Highlights
Introduction:
For any sport you watch or play, it’s sort of fundamental that you know what’s going on by knowing the rules. Bowls doesn’t have the luxury of ‘VAR technology’ to always get the decisions correct??? It also has a number of competitive matches where a BCGBA referee isn’t present, so those responsible for competitive matches need to know the rules and how to apply them correctly. Reading them is a great start!
The Laws of the Game of Crown Green Bowls have been formulated over many years, and are the responsibility of the British Crown Green Referees Society.
Rule changes are normally done on a three year cycle. The next formal review will be undertaken in January 2028.
Crown Green bowls is an inclusive sport for the whole community, therefore, the Referees Society do hold the power to issue medical dispensation certification. – See Below
The Laws of the Game document should be read in conjunction with specific BCGBA Competition Rules. These rules can be found on the specific competition page in BCGBA Competitions section.
As well as organising and providing all the Referees for the BCGBA Primary Competitions, the Referees Society are the custodians of the ‘Laws of the Game of Crown Green Bowls’ document.
There are a number of ‘frequently asked questions about the rules’ provided by the Referees Society. Other queries on the sports rules can be emailed to: referees@bcgba.org.uk
If you’re interested in becoming a referee you should contact your County Referees Delegate. They can be found in Regional Information.
These are available for those who have a medical condition that affects their ability to play according to the ‘Laws of the Game’. Examples include disapplying Laws 1.5 (weight of a bowl), 5.3 (Foot on the footer) and 10.3 (Open-toed footwear).
According to the Referee’s Society, below are the most common questions regarding the Laws of the Game. If your question isn’t one of the below, please email referees@bcgba.org.uk
NO. Under Law 4.4a only the opponent can object to the mark, so if the leader requests the jack be returned it must be the opponent who then attempts to set the mark, just as if a measurement had been taken and found not to be a mark.
NO. If the leader is not happy with the placement of the jack, then they can ask permission of their opponent to have it returned but they have no right to have it returned.
Under D.5. an end COMMENCES when the leader delivers the jack. If the leader delivers their bowl instead of the jack, then the end has not commenced so the leader does not forfeit their bowl or the right to deliver the jack. If the opponent is to deliver the jack and delivers their bowl in error, then under Law 5.12 the bowl has been sent out of turn, so it is returned to played in the proper order, i.e. after the jack has been delivered.
YES, if they are used to monitor the wearer’s health and are not used for any other purpose e.g., to accept messages, listen to music, then they can be worn.
NO, any dead bowls can be reinstated but any forfeited bowls are still forfeit for the restarted end.
YES. Under Law 2.5 the leader is entitled to place the footer anywhere within 3 metres either side of the Entrance to the green and at least 1 metre from the edge but not more than 2 metres from the edge.
Law 5.13 states that if a player ‘delivers a bowl of another player …. the offender forfeiting a bowl.’ Therefore, the player will forfeit a bowl and any subsequent bowls sent after the offending bowl are returned to be played in their proper order.
The first attempt for the ‘new end’ is made by the player who set the mark in the ‘dead/void end’ but the leader, the player who scored the last point before the ‘dead/void end’ will deliver the first bowl to the jack.