Head Reading at Lawn Bowls: Greg Harlow Drives

In the picture above you see Greg Harlow inspecting the head before delivering his last (green) bowl. It is not clear what the score will be when the end is completed. He is down one in the head but could be down as many as three. On the indoor carpet with his wide-bias bowls, Greg’s last bowl will enter the head at an angle of perhaps 60 degrees from the vertical. Drawing on his backhand can reduce the loss to one if he draws close enough or if he wicks off his closest short bowl; however, the unusual disposition of three bowls out in front of the jack presents a third option. He could drive hard at the shortest of his green bowls. Four different bowls can be anticipated being pushed through the head. Three of these bowls are green. Greg has the ‘backest’ bowl and it looks like it will stay protected. There is a very good chance that the jack will move back and even go out of bounds for re-spotting.

In fact, Harlow, who has a very accurate forehand drive, does move the jack.