The Game is played on a Bowling Green.  The surface is generally grass but in some of the hotter, drier countries artificial surfaces are increasingly being used.  In countries with long winters, like the UK and Canada, many indoor bowling centres have sprung up where the game is played on a carpet like surface.  While the weight required to deliver the bowl changes on these surfaces, the rules and objectives of the game are essentially the same.

Lawn Bowls are available in different sizes ranging from 00’s 0’s through 1 to 7 sizes.  They are made of a hard plastic material which is able to withstand the constant contact between bowls during play.  They are generally available in two weights, medium and heavy, and available with differing bias’s.  Their weight should not exceed 1.59kg.

The rules allow bowls in virtually any colour and the manufacturers have taken up the challenge by producing bowls in just about every colour imaginable, even pink!

Lawn bowls are not spherical; they are shaped on one side such that they follow a curved track to the jack.  They carry a mark to indicate to which side the bias is applied, and have a test stamp on them indicating when a bowl needs retesting.

During a game players deliver (roll) their bowls up the green in turn trying to finish closest to a smaller white or yellow ball called the ‘Jack’.

Types of Lawn Bowls Games and Matches

Games of bowls can involve singles play or teams of two in pairs, three in triples or four in ‘rinks’ games.  Matches generally involve a number of teams from one club playing another club.  For example a match could involve six rinks or 24 players (6×4) per club.

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