How to Choose Bowls

Choosing your own set of bowls is one of the most exciting, and most important, part of the sport of lawn bowling. Keep in mind that when it comes to buying your own bowls, you will first have to choose whether or not you should purchase a used set. Used sets are significantly cheaper than new and if you inspect them carefully and they don’t have any serious flaws such as deep scratches, nicks, or dents, they should be fine for what you need.

If you decide to invest in a new set, be sure to bring along a fellow bowler, especially if you’re not very experienced in the sport. They’ll be able to show you how you will be holding the bowl, as well as different techniques, and from this you will be able to determine if you are really comfortable holding different bowls. Also, make sure that wherever you’re buying it from will let you have a few practice shots with the bowl first so that you can really get a good feel for the bowl. 

Also if you’re buying new bowls, try to buy a complete set all at once. This has the distinct advantage over buying individual bowls because they will all be identical in shape and weight and they will all also have the exact same biases. This will give you a more consistent throw and will help you better perfect your game!

The World Championship

If there is anything that will prove that lawn bowling is not a stoggy sport that’s only played by retirees, it’s the World Championship. The World Championship in lawn bowling is much like the Olympics in that lawn bowling organizations (which are usually represented as countries) send their best to represent them and try for medals and, the event is held every four years.

The event first began in Australia in 1966 and it was just at the 2008 World Championships that men and women competed together. Lawn bowling organizations, such as Bowls Australia, first hold national competitions to determine which players they will send to the World Championships. Each organization is represented by 5 players who will play first as singles and fours, and then will play as pairs and triples. The top three winners of each category are awarded a gold, silver, or bronze medal and the best 5-player team will also win an award. For men, this is called the Leonard Trophy and for women it’s called the Taylor Trophy. 

The last lawn bowling World Championships was held in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2008 and the next event will take place in Adelaide, Australia from November 24, 2012 to December 9, 2012.

The Block

The Block is a defensive shot taken in lawn bowling and while it can be a good strategy to keep your opposition at bay, it can also be very difficult to place your bowl exactly where you want it. Because of this, the block requires great precision otherwise, it will just be a wasted shot.

To throw a block, you need to throw your bowl so that it lands just short of the jack or target. The idea is that this will force your opponent to move another way by placing it directly in their drawing line. It’s also used largely to stop an opponent from taking a shot at the jack or the target.

Because of the great attention to detail and accuracy that’s required, the block is only recommended to be employed by advanced bowlers and those that are familiar with green conditions.

Crown Green Bowls

Crown Green Bowls is a type of lawn bowling that varies slightly from the traditional game that is played. The game originated in the North of England and the North West Midlands and it is here that the game is still most closely associated with pubs and taverns, making it a bit less formal as well. 

The game is played on a Crown Green, which is like a traditional green in the way that it is a large square piece of grass. Unlike traditional lawn bowling however, the middle of the green is slightly raised and there is a ditch surrounding the green. Crown Green Bowls is usually played by single players who only take two turns per each end. Players are allowed to throw their bowls in any direction and just about any strategy can be used – some players like to use the raised hump to their advantage while others feel more comfortable playing along the slope. Others still like to simply make short or long shots across the flat part of the green. 

Crown Green Bowls is a very exciting game to watch because the rules are much less stringent than they are in traditional lawn bowling. Players can throw their bowls in any direction and because there are usually many games occurring simultaneously on one green, there are always people moving around each other and their bowls! 

Crown Green Bowls may be a less-traditional form of lawn bowling but it’s an actual sport that is actually recognized. The British Crown Green Bowls Association opened in 2000 when 15 county teams officially entered competitive Crown Green Bowls. The Association is still thriving today and is always welcoming new members who want to add a little bit of a twist to their lawn bowling game!

The History of the Jack

Although it may seem that the Jack would be a most natural part of the game of lawn bowling itself and that it would date as far back as the game, the term ‘jack’ actually has many different theories as to how it came to be in existence. The first time the term ‘jack’ has ever been documented was in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, which is believed to have been written in 1609. In this, Shakespeare writes, “Was there ever man had such luck! When I kissed the jack, upon an up-cast to be hit away.”

Others believe that the term ‘jack’ comes from the Latin term jactu lapidum, which refers to a sport in which stones were thrown at a target, thought to be what we know today to be the jack. 

Still yet another theory points to another writer, R. Pierce who wrote in 1967, “He had not strength to throw the Jack-Bowl half over the green.” In this theory, it’s thought that ‘jack’ is meant to refer to a lesser or smaller version of something else (such as a jackrabbit is a small rabbit.) Here, the Jack-Bowl would be a smaller version of the regular bowls.