About the Game

About the Game

Bowls can provide you with open air exercise, comradeship, improved mental and physical facilities. Standard competitions normally last around 3 hours per match but some can be shorter

To get started, the basic equipment is the level playing surface, foot mats and target ball (jack). Individuals would require flat soled shoes and a set of bowls (four bowls in a set, each weighing around 1.5kg).

The object of the game is to get one or more of your team’s bowls closer to the jack (a little white or yellow ball) than your opponents. Each game has a specified number of “ends” and the winning team is the team that has accumulated the most points in the game. Games can be singles (one player per team), pairs (2 players per team), tr.iples (3 players per team) or fours (4 players per team). The number of bowls per player is determined by the number of players per team.

Bowls are not round but have a “bias” so they run in a curved line. One side of the bowl is “weighted” (the bias) and the curve goes towards the bias. Each set of bowls has an individual serial number and an identifying logo. As well as different sizes of bowls there are bowls with different biases that make their travelling path wider or narrower.

A bowling green is divided into rinks which are 4.3 to 5.8 metres wide and 31 to 40 metres long. There are usually 6 or 8 rinks per green.


Grey trousers and white shirts used for roll ups and some club competitions. Whites are used for matches against other clubs and club finals unless otherwise stated. NB Women: may wear trousers ,long cut offs or skirts.

SHOES: Flat soled shoes are required.

Types of Games

Games of bowls can involve singles play or teams of two in pairs, three in triples or four in “rinks” games. Roll ups and social bowling follow the same format.  A match involves a number of teams from one club playing another club either at home or away.

A match could involve six rinks or 24 players (6×4) for each team(Club).

Friendly matches are as much a social occasion as they are a sporting active but competitions can be taken very seriously. There are often after match meals to continue the general atmosphere of friendliness and mutual respect.







LEAD (1)

A Lead is the person who plays first in pairs triples or fours (rinks) game. The lead is responsible for setting the mat and delivering the jack to start the end. A lead is responsible at the end of each end ensuring all bowls are at least a metre behind the mat position.


The Second in a triples or rinks (fours) game is the player who plays second. In the game of triples the Second is also responsible, with his corresponding opponent, for deciding the result of an end, i.e. who is lying the shot and how many shots have been scored


The Third is the third player to play in a rinks game. The Third is normally responsible, with his corresponding opponent, for deciding the result of an end, i.e. who is lying the shot and how many shots have been scored. The skips however have the final say in this in the event of any dispute.

SKIP (4)

The Skip is the captain of a team in pairs, triples or rinks play. The Skip is always last to play and is responsible for directing the play during an end. The other players in a team must follow the Skip’s instructions. In the all games the skip is responsible for marking the score card.