Coaches Corner

Etiquette in Lawn Bowling is simply defined as good sportsmanship and common courtesy.

1. Dress appropriately. Flat soled shoes are required. White clothing may be mandatory.
2. Shaking hands with teammates and opponents at the beginning and the end of the game is customary.
3. No matter how competitive the game may be, always compliment a good shot – whether by your own team or your opponents. Similarly, do not criticize a bad shot; no one willfully plays a bad bowl.
4. Admit a “fluke shot” in good spirit.
5. Do not distract a player who is preparing to deliver a bowl. Stand back and speak quietly.
6. Be ready to play when you turn comes. Stay “in the game”.
7. Following the bowl you have delivered up the green can obstruct your opponent’s view. Avoid this habit.
8. When changing ends, walk well within the boundaries of your own rink.
9. Players must stand at least 6 feet behind the jack when standing in the head. Any movement can be distracting, stay motionless when you are at the head.
10. Do not openly criticize the condition of the green, particularly if you are visiting another club.
11. Make every effort to protect the green by delivering the bowl smoothly.
12. Leads are responsible for pushing the bowls at the conclusion of the end. Do your share.
13. When the game is over, help to return mats, jacks and other equipment to the storage place.
14. Be a gracious winner and a good looser

Click here to download  Lawn Bowling Etiquette PDF

1. A lead will place the name tag on the board in the lead position.
2. Get your bowls from the cabinet.
3. Wait for team selection and socialize.
4. When teams are announced find your rink and go out to the greens.
5. A coin will be tossed and the lead will be told if he/she will bowl first.
6. Shake hands
7. If your team is first, you set up the mat and throw the jack to where  the skip is standing. Center the jack by directing the skip. If you throw in the ditch or out of bounds, the opposition will throw the jack. If both jacks are delivered incorrectly, the skip will place the jack 6 feet from the ditch. The loser of the toss is up first to deliver the first bowl.
8. Deliver a bowl to the Jack. Generally a lead should try and deliver two bowls near the jack and one about 1-3 feet behind the jack. It is better to be long than short.
9. Leads may get directions from the skip to deliver bowls left or right. The skip may indicate how far your bowl is from the jack. Stay on the mat until your bowl stops. Then exit the mat to your right. Remain 3-4 feet behind opponent  and remain quiet to not distract the other player and pay attention to the game.
10. After leads & vices have bowled, walk to the head of the green & don't move around to distract while skips bowl. After all the bowls have been delivered the vices will determine the score and signal skips.
11. Winning team will take the mat and losing team will rake the bowls 1-2 feet behind and to the right of the mat.</li>
12. Start new end.

1. Remember your skip is in charge. You must try to follow the Skip's instructions on the delivery direction and placement of your bowls.
2. Possession of the rink: remember when your teammate's bowl has come to rest, you should immediately retire behind the head and make no observations of the head or relate any changes that might have taken place. Remain quiet; your opponent now possesses the rink.
3. After completing delivery and the exchange of ends, your function is to report (signal) when asked by the skip specific information regarding the position of the bowls in the head.
4. Know your skip, ask in advance if he wants specific help.
5. Always use shoulder/thigh slaps than finger for up or down.
6. If what you consider to be a dangerous situation has developed in the head, do not hesitate to motion your skip to come and take a look.
7. All players at the head end are to stand a least 6 feet behind the jack, Except the player in possession of the rink. All players at the head end of the rink shall remain motionless until bowl is delivered.
8. You will chalk mark all touchers either before the next bowl is delivered or before the next bowl in course comes to rest . Remove any bowls from the ditch which are non touchers and guard the front ditch to prevent entry of non toucher bowls which may disturb the position of the jack or one or more touchers in the ditch.
9. You must prevent any disturbance of the head by an outside object or by a dead bowl from another rink.
10. When an end is completed with all bowls delivered, it is the responsibility of both vices to determine the score count of that particular end. Never signal the resulting score to you skip until all measurements needed have been made and you and your opponent have mutually agreed. When measuring for a multiple score, it can be helpful to place the bowls already measured on a towel to avoid confusion or possible recount of a bowl previously measured.
11. The score should be kept by both teams. The skip keeps the score. If no cards are kept in a local game, the skip who is at the end where the score board is should mark the score.
12. Both vices will aid the lead raking the bowls at the conclusion of an end by kicking in the bowls to more or less ground them to make it easier to rake.

Some Dos and Don'ts for Playing the Position of Vice

Dos

• Become familiar with the bowls of the people on your team even before the first bowl is delivered.
• Inform your skip if a change takes place in the count of the head, but only when you have control of the mat.
• Call your skip to the head when you are in control of the rink if there is a special circumstance that she should be aware of.
• If your opponent is measuring for a point, watch carefully to see that it is being done correctly with the proper angle, no sagging of the tape, without moving the jack or the bowl etc.
• Get the permission of your opponent before you move any bowl that you are claiming as a point. When you do remove a point bowl, place it on a towel to make the final count more accurate.
• If you are claiming a point but your opponent does not agree, don't argue just have  him measure immediately.
• Before you signal your skip on the point count, be sure your opponent agrees to the same number.
• If your team has won the end, pick up the jack and give it to your lead before the bowls are raked.
• After each end, help kick the bowls in line for the raker.
• If your team has lost the end, signal the score to your skip and help kick in the bowls for raking.
  
  

Dont's

• Do not move when any player is on the mat and is ready to bowl.
• When the opposing team has control of the mat do not approach the head or try to communicate with your skip.
• Do not tell your skip what  to do. If your skip wants advice or information she should ask for it.
• Do not volunteer to your opposing vice how many points her team has. She should state the number of points she thinks her team can claim, then you either agree or disagree with her claim.
• Do not move any bowl or the jack until you are sure the last bowls has been delivered and the final count of points has been agreed upon. A good way to tell that all bowls have been delivered is to watch for the skip picking up the mat.
• Do not socialize or wander off while the game is being played. A good team player stays focused on the play of everyone on her rink.

Click here to download Duties of the Vice PDF