‘The Laws of the Sport of Bowls’

May be purchased in book form from Bowls England or downloaded from the internet by anyone intending to become a marker, umpire or coach.

Rules which are most discussed or queried.

Teams TOSS a coin for the mat and the jack before the games. The winner of the toss may place the mat and cast the jack or give the mat and jack to the opposition. The mat may not be given away on subsequent ends.

The MAT may never be placed with its front edge any nearer the ditch than 2m, but may be placed anywhere up to the front edge being level with the 23m mark on any end of the game.

The JACK must be cast at least 23m from the front edge of the mat, no matter where the mat has been placed.

If the JACK does not reach 23m, goes out of the side of the rink, or goes in the ditch, it is returned to the opposition who may move the mat to where they want it to be and cast the jack.

If the opposition cast the jack and it does not reach 23m, goes out of the side of the rink, or goes in the ditch it is placed on the ‘T’ (2m from the ditch) and the original team place the mat wherever they want it to be, up to level with the 23m mark.

TAKE TURNS TO PLAY. If the first bowl of an end is played by the wrong team, it is returned so that the correct team may bowl first. If more than one bowl is bowled in the wrong order, that new order is maintained.

The JACK going into the ditch during play is left in the ditch and marked by the white marker on the bank.

A WOOD straying onto an adjacent rink is dead and is removed and put on the far bank.

A WOOD which has not touched the jack and goes into the ditch is dead, removed and put on the bank.

A WOOD bowled from the mat which touches the jack, is chalked on both sides when it comes to rest.

If it goes into the ditch at that point or subsequently during that end, it is live and remains in the ditch, its position being marked by a red marker on the bank.

Normally if the JACK is caused to go out of the side of the rink the END IS DEAD and must be replayed. No end or scores are entered on the card or scoreboard.

However we have spot marks either side of the T mark, and if it has been announced that in this particular game the spots are to be used, rather than playing the end again, the jack is retrieved from the side ditch or adjacent rink and placed on the spot which is nearest the side where it left the green, and play continues (or if all woods have been delivered, marking takes place.)

A DRAWN END occurs if, after measuring, it cannot be ascertained which wood is nearer the jack. It is counted as a completed end. The previous scores are carried down on the card. The end is added to the scoreboard but previous scores remain.

MEASURING should be done with a box measure set on the ground with the pointed end of the box against the jack.

Measure to the nearest point of woods. Both ends of the measure should be visible.

MEASURING WOODS OR JACK IN THE DITCH may be easier with a double headed string but can be done with the box measure used with the pointed end of the string against the jack.

If, when all the ends are completed a COMPETITION IS DRAWN, it is decided by playing one extra end after the toss of a coin with the rules the same as for the first end.