Highlights
Introduction:
The Sport of Bowls is different things to different people. This is perhaps its greatest appeal?
How many sports can you see children competing at the same level as their parents and their grandparents? Age, gender and disability are no barriers in the world of bowls. Whole families grow up at bowling clubs all over the country in safe and welcoming community environments, and take their bowls journey to where they want it to go. Where exactly might that be?
Let’s remove the myth nice and early, competitive bowls is not the ‘old mans game’ that many perceive it to be.
While the sport doesn’t require you to be a honed athlete to succeed, at the top levels, it’s a highly competitive sport with plenty of big prizes out there and a number of ‘superstars’ of the sport. They all come together to compete in both Open & Governing Body Competitions.
Every region and county have hundreds of competitive leagues that cater for the experts, the up and coming talent and those who want to play the sport at a more leisurely pace.
Scientific research clearly demonstrates that there are both physical and mental benefits to be gained from playing bowls.
Bowls as a physical activity can help prevent and treat 40 major chronic diseases including diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and some cancers. It can help boost aerobic exercise that in turn can improve strength and balance.
Research shows it can boost quality of life and social interaction that can help with mental issues such as depression and dementia.
Exercise and Wellbeing at the pace that’s right for you.
As with many sports, bowls is great way to socialise and create a wider circle of friends. As a relatively inexpensive sport to try, set yourself up with the correct equipment and then maintain a club membership, there are very few social barriers in the sport.
From Barristers to Wallpaper Salesmen (two of the trades of BCGBA Board Members) anyone can join the bowling community. A set of bowls, a BCGBA and Club membership and you’re away.
If you don’t find bowls at an early age, as we retire from working life, bowls can form the framework for a whole new social circle, and once you’re in, many introduce the whole family to the sport.
There are four forms of Bowls available in the UK, two indoor and two outdoor.
‘Short Mat Bowls’ & the ‘Indoor Bowls Associations’ of England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland cover the internal versions of the game.
Similarly, ‘Lawn Bowls’ or ‘Flat Green Bowls’, is governed by four home nation organisations, Bowls England, Bowls Scotland etc.
All these forms of bowls are played across the whole of Great Britain on flat surfaces, with an unbiased jack, and on rinks, where the game goes up and down the same strip of grass or carpet, with bowlers varying the length of the jack to their perceived advantage.
Crown Green Bowls, governed by the British Crown Green Bowling Association is a regionalised sport in the UK, and is played primarily in the Midlands, North Wales, the Isle of Man and Northern Counties in England. The sport does not extend into Scotland.
Crown Green Bowls primary difference to the other bowls codes is that the Bowling Green itself is a contoured surface, with sending bowls on it being similar to that of putting in golf, where consideration of slope and contours and how they are going to affect the bowls and jack are key to the games tactics.
Traditionally greens are higher in the centre to aid water drainage off the surface, hence a ‘Crown’ in the middle and the origins of the games name. But greens across the country come with all sorts of shapes, sizes and slopes. No two greens are the same, and to many, this adds another key appeal to the sport.
Varying slopes gives a definite advantage to players who know the surface contours of their own bowling green. This is why all Crown Green leagues tend to be played at Home and Away venues, either on the same day or across a league season, to equal out a home advantage.
The use of bowling green contours are further exaggerated by being able to send the jack in any direction, with the only stipulation being that it must go a minimum of 19 meters for it to be deemed a legal mark.
A Crown Green jack is also biased, the same as the bowls themselves. This, unlike Flat Green, results in much of game trying to repeat the line and length that the jack has been sent.
With a contoured surface, a biased bowl and a jack length only limited by the size of the bowling green, much of the games tactics are how to use these three to your best advantage to catch out your opponent.
If you want more information on Crown Green rules, please see the ‘Laws of the Game’.
The Other Bowls Codes: (above) Short Mat, Indoor & Outdoor Flat Green
Areas Associated with Crown Green Bowls: (above)
Crown Green Bowls: (above) Contoured Surfaces playing in any direction.
Here’s a video, created by for the Bowls for Health Program sponsored by Drakes Pride , that gives a basic understanding of the Sport of Crown Green Bowls.
It includes further clarification on the fundamental principles of the sport along with a brief explainer on measuring, scoring, delivery, appropriate bowls size and etiquette when playing an opponent.
It’s a great introduction for those considering Crown Green Bowls.
The frequently asked questions below will fill in a few more gaps on what’s the next step to take.
Can you spot the celebrity from another sport in the footage?
This is undoubtedly one of Crown Green Bowl’s unique selling points, because the answer is ANYONE !!!
From the age of six to ninety six, if you can hold a bowl that’s all you need to do, and they come in many sizes to cater for all hand sizes. The sport is incredibly inclusive with equipment specifically designed for many disabilities. Have a look at Bowls Equipment within our Suppliers section.
Finding a club is easy with the ‘Find a Club’ search engine on this website.
Simply click the link above, put your postcode into the search and hey presto, your closest club details will appear.
There should be an initial contact e-mail and a website link to the club if they have one.
So there’s no excuse, get in contact and be welcomed into the sport and a new community.
Of course !!!
Most Bowls Clubs will offer Open Days or Taster Sessions for those considering the sport.
Clubs will have either a qualified Coach or experienced members who can show you the basics of the game, let you have a try and then pass you onto club officials who can deal with your new membership.
Most clubs will have two levels of membership, those who simply want to play our sport socially and those who step up to league play. We cater for what’s right for you.
It really is that simple.
The majority of clubs will have Bowls that belong to the club, or the county, that you can borrow while you’re deciding if Crown Green Bowls is right for you. So initially there is no cost to you.
Most bowlers move onto buy their own equipment specifically tailored to their hand size – A set of Bowls, maybe a Jack and a Mat for your own practise sessions.
Bowls Equipment can be found in our Supplier section of the website. The set up cost, compared to most sports is very reasonable.
Bowls Clubs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Many are private concerns while others are leased from councils. Some will be attached to a Social Club, others will have no other source of income. So each clubs financial model will be very different.
Start by asking your club officials when you approach the club. Again, by comparison to many sports, memberships tend to be great value for money.