an end the jack is knocked into the ditch and is subsequently touched by a newly delivered bowl (during its original delivery path) - the newly delivered bowl is not a toucher, but is a dead bowl.
First on the mat: Delivers the first bowl of each end to build an early foundation.
Placing and rolling: Places the mat as directed by the skip and rolls the jack to a proper, repeatable length.
Targeting the zone: Focuses on getting bowls into a scoring zone near to, or just behind the jack.
Gathering bowls: The winning Lead of an end places the mat for the next end. The losing Lead gathers the bowls together ready for the next end.
Take charge: Captain the team, decide game strategy and tactics (for each end).
Stand at the head: Direct team-mates on what shots to play (e.g., go for the jack, create a blocker, provide a back-stop, etc.).
Close-out the end: Play the final bowls of each end to save, change, or win the head.
Provide encouragement: Maintain a positive attitude, encourage team-mates.
Record keeping: Manage the team scorecard and/or match results.
Play Specific Shots: Roll to the jack, play positional shots (e.g., blockers', or behind the jack), or play to displace an opponent's bowl.
Mark Touchers: In absence of any dedicated marker - mark any "toucher" (i.e., a bowl that hits the jack during its original course) with white chalk before the next bowl is delivered.
Remove Dead Bowls: Remove any of your team's bowls that enter the ditch without touching the jack (i.e., they are considered "dead").
Control the Head: Take charge of the head at the jack end when the Skip delivers their bowls.
Direct the Skip: Advise the Skip on what shot to play, the current situation, and where danger lies.
Measure for Points: Measure the distance between disputed bowls and the jack alongside the opposing Third, to determine who wins the points.
Agree on the Score: Mutually agree the number of points scored at the completion of each end, before telling the Skip and Second.
Clare Bowls Club - 1 Station Road, Clare, Sudbury CO10 8NJ