Re-spotting of the jack has become the new normal as part of the rules applied in modern lawn bowls and as a result ‘killing’ or ’burning’ an end no longer is a rational choice in the game. It is being erased from the regular bowls rule book and has become simply a chapter in bowls' history.
The tool for killing ends, the ‘drive’ or ‘runner’ (the latter, the deceptive term used in the northern hemisphere) has lost its only substantial utility, which was to force an end to be completely replayed. The reason for delivering the maximum velocity required for the drive was to increase the chance that the jack would fly off the rink no matter how it was packed round with close bowls.
This does not mean that ‘overweight’ shots, in general, will disappear. Instead what will happen is what should have been happening in the first place; running shots will be played instead. The defining difference is that the running shot is taught to be delivered with a constant, at least ditch weight no matter where the jack is located on the rink. Because its weight is less the running shot will be more consistently accurate than the drive it replaces. Because its weight is less the running bowl is more likely to stay on the rink. Because its weight is more precisely controlled taking the correct line to the target is easier to discern.
>> Because its weight is less the running shot will be more consistently accurate than the drive it replaces.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that is true. As long as the bowler is capable of maintaining form with a drive (and doesn't overdo it) - you could argue that it should be more accurate as it would take less grass and therefore less margin of error in determining line.
Or perhaps its green-dependent. I know in the recent WBT Potters tournament, the commentators went on about how it was really a game of draws and drives - that controlled weight was the hardest shot.
Having said that, I do appreciate the point about using a consistent weight on running shots. +4 yrds feels right for me. With my bowls thats about 1/3 less grass than my draw line.