Preparing to bowl and following-up
When it is your turn to bowl, wait behind the mat for the call from your director, then perform your personal pre-delivery routine to set yourself for the shot you are about to deliver.
Watch your bowl to the end of its course and consider any changes to your stance, line, weight or follow-through which might be needed.
Watch your team mates’ and opponents’ bowls and be ready to bowl when it is your turn.
| Position | Before the game | During the game |
| Lead | · Loosening up exercises
· Practice rolling the jack · Practice drawing to jack · Practice drawing behind jack · Discuss length to roll jack · Decide on preferred hand |
· Intend to have two bowls finish close to the center line and close to the jack
· Before each mat placement and jack or bowl delivery, check for any direction from your skipper · Set yourself on the mat for your bowl · On each end deliver both bowls on same hand unless your skipper asks you to change · Watch your bowl until it completes its course · Decide on any change in your action for subsequent bowls · Watch the remainder of each end after you have bowled · When the end score is agreed get mat and jack or kick back bowls as appropriate |
| Second | · Loosening up exercises
· Practice drawing to jack · Practice drawing behind jack · Practice drawing to position · Alternate hands · Occasional yard on shot to disturb head
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· Be ready after the leads have bowled
· Wait behind the mat for your skipper’s direction · Set yourself on the mat for your bowl · Watch your bowl until it completes its course · Decide on any change in action for subsequent bowls · Watch the remainder of each end after you have bowled · When end score agreed, record it on card, check with opposing second, adjust scoreboard, kick back bowls |
| Third | · Loosening up exercises
· Practice drawing to jack · Practice drawing behind jack · Practice drawing to position · Alternate hands · Occasional yard on shot to disturb head
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· Watch each end and be ready after the seconds have bowled
· Wait behind the mat for your skipper’s direction · Set yourself on the mat for your bowl · Watch your bowl until it completes its course · Decide on any change in action for subsequent bowls · When you change ends, as appropriate, discuss skipper’s options · When directing the head, respond to skipper’s queries · Mark touchers, remove dead bowls, display markers for jack and live bowls in ditch · When all bowls delivered, in conjunction with other director, decide on end score and signal it clearly · Kick back bowls |
| Skipper | · Loosening up exercises
· Practice drawing to jack · Practice drawing behind jack · Practice drawing to position · Alternate hands · On shots and drives to disturb head · Speak to team members about specific matters relating to coming match · Discussion with lead about lengths of ends and preferred hand
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· Direct players’ bowls so that heads are built
· Acknowledge attempts, good and successful · Do not signal the obvious such as too long or too wide · Avoid negative messages from the head · Watch the players’ bowls as they draw to the jack so that you know the line they take on both the wide and narrow hands · Mark touchers, remove dead bowls, display markers for jack and live bowls in ditch · Generally give a specific direction when asked about the forthcoming bowl · For on shots, show where an unimpeded bowl would finish when asked about line and/or length · As you change ends, pass on any advice to your teammates and discuss the situation with the third
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| Position | Training and practice |
| Lead | · Loosening up exercises
· Roll jacks to various lengths and from various mat positions · Deliver bowl to jack, forehand and backhand · Occasional yard on shot to disturb head · Specific practice to address error from previous game · Drills as set |
| Second | · Loosening up exercises
· Draw to jack or bowl at various lengths on line and off-center · Alternate hands · Controlled disturbance of head · Specific practice to address error from previous game · Drills as set |
| Third | · Loosening up exercises
· Draw to jack at various lengths on line and off-center · Alternate hands · On shots and drives to disturb head · Draw into crowded heads · Specific practice to address error from previous game · Drills as set |
| Skipper | · Loosening up exercises
· Draw to jack at various lengths on line and off-center · Alternate hands · On shots and drives to disturb head · Draw into crowded heads · Specific practice to address error from previous game · Drills as set |
Formalities and etiquette
All players should become familiar with the Rules, in particular those regarding fair play and protecting the head from bowls from adjacent rinks.
When the head is your opponents’ you must not do anything to cause them distraction: stand still, out of the way and silent. You should be at least two metres behind the mat or at least one metre from the center line and two metres behind the jack.
The head becomes opponents’ when your team’s bowl comes to rest. If you follow your bowl along the green, you must turn around and be behind the mat or beyond the jack when it completes its course.
When deciding the score on an end, do not move any bowl until its status has been agreed.
Stay away from the head whilst the directors are determining the end score.
When the umpire is called to a rink to make a decision all players should leave the rink and not interfere in any way.
Acknowledge good bowls and fortunate results but do not show delight in your opponents’ misfortunes.
Alert players standing at the head to an impending drive.
Check whether the teammate who follows you is happy for you to pick up their bowl for them: some bowlers use the stretch when bending down as part of their routine.
Terminology and interpretation
Your director is your team mate at the head, usually your skipper or third.
The head is the region covering all live delivered bowls and the jack.
The course of a bowl is the path it takes from the bowler’s hand to the place where it comes to rest.
A live bowl is one which has come to rest with some part within the boundaries of the rink. If it is in the ditch it is a live bowl only if in its course it was deemed to have touched the jack. If bowl at rest is knocked out of the rink it is no longer live. A bowl which is not live is put on the bank for the duration of the end.
A draw bowl is one which you intend to come to rest close to the jack.
An on shot is a bowl delivered to run into the jack or a bowl: this can mean that it will be given a narrower line and more weight than a draw bowl.
A drive is a bowl delivered with enough speed to run into the jack or a bowl and hit them away and even into the ditch or off the rink: this can mean that it has a very narrow line and it finishes out of bounds.