The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Lawn Bowl

The ultimate guide to choosing a lawn bowl.

Selecting a lawn bowl is very personal and there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a bowl. There are now over 30 different models available in the UK, each with a different bias, in eight sizes (00-6), four weights (medium, medium heavy, heavy and extra heavy), with at least six different types of grip. Not to mention the wide range of colors. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the number of bowlers playing the wrong size or missing out before starting is considerable.

I hope I’ve answered some, if not all of your questions below, allowing you to make an informed decision about which bowl set is best for you.

Brand

Honestly, brand is the least important factor when buying a bowl set. Often times, club players will argue the merits of one style change over another. The truth is that all bowl manufacturers produce a wide range of good quality products that meet the standards set by World Bowls and almost every player will be able to find the right bowl for them.

Most established bowlers will have a personal preference that often comes up when trying different bowls, either with a clubmate or at your local bowl store. The choice of any particular model will depend on what suits you best, whether you intend to play indoors and outdoors or want a bowl specifically for faster indoor greens.

There are several manufacturers of lawn bowls in the UK. Models are shown in parentheses.

• Taylor Bowls (Lazer, Vector VS, Blaze, Ace, International, Legacy SL, Lignoid)

• Henselite (Dreamline, Tiger II, Classic II, Tiger, Classic)

• Drakes Pride (Advantage, Fineline, Professional, Jazz)

• Almark (fine gold, fine line, arrow)

Size

Sizing your bowl is perhaps the most important aspect of selecting a lawn bowl. Get it wrong and you will hit the opposite bench with a thud or drop it at your feet. As a guide, most men will play with a bowl between the sizes 3 and 5, with 3 being the smaller of the two. Ladies will generally play with bowls between 00 and 2 in size, again with 00 being the smaller of the two.

The most popular method of determining which size is best for you is to use both hands to extend your middle finger and thumb around the running surface (the smooth area around the center of the bowl so your thumbs touch at the bottom of the bowl and your middle fingers come together at the top to form a circle, if you can achieve this without too much room at the top of the bowl, this is probably the right size for you.

But I would recommend trying one or two more methods to make sure you are the correct size. Take the bowl that suits you best using the above method and two more bowls, one smaller and one larger. Taking each bowl in turn, hold it as if you were about to give birth, with it sitting comfortably in the palm of your hand (depending on your preference) and your fingers placed on the grips, swing your arm back and forth. If you feel like the bowl might collapse, it’s obviously too big, but if you can keep a firm, comfortable grip, this is another check in the box.

Lastly, I would ask the bowler to reach out in front of them, holding the bowl upside down. If after 30 seconds your arm starts to hurt or shake, it is probably too big for you. However, maintaining a firm, comfortable grip will confirm that it is more than likely the correct bowl size for you. You may even want to try the same routines with the next size to make sure you are not playing with a bowl that is too small; you should always play with the largest and heaviest bowl that you can comfortably deliver and control.

Weight

Generally, there are two weights, medium and heavy, although some manufacturers offer medium and extra heavy weight options. The weight of a bowl is indicated by the number and letter on the side of the bowl, that is, 3H is a size three bowl with a heavy weight, 2M is a size two with a medium weight. In the UK, quite a few bowlers own two games: a heavyweight game for the faster indoor surfaces and a mediumweight game for the slower outdoor greens.

The difference in weight should be considered in conjunction with the size of the bowl in terms of what happens during a match. A heavier bowl certainly has its advantages, as it will have more momentum and is more likely to hold steady on your head. If it is comfortable for the bowler to hold and deliver, I would always recommend purchasing a heavier bowl no matter what size they have chosen.

Interior or exterior?

If you play primarily indoors, I would recommend a bowl with a narrower bias, such as Taylor Lazer, Vector VS or Blaze, Henselite Classic II or Tiger Pro, or Drakes Pride Fineline or Advantage. Otherwise, you could find yourself pointing to the other end of the next track so that the bowl is swinging towards the head.

Unless of course you are a confident bowler prefer a wider bias or play at the rear, in which case you could also consider a Taylor Ace or International, a Henselite Tiger or Tiger II or a Drakes Pride Professional or Jazz.

If you’re a hardier breed and spend the summer enjoying the delights of the British summer, then the bowl bias is less important unless you play number three or skip when you have to negotiate your way between the other bowls.

Bias

The choice of your bowl bias largely depends on whether you are an indoor or outdoor bowler and in which position you play pairs, triples, or fours (lanes). If you play primarily indoors, I would recommend a narrower bias. But if you play outside, a broader bias is likely to suit your needs.

If you are just getting started in the game, I would advise starting with a bowl with a narrow to medium bias, as you will probably be asked to play at number one or two, where your main task is to get as close to the cat as possible. it’s possible. Playing in these positions will also give you a chance to find your line and weight.

Bowls with a narrow to medium bias (best for indoors) include:

• Taylor Bowls (Lazer, Vector VS, Blaze, Ace)

• Henselite (Dreamline, Tiger II, Classic II)

• Drakes Pride (Advantage, Fineline, Professional)

• Almark (arrow, Sterling Slimline)

Bowls with a medium to wide bias (best for outdoors) include:

• Taylor Bowls (Ace, Internacional, Legacy SL, Lignoid)

• Henselite (Classic II, Classic, Tiger)

• Drakes Pride (Professional, Jazz)

• Almark (Sterling Slimline, Sterling Gold)

In general, an indoor bowl is designed to have a much narrower slant, while an outdoor bowl usually has a swing that is too wide for indoor use and can be difficult to control. When I say indoor bowls I don’t mean short mat bowls; you could get away with using your indoor or outdoor bowls in a short mat set, but there are bowls designed specifically for this format of play – Stevens and Drakes Pride are the best known.

If you search Google Images using the terms taylor bias table, henselite bias table, drakes pride bias table, and almark bias table, you will find a table illustrating the bias (the lines that the bowls take) of every bowl in the manufacturer’s bowl range.

Cuffs

Grips are the serrated rings or notches around the sides of the container that provide a place to place your thumb and fingers when delivering. These provide a more secure grip and better control, especially in sweaty and cold and humid or hot conditions. If you’re primarily bowling indoors, your grips are less important.

There are several types of grip (deep dimple, shallow dimple, progrips, crescent grooves, vertical grooves) available depending on the manufacturer and model, so I would suggest trying bowls with different grips before making a decision. Again, if you belong to a club, ask your partners if you can roll-up your bowls to get a better idea of ​​what is most comfortable and suitable for your bowling style.

Colour

Originally all the bowls were made of hard lignum wood and were therefore brown in color. When composition bowls were introduced, they were invariably black. Today, the bowls are available in nearly 50 colors, shades, and patterns and while they are slightly more expensive, the price gap is narrowing. The color of your bowls is a purely personal choice.

cost

A new set of bowls will cost between £ 160 and £ 230, so unless the customer is sure they know what they want, we always recommend that beginners buy a second-hand set for between £ 30 and £ 120. These can often be purchased through your club’s bulletin board, some retailers, or alternatively take a look on Ebay, where there is always a healthy stock of second-hand bowls for sale. As long as they are not older than 15 years (you can determine age by examining the oval or rectangular seal on the side of the container, the manufacturer’s 10-year warranty seal) and no serious scratches or gouges (minor scratches on the surface will ). will not affect performance) will serve their purpose. And if you later decide to trade in your bowls, a secondhand set will only lose a fraction of their original cost when you come to sell them.

With so many bowls on the market, I would always suggest seeking the advice of a bowl specialty retailer and, if possible, asking if you could try the model you want to buy. Sometimes bowl stores located within indoor arenas have samples that can be tasted.

In the end, whatever bowls you choose, they will only be as good as the player. Bowling can be the most rewarding or frustrating game. One day you will throw your opponent off the green and the next you will not get within six feet of the jack. It can be as infuriating as it is rewarding.

A large part of the game, in any format, is about consistency. I can’t recommend enough that practice makes perfect, either on your own or with another player, drawing towards the cat over and over using both your forehand and backhand. But that’s for another time.

I hope this guide has been helpful to you. If so, recommend it to any other new bowler you know. Whatever game format you choose to play and whatever bowls you choose to buy, I hope you enjoy not only the game, but also the friendships you make and the vibrant social scene that goes with it.

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