Is Lawn Bowling Just for Retirees?

It’s a common misconception that lawn bowling is a sport or hobby that is mostly reserved for retirees. While it’s true that many senior citizen facilities and communities do offer lawn bowling as a main sport, this is simply because lawn bowling is one of those wonderful sports that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter the age and so, it’s quite easy for seniors to pick up and begin enjoying immediately. But that doesn’t mean that this sport is only for those who are in their golden years.

Lawn bowling is a great sport for the very young or the very old and one great way to enjoy it is to go to a local club and just pay for one session. It’s a very fun game that while is competitive, isn’t extremely aggressive or physical.

Lawn bowling is definitely not reserved for retirees and can not only be enjoyed by any one of any age, it can also be enjoyed all year round as it can be played inside or out. Just one more reason to get involved in this great sport!

The Basic Costs of Lawn Bowling

While it’s true that you can invest as much as you would like to into this lawn bowling hobby of yours, there really are just a few basic costs that all bowlers will have to pay, at least if you plan on playing on a regular basis. Here are some of the most basic costs you can expect to pay when playing the sport of lawn bowling:

Bowls: You can get a good, used set between £40 – £100. A new set will set you back about £250.

Membership Dues: Generally around £40 annually.

Green fees: Generally around £75 per year.

Shoes: These do not need to be special lawn bowling shoes but they must be flat-soled and are usually preferred to be white. A good pair will probably cost anywhere between £40 – £100.

Measure: This is so that you can tell the difference in length between different bowls to the jack and determines the winner of the match. They generally cost about £30.

Bowling Bag: A necessity not only for your bowls but also your shoes, sunscreen, etc. They can be found in the price range of £50 – £100.

Chalk: This is so you can mark the bowls that have touched the jack. Chalk generally costs less than £1 but spray chalk, which comes in a tube, costs about £6.95.

Respecting Your Opponent

Sportsmanship is generally a large part of any sport but when lawn bowling becomes something that’s much more than a hobby and you begin joining clubs and competing in tournaments, sportsmanship becomes a very large part of lawn bowling etiquette and knowing the small details of how opponents treat each other in lawn bowling is important to know. In general, you should remember that lawn bowling is a sport in which competitors highly respect each other and are friendly towards each other. It is a proper sport and there is no reason for trash talk or disrespecting your opponents. Be sure to congratulate your opponents when they throw a good bowl and be humble when they return the same favour to you. When a match has been called and should you find yourself running late, it is your responsibility to let the other player or players know when you will be arriving. Otherwise, they do have the right to force a forfeit in their favour. No player should ever leave the bowling area unless they have first obtained the permission of one or both Captains. Should it be necessary for you to leave the playing area, it should never be for more than 10 minutes as play will be stopped the entire time you are gone. Once a match has ended, it’s courtesy for the losing player to be the first to shake the winner’s hand and congratulate them.

Lawn Bowling Glossary

While it’s true that there really aren’t that many terms that you need to know to enjoy the sport of lawn bowling, there are a few that you should become familiar with. Here is a short list of the most commonly used terms in lawn bowling.

Backhand – This is when you swing the bowl across the body to the side from which you want to throw the shot.

Centre Line – This is the line marked at each end of the rink that the jack and the mat must sit.

Controlled Weight Shot – This is a move the bowler will make when they’re trying to achieve what could be done with a drive but not lose their bowl.

Ditch – This is an actual ditch built around the exterior of the rink. If a bowl lands in here, it’s considered dead unless it’s a toucher bowl.

Draw – This is when the bowl is thrown in an effort to get as close as possible to the jack.

Drive – This is a throw that attempts to knock other bowls or the jack out of position.

End – An end can only be played when the jack is still live. It’s when each bowl is thrown in a match, all in the same direction.

Forehand – This is a move that throws the bowl from the same side of the body that the hand holding the bowl is on.

Green – This is what the sport is played on.

Head – The bowls around the jack at the finish of an end are called a head.

Jacks – This is the bowl that other bowlers want to get their bowls closest to.

Mat – This is what the bowler will stand on while they throw.

Rink – This definition is used to either define the specific area in which an end is played or a group of 4 players making a team.

Shot – This is the bowl that is closest to the jack when the end is finished.

Wood or Bowl – The ball that bowlers use to throw towards the jack.