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The ultimate guide to choosing a lawn bowl.

Selecting a lawn bowl is a very personal thing 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 who bowl the wrong size or get lost before they start is considerable.

I hope the following has answered some, if not all, of your questions, allowing you to make an informed decision about which bowl set best suits your needs.

Mark

Honestly, the brand is the least important factor when buying a bowl set. Often club players will argue the merits of one brand over another. The truth is that all bowling 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 bowling pin for them.

Most established bowlers will have a personal preference which often comes up when trying out different bowls, either with a clubmate or at your local bowl store. Choosing a 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)

• Drake’s Pride (Advantage, Fineline, Professional, Jazz)

• Almark (Gold of law, Sterling Slim-Line, Arrow)

Size

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

The most popular method for determining which size is best for you is to use both hands to spread your middle fingers and thumb apart around the running surface (the smooth area around the center of the bowl so your thumbs touch the bottom of the bowl). and your middle fingers meet at the top to form a circle.If you can accomplish this without leaving too much room at the top of the bowl, it’s probably the right size for you.

But I would recommend trying one or two methods besides making sure you have the right size. Take the bowl that suits you best following the previous method and two more bowls, one of a smaller size and one of a larger size. Taking each bowl in turn, hold it as if you were about to hand it over, with it sitting comfortably in the palm of your hand (depending on your preference) and your fingers positioned on the grips, swing your arm back and forth. If you feel like the bowl might topple over, it’s obviously too big, but if you can maintain a firm, comfortable grip, then this is another tick in the box.

Lastly, he would ask the pitcher to reach out in front of him, holding the bowl upside down. If after 30 seconds your arm starts to hurt or shake, it’s probably too big for you. However, if you keep a firm, comfortable grip, this will confirm that this is most likely the right size bowl for you. You can even try the same routines with the next size up to make sure you’re not messing with a bowl that’s 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, ie 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 sets: a heavyweight set for the faster inside surfaces and a medium weight set for the slower outside greens.

The weight difference needs to be considered along with the size of the bowl in terms of what happens during a match. A bowl certainly has its biggest advantages, as it will have more momentum and is more likely to stay 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 you have chosen.

Indoor or outdoor?

If you primarily play indoors I would recommend a bowl with a narrower bias such as a Taylor Lazer, Vector VS or Blaze, a Henselite Classic II or Tiger Pro or a Drakes Pride Fineline or Advantage. Otherwise, you might find yourself aiming for the far end of the next track so that the bowl swings towards your head.

Unless of course you’re a confident bowler, prefer a wider bias or play to the back, in which case you might as well consider a Taylor Ace or International, a Henselite Tiger or Tiger II or a Drakes Pride Professional or Jazz.

If you are a more hardy 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 jump when you have to negotiate your way around the other bowls.

Bias

Choosing your bowl bias largely depends on whether you are an indoor or outdoor bowler and what position you play in pairs, triples or fours (lanes). If you primarily play indoors, I’d recommend a narrower bias. But if you play outdoors, a wider bias is likely to suit your needs.

If you are just starting out 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 jack as possible. as possible. Playing these positions will also give you a chance to find your line and your weight.

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

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

• Henselite (Dreamline, Tiger II, Classic II)

• Drake Pride (Advantage, Fineline, Professional)

• Almark (Arrow, Sterling Slimline)

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

• Taylor bowls (Ace, International, 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 bias, while an outdoor bowl is often too wide swing for indoor use and can be difficult to control. When I say indoor bowling I don’t mean short-mat bowling – you can get away with using indoor or outdoor bowling in a short-mat game, but there are bowling 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 plot, henselite bias plot, drakes pride bias plot, and almark bias plot, you will find a plot illustrating the bias (the lines that the bowls take) of every bowl in the manufacturer’s range of bowls. .

cuffs

Grips are the notched or indented rings around the sides of the bowl that offer a place to place your thumb and fingers when delivering. These provide a more secure grip and better control, especially in cold and humid or hot and sweaty conditions. If you primarily bowl indoors, then 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 mates if you can have a roll-up with their bowls to get a better idea of ​​which one is more comfortable and suits your style of bowling.

color

Originally, all bowls were made of lignum hardwood and were therefore brown in color. When composition bowls were introduced, they were invariably black. Today, bowls are available in almost 50 colors, shades, and patterns, and although they are a bit more expensive, the price difference 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 notice board, some retailers, or alternatively take a look on Ebay where there are always plenty of second hand bowls for sale. As long as they are no more than 15 years old (you can determine the age by examining the oval or rectangular seal on the side of the container – the manufacturer’s 10-year warranty seal) and no scratches or serious scratches (minor surface scratches are not will affect performance) will still serve their purpose. And if you later decide to trade in your bowls, a second-hand set will only lose a fraction of its original cost when you resell it.

With so many bowls on the market, I always suggest seeking the advice of a specialist bowl retailer and, if possible, asking if you could try out the model you want to buy. Sometimes bowling shops located inside indoor arenas have samples that can be tried.

In the end, whatever bowls you choose, they are only as good as the player. Bowling can be the most rewarding or frustrating game. One day you’ll throw the opposition off the green and the next you won’t get within six feet of the jack. It can be as irritating as it is rewarding.

A huge part of the game, in any format, is about consistency. I can’t recommend it highly enough that practice makes perfect, whether alone or with another player, drawing the jack over and over again using both your forehand and backhand. But that is for another time.

I hope you have found this guide useful. If so, please recommend him to any other new bowlers you know. Whatever format of game you choose to play and whatever bowls you choose to buy, I hope you not only enjoy the game, but also the friendships you make and the vibrant social scene that goes along with it.

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