About Bowls |
The very basic outline of the game is simple... roll the jack (a small white ball) to the far end of the green and then attempt to roll your bowls to land closer to the jack than any of your competitors. Sound easy? Read on to learn all about it.
Lawn Bowls is a game for all people. It can be low key and social or fiercely competitive - it all depends on you.
While the fundamentals of the game are easy to learn, mastering the skill of consistently getting your bowls where you want them takes patience, technique and lots of practice.
Bowls is often thought of as a game for the more matured members of society, however, throughout New Zealand the average player's age is probably somewhere in the thirties. This trend is seen worldwide as bowls is seeing an upsurge in popularity.
Competitive bowling can be a tiring game and in competition matches players are expected to perform for three to four hours without a break. During these games they can walk a couple of kilometres and bend up and down more than 100 times. It's no wonder that bowlers traditionally suffer from both back and knee injuries. Add to that the concentration and effort required and you can understand why most clubs have a bar available for end of match relaxation.
The game is played on a bowling green. The surface of a green can be natural (called grass but it is actually a type of weed) or artificial such as astro-turf or exterior carpet. (At Silverstream Bowling Club, both of our greens are natural). While the weight required to deliver the bowl changes on the different types of surfaces, the rules and objectives of the game are the same.
During a game players deliver (roll) their bowls up the green in turn, trying to finish closest to a smaller white ball commonly called the jack.
A bowling green is normally square and international rules say that it shall be no less than 31 metres and no more than 40 metres in the direction of play. It is surrounded by a shallow ditch.
The perimeter of the ditch is surrounded by a bank, which should be no less than 230 mm above the surface of the green. The green is normally divided into between six and eight rinks allowing up to eight games to take place concurrently. The rinks should be no less than 4.3 metres nor more than 5.8 metres wide.
While the fundamentals of the game are easy to learn, mastering the skill of consistently getting your bowls where you want them takes patience, technique and lots of practice.
Bowls is often thought of as a game for the more matured members of society, however, throughout New Zealand the average player's age is probably somewhere in the thirties. This trend is seen worldwide as bowls is seeing an upsurge in popularity.
Competitive bowling can be a tiring game and in competition matches players are expected to perform for three to four hours without a break. During these games they can walk a couple of kilometres and bend up and down more than 100 times. It's no wonder that bowlers traditionally suffer from both back and knee injuries. Add to that the concentration and effort required and you can understand why most clubs have a bar available for end of match relaxation.
The game is played on a bowling green. The surface of a green can be natural (called grass but it is actually a type of weed) or artificial such as astro-turf or exterior carpet. (At Silverstream Bowling Club, both of our greens are natural). While the weight required to deliver the bowl changes on the different types of surfaces, the rules and objectives of the game are the same.
During a game players deliver (roll) their bowls up the green in turn, trying to finish closest to a smaller white ball commonly called the jack.
A bowling green is normally square and international rules say that it shall be no less than 31 metres and no more than 40 metres in the direction of play. It is surrounded by a shallow ditch.
The perimeter of the ditch is surrounded by a bank, which should be no less than 230 mm above the surface of the green. The green is normally divided into between six and eight rinks allowing up to eight games to take place concurrently. The rinks should be no less than 4.3 metres nor more than 5.8 metres wide.
Green keepers will ensure surface wear is spread evenly by moving the rink settings laterally and by changing direction of play every two or three days, causing play to happen either across the green or up and down.
Rink extremities are marked off by boundary markers with the centre of each being indicated by a pin which also carries a number for the rink. The rinks are numbered 1 through 8. Players deliver their bowls from one end to another during an "end" then, when the end is complete, they turn around and play back again.
Rink extremities are marked off by boundary markers with the centre of each being indicated by a pin which also carries a number for the rink. The rinks are numbered 1 through 8. Players deliver their bowls from one end to another during an "end" then, when the end is complete, they turn around and play back again.
The Bowl
Bowls were originally made from a dense wood called legnum vitae which is why they are sometimes referred to as 'woods', however nowadays they are made from a hard plastic composite which is able to withstand the constant contact between bowls during play. Up until 2001 all lawn bowls were either black or brown in colour. This has now been relaxed to allow bowls to be made in virtually any colour - most bowls makers will even manufacture individualised requests for a price. Unfortunately, no matter the colour of the bowl, it will not help you play any better.
There are a number of bowls manufacturers and all have their loyal followers - the more popular / well known bowls makers are Henselite, Taylor, Aero and Drakes Pride. All provide a range of models and sizes with a mid sized men's bowl being between 116mm and 131mm in diameter. Their weight should not exceed 1.59kg.
Bowls are designed to travel a curved path because of a weight bias which was originally produced by inserting weights into one side of the bowl. This is no longer allowed and the bias is now produced entirely by the bowls shape. The bias and non bias sides are indicated with a small and large circle to indicate which side the bowl will curve toward. A bowl will naturally curve to the side indicated by the smaller circle as it rolls up the green.
There are a number of bowls manufacturers and all have their loyal followers - the more popular / well known bowls makers are Henselite, Taylor, Aero and Drakes Pride. All provide a range of models and sizes with a mid sized men's bowl being between 116mm and 131mm in diameter. Their weight should not exceed 1.59kg.
Bowls are designed to travel a curved path because of a weight bias which was originally produced by inserting weights into one side of the bowl. This is no longer allowed and the bias is now produced entirely by the bowls shape. The bias and non bias sides are indicated with a small and large circle to indicate which side the bowl will curve toward. A bowl will naturally curve to the side indicated by the smaller circle as it rolls up the green.
To understand this better, picture a cone traveling through the bowl as per the diagram on the right.
The small circle on a bowl represents the thinner end of the cone and the larger circle indicates the wider. You can see that if you were to roll the cone, it would roll with a curve to the left as indicated by the arrow. It is the same with the Bowl. However the influence of the bias on the bowl depends on a number of factors. The model of your bowl as manufactured by the maker, how forceful your delivery is, the condition of the green and wind being the four major influencers. |
As shown on the diagram below, a bowl can be delivered on the "forehand" (right side of the rink) or the "backhand" (left side of the rink) depending on the players preference or where bowls that have already been played are located. (The diagram refers to a right handed bowler. Fore and Back would be reversed for a left handed bowler.)
The curved path helps the player to find a way past bowls that have been delivered short of the jack. Note that bowls may travel outside the boundaries of the rink during their course as long as they come to rest within these boundaries. There are a range of different styles of bowl to suit players individual taste. Some draw a long, gradual yet consistent curve and others have a very distinct, sharp curve toward the end of their run. For a beginner, it is wise to try out a few different makes and models of bowls before committing to purchasing your own set. Most clubs have a range of bowls available for members to use initially.
Play
When playing, the bowler must stand on a mat to deliver their bowl. The mat is placed on the centre line of the rink with its front end no less than 2m from the rear ditch and no less than 25m from the front ditch. Its position is chosen by the player (or the lead of the team) who won the previous end; or if it is the first end of a game, this is determined usually by the toss of a coin. Once the mat is placed, the same player rolls the jack to start the end. The length of the end is variable and depends on the desire of the thrower as to whether they wish to play a short, medium or long end. The minimum distance between the mat and the jack for play is 23 meters. When a bowl is being delivered one of your feet must be on or over the mat as it leaves your hand. Failure to comply with this can be adjudged as foot faulting.
The players then take turns to deliver their bowls. When all the bowls have been delivered the number of "shots" is counted. A shot is a bowl which is nearer the jack than any of your opponents bowls. For example, if you have three shots nearer the jack than any of your opponents bowls you score three shots at that end.
In this image, at the conclusion of a typical end of bowls in a singles match each player has delivered four bowls. The player using the black bowls has two bowls nearer the jack than his opponents nearest blue bowl. This means that the player with the black bowls counts two shots and wins the end.
The players then take turns to deliver their bowls. When all the bowls have been delivered the number of "shots" is counted. A shot is a bowl which is nearer the jack than any of your opponents bowls. For example, if you have three shots nearer the jack than any of your opponents bowls you score three shots at that end.
In this image, at the conclusion of a typical end of bowls in a singles match each player has delivered four bowls. The player using the black bowls has two bowls nearer the jack than his opponents nearest blue bowl. This means that the player with the black bowls counts two shots and wins the end.
Types of lawn bowls games and competition games of bowls can involve one against one (singles) or teams of two (pairs), three (triples) or four (fours). Matches generally involve a number of teams from one club playing another club or teams within a club playing against each other. They can also be allocated as 'mens', 'womens' or 'mixed' teams depending on the tournament.
The jack may be moved by the bowls during play. When a bowl moves the jack it is left in the new position provided it remains within the rinks boundary markers. It can also be pushed into the ditch by a bowl. In this case it remains in the ditch and the players must try to play their bowls as close as possible to the jack, at the edge of the green, without falling into the ditch.
A bowl which moves the jack is marked with chalk and classed as a "toucher". If it touches the jack before falling into the ditch it stays there, remains "live" and may feature in the final shot count. A toucher that remains on the rink and is later driven into the ditch by another bowl continues to be a live bowl. A bowl that goes into the ditch and that has not touched the jack is classed as being dead and it is removed. All bowls which finish outside of the side boundaries of the rink are dead.
Lawn Bowls is a highly tactical game. This is one of its attractions. It is not always about "drawing" closest the jack. Players must constantly anticipate what shot their opponents may consider playing next. For example when a team has a few bowls behind the head, (behind the jack), the opposing team may see the need to place a bowl among these to cover the possibility of the jack being moved.
Similarly, if one side is already lying the shot, they may elect to play a blocking shot short of the target area to prevent their opponents from moving anything. These are only two examples and there are many other situations where tactics come into play.
The jack may be moved by the bowls during play. When a bowl moves the jack it is left in the new position provided it remains within the rinks boundary markers. It can also be pushed into the ditch by a bowl. In this case it remains in the ditch and the players must try to play their bowls as close as possible to the jack, at the edge of the green, without falling into the ditch.
A bowl which moves the jack is marked with chalk and classed as a "toucher". If it touches the jack before falling into the ditch it stays there, remains "live" and may feature in the final shot count. A toucher that remains on the rink and is later driven into the ditch by another bowl continues to be a live bowl. A bowl that goes into the ditch and that has not touched the jack is classed as being dead and it is removed. All bowls which finish outside of the side boundaries of the rink are dead.
Lawn Bowls is a highly tactical game. This is one of its attractions. It is not always about "drawing" closest the jack. Players must constantly anticipate what shot their opponents may consider playing next. For example when a team has a few bowls behind the head, (behind the jack), the opposing team may see the need to place a bowl among these to cover the possibility of the jack being moved.
Similarly, if one side is already lying the shot, they may elect to play a blocking shot short of the target area to prevent their opponents from moving anything. These are only two examples and there are many other situations where tactics come into play.
Lawn Bowls Glossary
BACK BOWL: Is a bowl that is delivered to the rear of the head, behind the jack. This allows for some insurance if the jack is knocked during play in which case the back bowl may become shot.
BIAS: Bias is the amount of curve that a bowl will take during its course to the jack. Bowls are available with a variety of biases for use in different conditions and competitions. As part of the manufacturing process, all bowls are tested against 'Master Bowl' which defines the limits of this bias.
BLOCKER: A blocker is a bowl played to a position short of the head to restrict the oppositions ability to draw to the jack
DELIVER: Deliver is the word used to describe the throw or roll of a bowl toward the jack. A bowler with a good delivery can be compared to that of a golfer with a good swing.
DOWN: An expression used to describe to your team that the opposition are currently holding one or more shot bowls. If two of your oppositions bowls are closest to the jack you are 'down' two
DRAW: Draw has a couple of meanings in bowling. It can refer to the selection of players / teams drawn to play in a competition.On the green you may hear a skip issuing an instruction to 'draw to the jack' which means to deliver your bowl in close to the jack.
DRIVE: Drive is a type of delivery where the bowler delivers the bowl at speed towards the head with the intention of knocking opponents bowls away or killing the end.
END: As bowls is played from one end of a green to the other, each full turn from placing the mat to completion of all bowls delivered providing an outcome of a score in one direction is classed as an end. A typical game of bowls is made up of several 'ends' where the aim is to have the highest score at the completion of all required ends.
FAST: Usually used to describe the green. A fast green is one where a bowl will travel faster / further over the surface compared to a slow green (relative to the same amount of effort applied during delivery).
GREEN: Green has a couple of meanings. Obviously, it is the surface you play bowls upon and can be natural or artificial. It is also the line you play your bowl for it to return to the centre line of the rink. Therefore you may hear someone saying your weight was light but your green was good.
HEAD: The head refers collectively to the jack and any bowls delivered that have come to rest within the boundaries of the rink.
JACK: The jack is the small white or yellow ball that is the target for the bowler to deliver to. It is also known as the white, the kitty or less commonly as the sweetie.
JACK HIGH: If a bowl is jack high it effectively means that the bowl and the jack are equidistant from the mat.
KILLED: A killed end is one where the jack has been moved outside of the side boundaries of the rink by a bowl in play. In standard competition, a killed end must be replayed.
LEAD: A lead is the person who delivers their bowl first in pairs, triples or fours games. The lead is responsible for setting the mat and delivering the jack at the commencement of an end.
MARKER: A person assigned to mark in a game of singles so that both bowlers can concentrate on their game. A marker will centre the jack, keep score and answer questions about the state of play at the head.
NARROW: A narrow delivery is a bowl that is delivered without enough green and due to its bias roll back across the centre line on to the non played side of the rink.
POSITION: Often a bowler will ask what is the position to either a marker or their skip. This is basically inquiring as to whether they are up or down in the current ends scoring depending on which bowl holds shot.
SECOND: The second is the person who delivers their bowls second in a triples or fours game.
SHORT: A bowl that does not reach the jack or its intended target is described as being short.
SHOT: Shot can have several meanings. Shot or shots are the number of points scored in an end. It also means the type of delivery - for example; a drawing shot. And during an end it is used to identify the bowl that is nearest the jack.
SKIP: The skip is the captain of the team in pairs, triples or fours games. The skip is always last to play and is responsible for directing play during an end. The other players on the tea must follow the skips instructions.
SLOW: Usually used to describe the green. A slow green is one where a bowl will travel slower / less distance over the surface compared to a fast green (relative to the same amount of effort applied during delivery).
THIRD: Is the third person to deliver their bowls in a fours game. When the skip is taking their turn it is the responsibility of the third to give any advice on the state of the head.
TOUCHER: A toucher is a bowl that during the course of its delivery makes contact with the jack before coming to rest within the side boundaries of the rink. A toucher is marked with chalk and remains in play even if it ends up in the ditch.
TRIAL END(s): A warm up end or ends, played prior to the match without scoring to enable bowlers to get a feel for the green.
UP: An expression used to describe to your team that you are currently holding one or more shot bowls. If two of your bowls are closest to the jack you are 'up' two.
WEIGHT: Weight is the term used to refer to the power applied to a delivery.
WICK: Where a bowls direction of travel is altered after hitting another bowl. The hitting and subsequent deflection is referred to as wicking.
WIDE: A wide delivery is one where the bowl is delivered with too much green and therefore does not draw back into the centre line of the rink.
BIAS: Bias is the amount of curve that a bowl will take during its course to the jack. Bowls are available with a variety of biases for use in different conditions and competitions. As part of the manufacturing process, all bowls are tested against 'Master Bowl' which defines the limits of this bias.
BLOCKER: A blocker is a bowl played to a position short of the head to restrict the oppositions ability to draw to the jack
DELIVER: Deliver is the word used to describe the throw or roll of a bowl toward the jack. A bowler with a good delivery can be compared to that of a golfer with a good swing.
DOWN: An expression used to describe to your team that the opposition are currently holding one or more shot bowls. If two of your oppositions bowls are closest to the jack you are 'down' two
DRAW: Draw has a couple of meanings in bowling. It can refer to the selection of players / teams drawn to play in a competition.On the green you may hear a skip issuing an instruction to 'draw to the jack' which means to deliver your bowl in close to the jack.
DRIVE: Drive is a type of delivery where the bowler delivers the bowl at speed towards the head with the intention of knocking opponents bowls away or killing the end.
END: As bowls is played from one end of a green to the other, each full turn from placing the mat to completion of all bowls delivered providing an outcome of a score in one direction is classed as an end. A typical game of bowls is made up of several 'ends' where the aim is to have the highest score at the completion of all required ends.
FAST: Usually used to describe the green. A fast green is one where a bowl will travel faster / further over the surface compared to a slow green (relative to the same amount of effort applied during delivery).
GREEN: Green has a couple of meanings. Obviously, it is the surface you play bowls upon and can be natural or artificial. It is also the line you play your bowl for it to return to the centre line of the rink. Therefore you may hear someone saying your weight was light but your green was good.
HEAD: The head refers collectively to the jack and any bowls delivered that have come to rest within the boundaries of the rink.
JACK: The jack is the small white or yellow ball that is the target for the bowler to deliver to. It is also known as the white, the kitty or less commonly as the sweetie.
JACK HIGH: If a bowl is jack high it effectively means that the bowl and the jack are equidistant from the mat.
KILLED: A killed end is one where the jack has been moved outside of the side boundaries of the rink by a bowl in play. In standard competition, a killed end must be replayed.
LEAD: A lead is the person who delivers their bowl first in pairs, triples or fours games. The lead is responsible for setting the mat and delivering the jack at the commencement of an end.
MARKER: A person assigned to mark in a game of singles so that both bowlers can concentrate on their game. A marker will centre the jack, keep score and answer questions about the state of play at the head.
NARROW: A narrow delivery is a bowl that is delivered without enough green and due to its bias roll back across the centre line on to the non played side of the rink.
POSITION: Often a bowler will ask what is the position to either a marker or their skip. This is basically inquiring as to whether they are up or down in the current ends scoring depending on which bowl holds shot.
SECOND: The second is the person who delivers their bowls second in a triples or fours game.
SHORT: A bowl that does not reach the jack or its intended target is described as being short.
SHOT: Shot can have several meanings. Shot or shots are the number of points scored in an end. It also means the type of delivery - for example; a drawing shot. And during an end it is used to identify the bowl that is nearest the jack.
SKIP: The skip is the captain of the team in pairs, triples or fours games. The skip is always last to play and is responsible for directing play during an end. The other players on the tea must follow the skips instructions.
SLOW: Usually used to describe the green. A slow green is one where a bowl will travel slower / less distance over the surface compared to a fast green (relative to the same amount of effort applied during delivery).
THIRD: Is the third person to deliver their bowls in a fours game. When the skip is taking their turn it is the responsibility of the third to give any advice on the state of the head.
TOUCHER: A toucher is a bowl that during the course of its delivery makes contact with the jack before coming to rest within the side boundaries of the rink. A toucher is marked with chalk and remains in play even if it ends up in the ditch.
TRIAL END(s): A warm up end or ends, played prior to the match without scoring to enable bowlers to get a feel for the green.
UP: An expression used to describe to your team that you are currently holding one or more shot bowls. If two of your bowls are closest to the jack you are 'up' two.
WEIGHT: Weight is the term used to refer to the power applied to a delivery.
WICK: Where a bowls direction of travel is altered after hitting another bowl. The hitting and subsequent deflection is referred to as wicking.
WIDE: A wide delivery is one where the bowl is delivered with too much green and therefore does not draw back into the centre line of the rink.
History of Lawn Bowling
Bowls historians believe that the game developed from the Egyptians.
One of their pastimes was to play skittles with round stones. This has been determined based on artifacts found in tombs dating circa 5,000 B.C. The sport has since spread across the world and has taken a variety of forms, Bocce (Italian), Bolla (Saxon), Bolle (Danish), Boules (French) and Ula Miaka (Polynesian). The sport of lawn bowls is also the forerunner of curling, which is a tremendously popular winter sport played on ice in northern countries (including Canada). The oldest known lawn bowls site still actively played on is located in Southampton, England. |
Records show that the green has been in operation since 1299 A.D. There are other claims of greens being in use before that time, but these are unsubstantiated by proper or sufficient documentation. During the reign of Richard II bowls were referred to as "gettre de pere" or "jetter de pierre," and describes throwing a round stone. In the early 15th century bowls were made of hardwoods and out of lignum vitae (a very dense wood) after its discovery in the 16th century in Santo Domingo.
It's believed that the "bias" was introduced inadvertently in 1522 by the Duke of Suffolk. Apparently his bowl split in two after striking other bowls and he took a knob off of a stairway banister post for a replacement. The flat side of the knob caused it to roll with a bias and he experimented by curving his bowl around others. The word spread and biased bowls gradually came into use.
Certainly the most famous story in lawn bowls is about Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada. On July 19, 1588, Drake was involved in a game at Plymouth when he was notified that the Spanish Armada had been sighted. The tale says his response was, "There is plenty of time to win the game and thrash the Spaniards too." He then proceeded to finish his match and the British Navy soundly defeated the Armada. There is a lot of controversy as to whether this event actually took place.
Henry VIII was also a lawn bowler. However, he banned the game for those who were not wealthy or "well to do" because "Bowyes, Fletchers, Stringers and Arrowhead makers" were spending more time at recreational events such as bowls instead of practicing their trade. Henry requested that anybody who wished to keep a green pay a fee of 100 pounds. However, the green could only be used for private play and he forbade anyone to "play at any bowle or bowles in open space out of his own garden or orchard." King James I issued a publication called "The Book of Sports" and, although he condemned football (soccer) and golf, encouraged the play of bowls.
Interest in the sport lapsed for years until the mid-19th century, when it experienced a revival, especially in Scotland. The Scots developed flat greens and drew up rules that remain largely unchanged.Settlers brought the game to New Zealand in the early 1860s. Auckland Bowling Club was formed in 1861 and opened the country’s first green the following year in Grafton. Dunedin followed suit in 1871, Christchurch in 1875 and Wellington in 1886. As the sport became more popular new suburban bowling clubs were formed, especially during the 1890s.
In 1879 annual matches began between the Dunedin and Christchurch clubs, each taking turns to host. In 1886 the existing 12 clubs formed the New Zealand Bowling Association. A set of rules was agreed to and the first national tournament was held in Dunedin later that year. At a Wellington tournament in 1890 a decision was made to form the Northern Bowling Association of New Zealand, comprising North Island clubs and Nelson and Marlborough. In 1895 Auckland clubs split from the association and created the Auckland Provincial Bowling Association.
In 1913 growing calls for a new national body were heeded when the three separate groups merged to create the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association. The association consisted of 17 centres (regions), eight in the North Island and nine in the South, comprising 198 clubs and 10,912 members.
At the peak of the sport’s popularity between the 1960s and 1980s there were more than 60,000 registered male bowlers alone. In 2012 the total for both male and female registered players was 44,000. As with other New Zealand sports, bowls has been affected by changing employment and recreational patterns, such as weekend work and expanded shopping hours.
With fewer people picking up the sport, many clubs have merged or closed. The sport has also suffered from being stereotyped as a pursuit for older people. Bowls New Zealand has tried to counter this image and the falling numbers by recruiting new talent in secondary schools and encouraging clubs to cater for casual players at twilight ‘crackerjack’ promotions.
At SBC we host a variety of social events - the most popular being 'Mates in Bowls' which is an annual event open to anyone who wants to try out competitive bowling in a relaxed and friendly environment. We have been fortunate to gain several new members through this event and look forward to continuing to grow the sport and our club as people realise how accessible and enjoyable the game is.
It's believed that the "bias" was introduced inadvertently in 1522 by the Duke of Suffolk. Apparently his bowl split in two after striking other bowls and he took a knob off of a stairway banister post for a replacement. The flat side of the knob caused it to roll with a bias and he experimented by curving his bowl around others. The word spread and biased bowls gradually came into use.
Certainly the most famous story in lawn bowls is about Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada. On July 19, 1588, Drake was involved in a game at Plymouth when he was notified that the Spanish Armada had been sighted. The tale says his response was, "There is plenty of time to win the game and thrash the Spaniards too." He then proceeded to finish his match and the British Navy soundly defeated the Armada. There is a lot of controversy as to whether this event actually took place.
Henry VIII was also a lawn bowler. However, he banned the game for those who were not wealthy or "well to do" because "Bowyes, Fletchers, Stringers and Arrowhead makers" were spending more time at recreational events such as bowls instead of practicing their trade. Henry requested that anybody who wished to keep a green pay a fee of 100 pounds. However, the green could only be used for private play and he forbade anyone to "play at any bowle or bowles in open space out of his own garden or orchard." King James I issued a publication called "The Book of Sports" and, although he condemned football (soccer) and golf, encouraged the play of bowls.
Interest in the sport lapsed for years until the mid-19th century, when it experienced a revival, especially in Scotland. The Scots developed flat greens and drew up rules that remain largely unchanged.Settlers brought the game to New Zealand in the early 1860s. Auckland Bowling Club was formed in 1861 and opened the country’s first green the following year in Grafton. Dunedin followed suit in 1871, Christchurch in 1875 and Wellington in 1886. As the sport became more popular new suburban bowling clubs were formed, especially during the 1890s.
In 1879 annual matches began between the Dunedin and Christchurch clubs, each taking turns to host. In 1886 the existing 12 clubs formed the New Zealand Bowling Association. A set of rules was agreed to and the first national tournament was held in Dunedin later that year. At a Wellington tournament in 1890 a decision was made to form the Northern Bowling Association of New Zealand, comprising North Island clubs and Nelson and Marlborough. In 1895 Auckland clubs split from the association and created the Auckland Provincial Bowling Association.
In 1913 growing calls for a new national body were heeded when the three separate groups merged to create the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association. The association consisted of 17 centres (regions), eight in the North Island and nine in the South, comprising 198 clubs and 10,912 members.
At the peak of the sport’s popularity between the 1960s and 1980s there were more than 60,000 registered male bowlers alone. In 2012 the total for both male and female registered players was 44,000. As with other New Zealand sports, bowls has been affected by changing employment and recreational patterns, such as weekend work and expanded shopping hours.
With fewer people picking up the sport, many clubs have merged or closed. The sport has also suffered from being stereotyped as a pursuit for older people. Bowls New Zealand has tried to counter this image and the falling numbers by recruiting new talent in secondary schools and encouraging clubs to cater for casual players at twilight ‘crackerjack’ promotions.
At SBC we host a variety of social events - the most popular being 'Mates in Bowls' which is an annual event open to anyone who wants to try out competitive bowling in a relaxed and friendly environment. We have been fortunate to gain several new members through this event and look forward to continuing to grow the sport and our club as people realise how accessible and enjoyable the game is.