Measuring in Close Disputed Ends at Lawn Bowls

General Points

In social games it is a kindness to offer to do the measuring if you observe that your opponent is having difficulty; however, do not be insistent. Many players take offense if you imply that they are not physically capable.

Thirty seconds after the last bowl in an end has been played, any player from either team can wedge any bowl that may fall before the count is complete. The wedge can be anything that comes to hand. No bowl can be wedged until 30 seconds after the last bowl has stopped rolling because either team’s skip or a player in singles play can request such a delay before counting begins to give any tilting bowl a chance to fall. 

When the points are critical it is best to call for assistance. If you try to measure and disturb the jack or any bowl potentially affecting the count, the other side will be entitled to reposition the disturbed wood where they feel it was located. Additionally, if an actual umpire is available, better measuring equipment can resolve even very close cases.

If the competing teams are going to do their own counting the following apply. 

Shot in Dispute

The side with the single closest bowl is the only side that can score in an end, so first, the shot bowl must be decided. To determine who holds that bowl, either side can do the measurement but as a matter of bowling etiquette, that person should measure their own candidate first. If there are more than two candidates for shot-bowl, it makes sense for the side with the fewest such candidates to measure since that will end up being the most efficient. For example, if one side has a single bowl that might be shot while the other side has two such candidates, it is necessary for the side with only the single candidate to measure their bowl first and compare its length to each of the other side's two bowls so that a decision can be made with only a single stretching of the string measure. However, the Laws of World Bowls say nothing about who should do the measuring; so based on the rules, either side may measure.

Shot Not in Dispute

If the shot bowl is not in dispute, the scoring side may ask for additional shots. These additional shots are each either conceded or the side asking for these additional shots will require that a measure be made. The measurement is normally made by the side which does not have the shot bowl but that side might occasionally refuse to do this measuring. This usually arises when such further deciding is, in their eyes, obvious and no further measuring is required. In this case, the side asking for more shots will need to make the measurement.   The side asserting entitlement to more points must, in the end, make its own case!  In every situation, the side not taking the measure may ask for the opportunity to confirm the measurement themselves. Each shot must be agreed to or appealed to an umpire.

In measuring at lawn bowls there is a rule of etiquette already alluded to that the person doing the measuring must measure his/her own bowl first. Wherever I have looked on the internet the word ‘must’ in this pronouncement is in capitals so the admonition seems to be very strongly held. What is the reason for this emphatic rule, I wonder? The Laws of World Bowls is silent. 

The side that is not doing the measuring in any end can elect to remeasure at the time a decision on a particular bowl is being made. Once a decision has been agreed concerning any particular bowl however that bowl is removed from the head. Either side can at any time call for an umpire to decide concerning any bowls that have not been already agreed upon.

Since in contentious heads where several bowls from each side are possible counters, such that quite a few measurements may be needed, the side that can win the additional points should do the measuring work.