Kit for Lawn Bowling

 

Shoes

Only flat soled shoes with negligible tread depth are allowed on a bowling green. Clubs may set restrictions on shoe colour as well. 

Sun Screen

Probably the most serious danger to health from lawn bowling is skin cancer from excessive exposure to the sun.

Sun Glasses

The sunshine can be intense on a bowls green. Keeping the illumination comfortable is beneficial for seeing clearly in the short run and vision in general in the long run. If you normally wear spectacles your prescription can be made up to incorporate screening that adapts to the light’s intensity.

Hat

A hat protects from the sun’s rays. Depending upon the width and location of its brim it can shield, the face, the ears, and even the back of the neck. The more extensive the brim however the more susceptible it is to being blown off your head and across the green. If your preferred hat is wide-brimmed carry a cap as well for windy conditions.

Water or Sports Drink

To maintain optimal muscle tone, maintaining hydration,

 and simply to remain comfortable you will need some form of liquid. 

Set of Bowls

A single set of four bowls that you are familiar with is enough. For social bowls bring four bowls even if the game is advertised to require fewer. The drawmaster may have to place you in a different game to make his numbers work.

The rules of bowls allow bowlers to try out different sets of bowls during the practice ends of serious competitions and then choose one set to play with in the ensuing match. I have never seen this done. Bowlers with multiple sets usually predict the best set in advance when they know the venu.

Alternate Bowls

Different greens play differently. When you are playing on a rink that is not your home club’s, you would like your bowls to follow a delivery arc just the same as you are most accustomed to. One bias cannot achieve this; however, if you have one set of narrower and another wider running bowls you may get close. Before the trial ends start, try out your different sets orthogonal to the direction of the competition. Then confirm (or reverse) this choice by delivering a bowl from each option at the trial ends.

Measuring Tape

Every bowler should carry a measure to be used or to be lent. String tapes and metal tapes are common but string tapes are preferred for serious play.

Chalk

Toucher bowls must be identified with a chalk mark. For this purpose, regular blackboard or sidewalk chalk can be used. For serious competition, spray chalk is preferred because one does not need to touch the bowl either with your hand (to steady it) or with a solid chalk stick. That way you don't risk flopping a toucher that is on edge. Regular chalk can be used for many additional informal purposes that contribute to a more enjoyable game. Chalk marks can be used to identify the T location at the two-meter line, center rink at the point where the jack is placed, and the point where the center point of the mat’s forward edge is to be positioned.

Chalk Container

If you use regular chalk it can get messy. I use the large-diameter sidewalk chalk that comes in a pack with many different colors. It is useful for marking the Ts and the center line after the bowl gets spotted correctly. This kind of large chalk can give a particularly large mess so I keep it inside one of those plastic containers used for pills; then it can be in your pocket but never mess it up.

Bowls Cloth

The bowls cloth is the small towel that is used for the finishing polish before delivering your bowl. Many bowlers hold it in their free hand during the delivery or stuff it in a pocket. Many bowls keep this cloth moist and wipe their bowls before delivering them because they feel they can better grip a moist bowl.

 It is also recommended that the bowler whose responsibility is measuring should spread his bowls cloth on the ground close to the head and place each scoring bowl onto it as the decision is made; this avoids miscounting. Also, a dry bowls towel is useful for checking the wind speed at local ground level.

Towels (many for wet weather on grass)

Bowls competitions continue usually irrespective of rain. Even if it not actually raining, if the green is wet your bowls will get slippery and pick up grass clippings and mud left by earth worms. You will need quite a few larger absorbent rags to get through a match. Also, you may need to lend to other team members who are less prepared.

Grippo

Grippo is a trade name that has gone generic. It is a sticky cream that when thinly coated on a bowl makes it less likely to slip out of your hand in wet or cold weather. There are many formulations. On the bowl, it will feel tacky but will not hinder your release.

Bowling Glove

While some people use Grippo, others wear a glove on their bowling hand to get a firm grip. 

Old Nylon Stocking or Discarded, Ripped Pantyhose

If you use some form of Grippo the neatest way to smooth it onto your bowls is to first roughy apply it all over with your hand and then smear it evenly by sliding the bowl back and forth inside the expandable nylon cylinder of the above. 

Short Pencil

A skip must have some means of keeping the score. This responsibility cannot be delegated according to the Laws of Bowls. The drawmaster usually has extra pencils if you forget yours but it's better to be well prepared.

Scorecard Holder

The drawmaster or bowls club will supply a scorecard but it is not printed on stock firm enough to write on. One needs something at the back of the scorecard. I have attached an image of my scorecard holder. It includes an elastic band since scorecards come in different lengths.

Scissors

I have a scorecard holder but the scorecard is often too wide or too long to fit onto it. I have a small pair of scissors to trim the scorecard to fit the holder. Usually, only the border of the card needs trimming.

Wet Weather Gear

A bowler must be prepared to continue playing even in heavy rain. 

A water-repellant jacket and water-repellant pants are therefore advisable. This clothing should not just be water-resistant; it should be water-impermeable! Most of these jackets are equipped with a hood that will go up over a simple cap. The peak of the cap is important to keep the hood out of your eyes. This clothing should go on over your regular bowling outfit so that it can be quickly donned or doffed as the weather shifts. The problem with most is that there is no ventilation so you perspire inside. i it is hot weather only use it for heavy rain.

Snacks

This is optional. In a tournament some snack food will normally be supplied between games; however, many players have their own preferences and bring that food with them.

Small Index Cards to Record Bias

Only I do this. As a match proceeds, I keep a record of my aim lines both on the forehand and the backhand for both odd and even ends. I see that players often forget the correct lines during a game and waste some bowls. If I'm in doubt I can check! When an aim line changes during play, I alter my record.

Wedge

Any time after all the bowls have been played in an end any player, who senses that a bowl that might be in the count might fall over thereby changing its distance from the jack, may wedge that bowl so that it stays standing in its position. Although this can be done with any suitable object that comes to hand it is useful to have something designed for the task. 

Umbrella

It is a universal safety rule that a player cannot put up an umbrella on the green. The reason for this is that the shaft significantly increases the chance of being hit by lightning. However, a small umbrella can be used on the bank to shelter bowls that have been dried with a towel but have yet to be played.  Of course, this is only an option in the absence of wind!

Cleaner for Glasses

Prescription eyeglasses only improve vision if they can be seen through without distortion. 

Spare Clothing

This is only an occasional need. If you are required to go somewhere directly after your match.

>23-Meter Measuring Tape

In an official competition, the umpire will have this tape but if your side has a strategy involving delivering short jacks it may be useful for speeding up the game to have your own.