Back Bowl: A bowl that comes
to rest beyond the Jack.
Best Back: This is the bowl at
rest beyond the jack nearest the ditch than any opposition bowl.
Be Up: Instruction from Skip
to bowl longer (don't be short of Jack).
Bias: Bowls are not round,
they are very slightly egg shaped and one side has a bias. This side is offset
to make the bowl curve. The bias side of the bowl is noted by the smaller round
ring. Bias is correct when the bowl curves towards the Jack.
Blocker: A bowl that blocks
someone (usually an opponent) from reaching the desired target.
Bowl: A modern term for Woods. Bowls used to be made of wood, hence the original name but these days they are made of a dense plastic composite material and are in various colours, although the most common is black.
Centre Line: This is the line
marked at both ends of the rink to determine where the jack and mat is
Chalk: Stick or Spray Chalk is used to mark Bowls that hit the Jack. These marked bowls remain "live" even if they are knocked into the ditch.
Dead End: When the Jack has
been knocked out of bounds. The end is not counted and is played again.
Draw Shot: Shots where the
bowl is rolled to the jack without disturbing the bowls already at the Head. The
classic shot in the game of bowls.
Drive/Fire: This involves
bowling with considerable force/speed with the aim of knocking either the Jack
backwards into the ditch or to disrupt the head. Only usually used when the team
you are playing for are several shots down or no draw is available.
Dead Bowl: When a ‘non
toucher’ bowl either goes in the ditch or any bowl rests outside the rink field
of play. (See Touchers).
Down: When your team does not
have the Shot Bowl, you are considered to be Down. You may be down by one or
End: Means playing of the Jack
and all bowls of both opponents in the same direction on a Rink. The number of
Ends played is decided by Club Rules. A typical game has 21 ends, or 18 in
Foot Fault: A foot fault
occurs when the bowler does not have one foot on or over the mat on release of
the bowl. The foot may be on the mat or in the air.
Forehand Draw: When the bowl
is delivered to the right of the Jack, and curves to the left (for right-handed
bowlers). Or, Backhand Draw when the bowl is
delivered to the left of the Jack, and curves to the right (for left-handed
Grass: Apart from the surface,
the directional line the bowl takes in order for it to curve towards the Jack.
So a bowl with "too much grass" will be too wide. (See Green).
Green: Lawn bowls is played on
a square "Green" of grass, with directions being alternated to protect the
bowling surface. Also this term can be used to indicate the directional line the
bowl takes in order for it to curve towards the Jack. So a bowl with "too much
green" will be wide. (See Grass).
Hand: The side on which the
bowl is delivered: either Forehand or Backhand.
Head: A group of bowls
constitutes a Head, which means the bowls that have been played and have come to
rest within the boundary of the Rink and have not been declared dead.
Holding Shot: Team with their
bowl(s) closest to Jack (see also Shot Bowl).
Hook: the direction a bowl
takes when it is slowing down and has just about a metre or two left to roll.
Some bowls hook more then others, especially older Classic bowls with extreme
Jack: White ball or "kitty"
used as a target to play to, which determines point scoring (see
Lead: The person who starts
off the play. Also places the Mat and rolls the Jack if their team "has the
Mat: The actual mat that is
placed by the team winning the last end, in preparation to start the next end.
This is also known as having the Mat. The team with the mat always rolls the
Measure: When it is uncertain
which bowl is closest to the jack, a tape measure is used to determine which
bowl(s) is nearer than the oppositions nearest bowl. Players carry a special
lawn bowls tape measures to do this. For very short distances Callipers are used.
Narrow: The bowler didn't
deliver the bowl far enough from centreline to the Jack. It runs too narrow.
(Also called not taking enough "Grass/Green").
Pairs: Bowls games in which
each team has a pair of players (a Skip and a Lead)
Promoting a Bowl: Pushing up
one of your team's bowls to a better position.
Rink: The lane(s) on the
bowling green playing surface. Each Rink is defined by markers on the edge to
clearly define the edge of each rink. Most bowling greens have 6 rinks, but some
can have less.
Rinks game: A bowling game in
which there are 4 players per team a Skip, a Three, a Two and a Lead. Each
player uses 2 bowls each.
Skipper/Skip: Team captain or
Skip who always plays last. This person is usually the most experienced player,
who also guides the strategy.
Shot Bowl: The bowl closest to
Tied end: When the two closest
bowls are both exactly the same distance from the jack and belong to opposing
teams, even after measurement, the end is declared a tie.
Touchers: Bowls that hit the
Jack. These bowls are marked with chalk and remain "live" even if they are
knocked into the ditch.
Trailing the Jack: The jack is
moved by a bowl with the bowl staying with the jack to score. Often used to move
the jack to a favourable position scoring several shots.
Trial Ends: Formal practice
ends. Only allowed at the start of a game in which each team rolls 2 bowls down
and back to get a feel of the green. Such ends do not count in the
Triples: A game in which each
team has 3 players on their team - a Skip, a Two and a Lead. Typically each
player then only uses 3 bowls each, but some triples matches are with 2 bowls
Up: When your team does have
the Shot Bowl, you are considered to be ‘Up’. You may be ‘Up’ by one or more
Weight: The amount of speed
applied in delivering the bowl from the mat to the Jack. "Heavy" weight means
that the bowl stops beyond the Jack, while "Light" means that it stops short of
the spot desired.
Wide: The bowler delivered the
bowl too far from centreline to the Jack. It runs too wide. (Also called taking
too much "Grass/Green").
Wick: When a bowl bounces off
another bowl. (This term is derived from curling).
Woods: An old term for bowls.
They used to be made of wood so were mainly brown in colour. These days they are
made of a dense plastic composite material and are in various colours, although
the most common is black.
Yard On: A shot delivered with
an extra degree of speed to displace or disturb other bowls in the head or trail
the jack. (See Trailing the Jack).