Lawn Bowls Glossary
BIAS
Bias is the amount of curve that a bowl will take during its course
to the jack. Bowls are available with several different 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. Click this link for a description of this lawn
bowls testing process.
BURNED END
A Burned or "burnt" End is one where the Jack has been moved outside
the boundaries of the rink by a bowl in play. In normal competition
Burned Ends must be replayed.
DELIVER/DELIVERY
Deliver is the term used for throwing or rolling a bowl. The delivery
is the action of delivering a bowl. A bowler with a good delivery can be
compared to a golfer with a good swing.
DRAW
The term draw can have several meanings in bowling. As a noun it can
refer to the type of shot being played. A "dead draw" is an attempt to
deliver the bowl as close as possible to the target (generally the
jack). It can also be used as a verb. You may hear a skip issuing an
instruction such as, "Just draw to the jack".
DRIVE
A drive is type of shot in bowling where the player delivers the bowl
with maximum force toward the target. Otherwise know in Scotland as a "blooter"!
END
An end of bowls comprises the placing of the mat, the delivery of the
jack and the playing of all the required bowls of all of the opponents
in one direction on the rink.
GUARD
A Guard is a bowl played to a position that restricts the opposition
from getting to the target.
HEAD
The head refers collectively to the Jack and the bowls that have been
delivered and come to rest within the boundaries of the rink.
HEAVY
When a player unintentionally delivers a bowl beyond the jack or the
intended target it is described as being Heavy.
JACK
The Jack is the small white ball that is the target in bowls. You may
also hear it referred to colloquially as the "White", the "Kitty" or the
"Sweetie".
JACK HIGH
If a bowl is Jack high it means that it has reached a position such
that its nearest part is laterally aligned with the jack. Effectively it
means that the bowl and jack are level.
LEAD
A Lead is the person who plays first in pairs triples or fours
(rinks) game. The lead is responsible for setting the mat and delivering
the jack to start the end.
LINE OR ROAD
The Line or Road is the curved route taken to the jack. E.g. "You are
a yard short but your line was good."
SECOND
The Second in a triples or rinks (fours) game is the player who plays
second. In the rinks game the second is responsible for marking the
score card.
SHORT
A bowl that does not reach the jack or the intended target is
described as being short.
SHOT
Shot can have several meanings. The shot or shots are the number of
points scored in an end. It can also mean the type of delivery, e.g. a
drawing shot, and during an end, the bowl that is currently nearest the
jack.
SKIP
The Skip is the captain of a team in pairs, triples or rinks play.
The Skip is always last to play and is responsible for directing the
play during an end. The other players in a team must follow the Skip's
instructions.
THIRD
The third is the third player to play in a rinks game. The third is
normally responsible, with his corresponding opponent, for deciding the
result of an end, i.e. who is lying the shot and how many shots have
been scored. The skips however have the final say in this in the event
of any dispute.
TOUCHER
A Toucher is a bowl that during its course touches the jack before
finishing within the boundaries of the rink. A Toucher remains live even
if it finishes in the ditch.
WEIGHT
Weight is the term used to refer to the power applied to a delivery.
WOODS
Before the introduction of plastic composition bowls they were made
from the heaviest most dense wood available, Lignum Vitae. At this time
bowls were often called Woods and some people still use this as a
generic term for bowls. |
