A Brief Introduction to Lawn Bowls
Welcome to Canberra City Bowling Club and the wonderful world of lawn bowls. Bowls is played outdoors and offers a range of non-contact exercise and enjoyment, without requiring brute force or great endurance. Currently, our top-ranked bowler is a woman, and many of our members play on well into retirement. Some say it takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. Others say that bowls is like chess on grass, with a degree of thought and strategy at the higher levels.
The following brief introduction and summary may help newcomers to the sport.
Bowls is played with four matching bowls making up a set. Each bowl has an identifying symbol, with a large vesion of the symbol on one side and a smaller version on the other. Each bowl is biased i.e. manufactured to travel in an arc – the large symbol goes on the outside of the arc. Bowls may be delivered either on the forehand or the backhand – simply check the large symbol.
The Club has a number of bowls sets available for newcomers to use. Bowls are available in a wide range of sizes but for beginners the best advice is to select a bowl which feels comfortable without straining the hand. If you do borrow a set, please make sure that the set is returned in the same plastic tub. Jacks and mats should be returned to the foyer of the Clubhouse.
Social bowls can be played in any flat-soled shoes (there is a guide inside the Clubhouse). Again, the Club has a range of older shoes in a variety of sizes which visitors are welcome to borrow for a game.
Bowls is played on individual rinks, usually seven to a green. Each rink is marked and if a bowl comes to rest outside a boundary, it is “dead” and does not count. Similarly, if a bowl goes into the ditch at either end of the rink, without touching the jack, it is “dead” for that end. If it does touch the jack, it is still a “live” bowl and can be included in scoring.
The simple object of lawn bowls is to have the closest bowl or bowls to the kitty or jack at the conclusion of each end. Scoring is usually over a certain number of ends i.e. play in both directions. Each bowl closer to the jack than your opponentÂ’s bowls scores one shot.
Canberra City is proud of our heritage and history and we ask visitors to respect the greens and grounds. Greens can be damaged easily so please take care. Here are a few do's and don'ts we ask you to follow:
- Please do not sit on the bank or take drinks onto the green.
- Do not stand in the ditch or on the edge of the ditch.
- When delivering a bowl, stand on the mat – this gives additional support and stability.
- Bowls should be rolled onto the green. Dropping or throwing bowls causes serious damage to the green.
The Club can also provide specialised advice and guidance to newcomers. For those interested in taking it further, qualified coaching is available.
Full Club membership is available at a modest annual fee. Visitors are invited to make enquiries of any Club member if they are interested in pursuing lawn bowls as a sport. Otherwise, share the simple enjoyment of a great game!
For further enquiries, including coaching please contact us at ccbowls@pcug.org.au or ring the club on 6248 7149.