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Monday, January 22, 2018

Learn Quickly at Lawn Bowls When One Hand Just Won’t Work for You



Today it is reported to be freezing rain in Toronto Canada. Throughout the Algarve in Portugal it is sunny, moderately warm, and clear. I am so blessed.

Playing in a triples roll-up match at the Valverde Lawn Bowls Club, our lead rolled her forehand  for five or six odd numbered ends in a row without any consistency in line.  Bowls sometimes hung out and other times whipped across the center line as the jack was approached.

Her bowls were Taylor Lignoids- a wider swinging bowl than any others in the game.

Finally I suggested that she just give up on that hand in that direction. Immediately she was consistently right up against the jack. Her weight had been good throughout the match and it remained good.

I have now and again seen that a particular biased bowl and a particular side and direction on a rink will not work together. It is a waste of time trying to figure it out. Just switch sides and stay switched!

How do you quickly diagnose such a situation? If you are hitting your stare point more than once  but the results vary so remarkably that it surprises you, it is time to change your hand. Don’t be bull headed, the rink won’t change and you can’t change bowls during the match.


If for strategic reasons you can’t change hands, ‘use the mat’ by changing your anchor foot position either to the left or right. 

1 comment:

  1. You're right, Clarke. Use the first couple of ends to find the best hand and then stick to it unless forced to switch because the head or shot required dictate a change. I'd suggest that's true for both directions. So you should be bowing forehand one direction, backhand the other.

    Grey and cool in St Ives Cambridgeshire today. Three months to go to Opening Day. Playing bowls around the year, you ARE blessed!

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