Highworth Bowls Club

How it’s played



The bowls green
The green: rink positions are moved and rotated every few days to ensure even wear.
Forehand and backhand
Forehand and backhand lines to the jack (for a right-handed bowler)


Players deliver their bowls alternately from a mat at one end of the rink, towards a small white ball called the jack at the other end. The bowls are shaped so that they do not run in a straight line, but take a curved path towards the jack. To be successful the bowl must be delivered with the correct weight, along the correct line. The bowl can be delivered either forehand or backhand.


Result of the head
The blue bowls have the nearest bowl, and the second nearest, scoring two. No other bowls count.


  • The second or two keeps the score card and scoreboard up to date. The two will normally be required to improve or consolidate the position achieved by the lead.
  • The skip is in overall charge of the rink, directs the other players on choice of shots, and tries to build the ‘head’ of bowls to his or her advantage.

The normal game formats are as follows:


Although these are the most common formats, variations are allowed by the controlling bodies. Matches may be mixed or single-sex.