ASHCOMBE PARK BOWLING CLUB
BOWLS TRAINING
BOWLS TRAINING
H
A
P
P
Y
N
E
W
Y
E
A
R
LETS PLAY BOWLS - CONTENTS
When you arrive at the Club, you will be met by one of our coaches who will introduce you to our other beginners.
Before we do anything else we will go for a small tour around the club showing you points of interest and things that you have to know in the event of an emergency. This would include, first aid kits, telephones, fire points/exits, toilets clubhouse/bar and changing rooms (pavilion).
Your first impression of the green may be just a green square. However, if you look closely at the markings on the surrounding wall, you would see that it is divided into six rinks, we will play on one of these rinks. The space around the edge of the green is called a ditch this is explained in “Elements of the game”.
Our Club hold many sets of bowls for trainees to use. You will be introduced to four or five sets of bowls, often known as “woods”, to get used to size and feel, and to get used to holding this large object. The bowl has an inbuilt bias; it is slightly heavier on one side which makes the bowl roll in an arc. The bias side is indicated by a smaller centre mark, and this must always face the centre line of the rink.
All actions on the green will be fulfilled from the mat. We will explain how to place the mat, stand on the mat, and roll the jack (the little white or yellow ball). We will explain balance, release, follow through, backhand and forehand delivery. It is important to face along the line of delivery, and step along this line to green the bowl on a perfect line to enable it to curve back to the centre, or to the jack. By the time you start delivering, you probably will be bowling to a distance of 25 - 27 metres. All that you will learn must need practice, and more practice. We will not stereotype you into certain positions, you will learn by using your own natural movements. But, you need to know the basics to compete - to go from beginner to winner.
As part of your Training, delivery of the ‘jack’ will be practiced. The jack has no bias, and so it will be delivered in a straight line; the minimum length the jack can be delivered is 23 metres. In a game, the jack is then centred by the “Skip” (or “marker” for singles matches), who would be at the other end of the green. The longest length a jack” can be placed is two metres from the “ditch”.
Here the beginner will hear and use new words, like “back- hand”, “fore-hand”, “line”, “shoulder”, “green” etc. (explained in “Elements of the Game”). As a first introduction, a target, consisting of the ‘jack’ and two bowls placed level with the ‘jack’ (‘jack’ high), may be positioned at about 26 metres on the green from the front edge of the mat. The bowler will be invited to stand on the mat and try to configure an aiming line in order for the bowl to finish on or near the jack (the object of the game is to land your wood closest to the ‘jack’ - but sometimes a bowl hits the ‘jack’ and it is moved). Do not look at the object ball as you deliver, look straight along the line of delivery, and let your arm follow through. First, playing on the ‘fore-hand’, the direction will be that of your ‘natural’ hand (to the right for naturally right-handed players). After releasing your Bowl, stay down a second or two, and watch your bowl roll. This will help control your delivery.