The bowls can be delivered on the ‘forehand’ or the ‘backhand’ depending on the player’s preference or where bowls that have already be played are.  The curved path helps the player to find a way past bowls that have been delivered short of the jack.

Note that bowls may travel outside the boundaries of the rink during their course as long as they come to rest within these boundaries.

Players must stand on a mat when delivering their bowl.  The mat is placed on the centre-line of the rink with its front end no less than 2 metres from the rear ditch or less that 25 metres from the front ditch.

Its position is chosen by the player who bowls the Jack to start the end.

During an end the bowl nearest to the jack is referred to as ‘the shot’.
You may hear players on the mat asking, ‘who is lying the shot?’

The player who first delivers the jack must ensure that it is properly centred.

If it comes to rest within two metres from the front edge of the green it must be moved out to a mark at that distance.

The player delivering the jack can choose the length to play it, but it must finish at least 23 metres in a straight line of play from the front edge of the mat.

The players then take turns to deliver their bowls.  When all the bowls have been delivered, the number of ‘shots’ is counted.

A shot is a bowl which is nearer the jack than any of your opponent’s bowls.
For example, if you have three shots nearer the jack than any of your opponents bowls you score three shots at that end.

(You will have noticed by now that you bowl a bowl and not a ball)

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