Playing or Not Playing your Last Bowl at Lawn Bowls

Last Bowl in the End

When your side has the last bowl there may be more risk playing into the head than potential benefit. The Laws of Bowls permit you to forgo that delivery and count the end as it stands.

However, at least when playing on outdoor greens which may not be perfectly flat, You should always use that last unnecessary bowl to explore some unused part of the green.

The most frequent situation will be when you have only knowledge of one side of the rink. For example, early in a match, you may have only bowled forehand. Given last bowl in a head you do not wish to change and where the best option incurs substantial risk to your advantage, you should experiment to learn the draw on the unfamiliar backhand side. Since you most definitely don’t want to disturb the head, you should bowl long if the end is a short one and vice versa.

Another possible way to use your extra bowl, is to target one edge of the rink. This will give you advanced knowledge of the amount of grass to take when the jack is displaced toward that boundary later in the contest. At the same time you will not be putting the present head situation in danger.

Last Bowl for Your Side

When you have the penultimate bowl, you may still not want to risk disturbing the head even though you know your opposition skip will have one more try to change the outcome. Whether you need to bowl into the head depends upon how many other possible counting bowls you have. If your side has only a single bowl protecting against a large score by the opposition, usually the best choice is to try to deliver another counter. This should be balanced by assessing how exposed your best bowl is to attack.

If after all these considerations, you still feel that you should not risk interfering with the head you can choose to:

Bowl to a respot position if you are playing ‘no dead ends’.

Place the ‘backest bowl’ on the side of the rink where a displaced jack is most likely to go.

On a slow green, place a 14-meter blocker  to protect against a draw or run-through shot if only one side of the rink remains playable (one cannot place a 14-meter blocker on a fast green because the blocker would be on another rink)

On a fast green, place a blocker 2-3 meters short of the head on the center line to protect against a drive (on a slow green it is difficult to protect against both forehand and backhand drives because both paths will entail curvature) 

In the situation where you do not wish to disturb the head but you need your last bowl to be ‘in the count’ you need to be increasingly aware that your bowl must finish behind the head but not be narrow.

In 2020 How Would I Describe My Bowls Delivery?

I bowl from the Shooters’ stance. My anchor foot is positioned at an angle of 45 degrees to the line of delivery. I have chosen this because it provides less side-to-side tilting during my stepping when I am on one foot only. For the set-up, I use the South African foot positioning which places the stepping foot one-half a stride in front of the anchor foot. This reduces the length of the forward stride and reduces the time that I'm standing on one leg. I hope this increases my stability. In my set position, I have my non-bowling hand resting on the knee of my forward leg. This keeps my center of gravity lower than it would otherwise be in a completely erect posture; again trying to minimize sway. My hand on my knee locks in the stability. My weight is essentially completely on my anchor foot so that my forward stepping will be less encumbered.

My wrist is no longer cocked. I abandoned this experiment because it was inconsistent with having a more relaxed arm. The biggest change from previous years is that I now hold my bowl tilted, even in the ready position so that no  Bryant twist is required during the backswing. This follows the observed practice of Stuart Andersen (search Stuart Andersen in this blog). The natural position of my hand, when it hangs loosely at my side, is not with fingers parallel to my aim line but slightly turned in. Previously, when I was using a Bryant twist in my backswing I felt the bowl’s changing center of gravity as I twisted my wrist was throwing off the smooth line of my backswing. Starting with the wrist off-center as Andersen does eliminates this perception. Bringing my wrist back into line, so the bowl’s running surface coincides with the aim line, occurs in the forward swing and I do not feel it.

My grip for a draw or running (run-through) shot is best described as having the “C” formed by my thumb and index finger on the bowl’s grip marks. (Since I use Aero Zig-Zag Grooved bowls, there is an actual channel for my thumb and finger.) My middle fingertip is centered on the running surface of my bowl. In contrast, for a drive, all four of my fingers are on the bowl with my index finger on one grip and my baby finger on the other.  My two middle fingers are near the center of the running surface. Putting all four fingers behind the bowl seems to improve my power while preserving accuracy.

Following David Bryant’s teaching, holding the bowl in a proper grip and standing in my proper set position, I look back and forth alternating between my stare point, over which I must roll my bowl to get the proper bias swing, and the jack location, whose distance I need to internalize to get the proper weight. At the same time, I make a few abbreviated practice swings along the proposed line, and then when I feel comfortable I begin my backswing.

My backswing is slow and measured; like an archer drawing his bow or a pool player lining up his cue. My mind is focused on keeping my backswing on top of the extension of my aim line out behind me. My eyes stare at the ‘stare point’ on my aim line which I want my bowl to traverse. As the bowl passes the lowest point on my backswing, my stepping foot starts forward. My stepping foot points (the centerline between heel and toes) along the aim line and comes down parallel and close to the aim line. The continuation of my backswing and my forward stepping somewhat offset each other in terms of weight transfer but I sense some net transfer of weight backward on my anchor foot at this point. As my forward-stepping foot gets planted on the ground my forward swing begins accompanied by a smooth transfer of my body weight forward onto my forward leg. My body dips slightly to bring my bowl closer to the ground. I release my bowl just in front of my forward foot. During the forward stepping and forward swinging, my mind is blank—in order to commit complete control to my subconscious. Once the bowl is released, I consciously observe whether I have rolled the bowl over my stare point so that I will know whether I need to correct my line or simply do a better job of hitting it!

It is important, I think, to be sure that one completely transfers one’s body weight forward onto one’s stepping foot. This is achieved by taking an actual step off the mat.  I have so far failed to consistently follow this, so it is a work in progress. I am also trying to vigorously draw my fingers and thumb off the bowl as I release it so that there is no last-minute deflection from the line; but, this so far is just a hoped-for outcome. Since I am trying to leave the forward swing to my subconscious it is difficult to consciously control the bowl’s release.

 

Illustrating the Importance of Controlling the Mat

 

The importance of control of the mat so that one can dictate jack length is sometimes not emphasized enough. An entertaining Youtube video of a match between Katelyn Inch and Chloe Stewart forcefully reminds us of that principle.  The match exhibits massive swings correlating with the choice of the mat length. 

The match has another teaching at the 2:46:30 minute mark. Chloe has a perfect position with counting bowls immediately in front of and immediately behind the jack but she accidentally disturbs the head while trying to place her next delivery behind the head. The jack becomes exposed and Katelyn is able to take advantage. A short blocking shot that would force Katelyn either to avoid it when driving at the head or change hands for a run-through shot would have been better tactics and wouldn’t risk disturbing the head.

The Ten Top Greenbowler Lawn Bowling Blogs

Ryan Bester at Broadbeach

 

I've been posting The Greenbowler Blog for seven years. Although, as the editor, I can see which of my 228 posts have been more popular this information is not readily available to readers although posts can be selected by keywords using the search tool in the right-hand column of each blog article. So below, I list, each with its own link, my 10 most popular blog articles of all time. If this proves useful and there is a demand for it, I will supply links for numbers 11-20 later.

1. The Secret to Controlled Weight

2. Strategy and Tactics at Bowls

3. Lawn Bowling from the Shooters Stance

4. Measuring at Bowls

5. Jack or Bowl: Reading the Head

6. Strategy of Leads at Pairs

7. Controlled Weight

8. Choosing your Correct Bias for Bowls

9. Delivering Bowls with a Cocked Wrist

10. Henselite Supergrip Championship Bowls

Covid-19 Provides the Opportunity to Practice Bowling to Severely Displaced Jacks

 

All over the world, Covid-19 restrictions have mandated that lawn bowlers must only play or practice on alternate rinks. Although there is much that this order prevents it does enable one thing. In our practice routines, we can all now include bowling to jacks that have been displaced to locations close to the side boundaries.

While play is normally permitted on all the available rinks practicing drawing to a jack near a boundary of one’s own rink frequently requires either bowling across a neighbor’s rink or delivering inside out bowls that end up out of bounds on that neighbor’s rink or interfering with a neighbor’s natural draw line as he/she tries to draw to a centered jack on that adjacent rink.

Now with the rinks on either side of your practice rink ordered empty by the Covid regulations, there are no neighbors to annoy. Let us therefore boldly seize this chance. It is my fervent wish that this opportunity will soon disappear and never return!

Considering a Block Shot

 

A good block shot is hard to deliver. Even when the bowl seems to have ended up in its best location, it often proves ineffective when the opposing skip understands how to ‘use the mat’ to get around that interfering bowl. Usually placing a bowl instead close to where the jack is most likely to be moved to is the best percentage play; however, I think a block needs to be considered, if only for its psychological impact,

When:

yours is the next-to-last bowl (penultimate) and a few of the following conditions coexist:

•  You have one shot within a foot of the jack and a close second. 
•  The back (particularly re-spot) is already covered.
•  It would be very demoralizing if your side disturbed the head.
•  The opposing skip has an excellent drive.  
•  The target presented is large and/or close.
•  The rules permit ends can be burnt. 
• There is really only one hand that affords a realistic approach to the head. 
•  The opposing skip has recent experience with only one particular hand in this direction. 
•  You are in the last 1-2 ends and you are ahead.
•  You absolutely need the opponent to miss because you need the full count.
•  There is a funnel configuration leading into the jack.
• There are two or three enemy bowls in front but not counting.

 

Caution: You do not want to attempt a block shot before the penultimate shot (next to last), because you would not want to block yourself if the situation in the head changed in the opponent's favor after your block.

Where:  

Against either a Run-through or Drive

A blocking shot directed against either a run-through shot or a drive is thrown just over 14 meters and placed in the anticipated bowl’s path. This is accomplished by aiming at a point midway between the center and the edge of the rink. Advance the stepping foot completely along the aim line and place it at an angle of 45 degrees to the line. This is the stance of a push bowler. No weight is transferred forward during the swing. From a completely vertical position with the bowling arm just hanging down the bowl is pushed out with the arm only and set rotating with the fingers. With this impetus, the bowl should travel about 14 meters.

Against a Run-Through via a Port
 

Where you want to close a port through which the opponent is likely to direct a run-through shot, bowl the opponent’s shot but be light and very slightly wide.

Against a Drive

To block both a forehand and backhand drive the blocking bowl needs to be past the hog line and close to the center line. About 3 meters in front of the head is good so that if it is hit it won’t disturb the head itself unless it is struck in the absolute center.

Adding a bowl at the back is the correct play if the opposition can score a multiple if the jack is sent backward. Placing a bowl behind, among opposing bowls, is much easier than placing a good block.

Some opponents never drive. Some only draw, others may also try a shot through the head. It is useful to know the particular style of your opponents. There is no point in countering a shot that is never going to be contemplated!

Tactical Shots at Lawn Bowls

 

Turramurra LBC

There are four distinguishable tactical shots in lawn bowls. The draw shot has as its target its final ending place.… that is, the shot is successful if your bowl finishes precisely where you are aiming it to go. Both the yard-on shot and the running shot,  in contrast, are successful if they don’t reach the spot the bowler is aiming for. Their purpose is to hit something in the head as they pass through it toward their target destination. The drive is distinguished in that if it fails to hit its target it will always finish in the ditch or out of bounds.

The Draw Shot

A Draw Shot is the most frequent shot and it is really what the game is all about. For this shot, the player attempts to play with the exact weight and line required to finish closest to the jack.  Less frequent tactics may require drawing close to some other location on the rink often to protect against the jack being subsequently displaced backward or to block the path opponents may use to get bowls into the head. Mastering this shot is considered to be the most essential in all bowls.

 The Yard On Shot

The "Yard On" shot is a bowl that is played with enough weight to carry it, if unobstructed, a yard or two past the target but the line that is supposed to be taken causes it to pass through the head near the jack. The objective of this shot is usually to drag the jack away from opposing bowls, hopefully towards your own, or to push a bowl out of the "head" and take its place. In Scotland, this is often referred to as a "chop and lie" shot. The shot is more often successful on heavier greens where bowls express less of their bias. With ‘swingy’ bowls on a fast surface, the yard-on shot that misses its target often ends up well out of the head and is most often no longer a factor in play. 

The Running Shot or Ditch Length Shot

The Running Shot is one that uses more weight than the yard-on. The object of this shot is to remove the opponents’ bowls from the head, to move the jack to the ditch, or to seek some other result that requires the bowl to be played with weight. The difference between it and the drive is that the running shot has a greater chance of avoiding the ditch itself even if it misses its target. This is important when your side has no back bowls or when the jack is required to be respotted if the jack is driven out of bounds. This can be a difficult shot to play as the line (bias) required for hitting the target changes with different weights. The weight should be constant with the line adjusted to allow your bowl to pass through the head. The ditch length shot is less useful on fast greens because a bowl that misses the head is likely to finish out-of-bounds because of the greater curling of a bowl on a fast surface.

The Drive

The drive shot is a bowl that is played with the highest weight that one can muster without sacrificing accuracy of line. Striking the target, usually the head, with full force is the desired result. The tactical objective of this shot may be to completely remove the opponent's bowls from the head or from the rink or to drive the jack into the ditch or out of play. It is most often used when a player has at least several shots against him and they are mostly closer to the jack than he is likely able to draw. In this case, the object is to destroy the head by driving the jack out of the rink. When successful this results either in getting the end replayed (traditionally) or causing the jack to be repotted (recently) which may be advantageous. This can be a very effective and intimidating shot to have in your armory but many players have difficulty controlling their direction when concentrating their efforts on so much weight. With the respotting rule more frequently practiced today, less velocity and more accuracy are more likely to produce an advantage. When delivering the drive it is very important to release the bowl no more than six inches in advance of the forward foot since holding your bowl longer is likely to cause narrow bowling.  

Avoid Dropping your Bowl: A Back Swing for Palm Bowlers

 

Bowlers who use a palm grip have a special problem; because they do not position their thumb on top of the bowl they cannot squeeze the bowl firmly and so cannot dependably hang on to the bowl if they want to deliver with any significant backswing.

This isn’t always a matter of choice. Many bowlers, whether because of the length of their fingers or because of medical deficiencies, cannot grip with their thumbs. Not having any significant backswing can make delivering a bowl to longer jacks, for them, either challenging or impossible.

I believe I have stumbled upon a way to overcome this problem. While studying the deliveries of the best indoor lawn bowlers for blog articles about them, I noticed that Stuart Anderson holds his bowl with its running surface at an angle to the delivery line throughout his backswing. He then straightens his wrist either at the top of his backswing or during his forward swing and releases it with the bowl’s running surface parallel with his aim line. This differs from what is taught to most beginning bowlers who are taught either a straight backswing or a drawing back combined with a Bryant twist.  Anderson uses a claw grip so why he does this very individualistic thing is unclear. What is very clear is that it does not subtract from his efficacy. Anderson won the World Indoor Bowls championship in 2019!

What I came to realize however was that if palm bowlers adopted this change they could have a secure backswing in their deliveries without any complicating coordination of swinging and twisting their wrists as is so often taught in Australia and New Zealand. The reason this works is that if you align your hand like Anderson does when you take your backswing, your thumb, if it is at the side of the bowl, will end up under the bowl and hold it more securely in your hand!

I, myself, use a claw grip but even without practice, I was able to switch to a palm grip and still retain the same pendulum swing which I had become part of my standard grooved delivery.