Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to help you get started or improve your bowling skills. We cover the basics and some common pitfalls to avoid.

 

Learning To Bowl

Bias

The bias side of the bowl is denoted by the indentation on the mount and the bias side on the jack is on the opposite side to the one where the 3 “pips” are. It’s worth noting that, although bowls have the same bias, there can be slight variations in strength of bias

How to hold a crown green bowl

The main thing is that the bowl leaves the hand correctly. Before delivering the bowl, make sure that the bowl is held in such a way that is “pointing” in the direction you want and the sides of the bowl are upright. I’ve always maintained that the bowl is an extension of the arm, and once you’ve become used to the feel of your bowl in your hand, you almost forget that it’s there.

Preparing For Delivery

To bowl consistently it is vital that you keep your balance right throughout the delivery. Any deviation will be exaggerated by the slightest sideways movement. The first thing is to find a stance that is comfortable for you. The stature of the bowler will sometimes affect how they achieve this, but try to avoid over extending your lead long (the left if you are right-handed), as this is often how good balance is lost.

You’ll often see bowlers automatically brace themselves by holding the lead leg with their non-bowling hand. In some cases, they won’t even know that they are doing it, it is a pure reflex. Please remember, the lead leg must be on the opposite side to the bowling arm to be legal.

Aiming

This is an area where there are two options to assist in getting the right line. When I started playing I was told by a bowler, with many years experience, to look for a reference point at the side of the green and aim for that. I soon discovered that, whilst it did help, I sometimes had a problem with either spectators or other players preventing me from seeing where I needed to go.

I was later advised to select a point on the green at about 6 to 10 feet in front of the mat and use that for alignment. This I found was a much more reliable method, provided I didn’t focus on a feather or piece of paper, which invariably blew away

Delivering The  Bowls

Before releasing the bowl (or jack) make sure that your back foot is on the centre of the mat (the same side as your bowling arm). Delivery of the bowl is an individual thing, everyone has their own style or technique. No two actions are the same. The component parts of the delivery, however, have to be correct to maximise the efficiency of the action. As with a lot of sports involving propelling an object, the smoother action, the better the results.

The Delivery

This is made up of five components: backswing, down swing, release, follow through and adjusting the distance.

Backswing

The backswing starts from when you pick the bowl up. As you take the bowls back keep a smooth rhythm letting the weight of the bowls dictate the distance before starting the downswing.

Downswing

As the arm starts moving forward, keeping a smooth speed, accelerate it and release the bowl as paralell to the ground as possible. In fast running conditions you may need to decelerate.

Release

Let the bowl come out of the hand naturally, if you release too early it will hit the ground at an angle causing a reduction in distance. Likewise, releasing too late makes the bowl travel through the air before, again, hitting the ground at an angle.

Follow Through

This part is probably the hardest factor to understand, but after you release the bowl, the continuation of the arm movement does affect the distance the bowl travels. Watch any top class sports person in tennis, snooker, cricket, golf, field athletics etc, and notice the action always continues after they have made contact with the ball or released the shot, javelin, discus etc. The absence of follow through can be useful on a fast green, when a short mark has been set, to avoid sending the bowl too far

Adjusting The Distance

This is achieved by simply changing the speed of the delivery. In average conditions a minor change in speed will affect the distance achieved. Obviously on heavy or wet greens the variation in delivery speed is more dramatic and on dry, running greens, the tiniest of adjustment can make a big difference

How to improve your crown green bowling

 

Step 1: Practice, whenever you can, smoothing out your action and ensuring that you feel comfortable and balanced right through the delivery.

That way you will reduce the number of things to concentrate on whilst delivering the bowl.

Step 2: If you have the jack, hold your first bowl in your other hand when sending the jack out.

That way you don’t have to take your eyes off of the jack line after delivering the jack. Similarly, if your opponent goes first, have your bowl in your hand whilst they are delivering theirs.

Step 3: When your opponent bowls first, remember, although it’s great to get close to the jack, the main thing is to beat their bowl.

Also, if both of their bowls are counting, just try to limit the damage by at least beating their second bowl so that they only score one.

Step 4: Don’t assume that because your opponent is more experienced, you can’t beat them.

Just concentrate on playing the green. You can’t do much about how they bowl, only how you bowl!

Step 5: Always try to at least get level with the jack.

A short bowl can be a problem if it’s on the right line, and a useful “winger” for your opponent if it’s on the wrong line. As is often said “there’s nowt for short!”. The exception to the rule is to use a short bowl as a “blocker” if your first bowl is counting but needs protecting – also known as a “bobby.

Step 6: Study the green, look for hollows and ridges that will make the bowl deviate from it’s natural line.

These anomalies can be helpful so don’t be afraid to bowl into these areas, before your opponent does!

Step 7: Try to stay relaxed, too much tension only makes the game harder

If you play a bad bowl, don’t dwell on it – just try to work out why it went wrong, then try again

Check out the 7 minute video below for tips on bowling