A History of Lawn Bowls

 

As a service to my audience and as a compliment to the author, J. P. Munro, I am reproducing a history of the Henselite Bowls Company that comprises a history of lawn bowls in general.

THE ROMANCE OF BOWL MANUFACTURE

By

The Late J. P. MUNRO
(Noted Bowls Historian and former Hon. Secretary of the
Royal Victorian Bowls Association)

Are you wondering why we used the word "Romance"? Do you think that kind of word seems out of place associated with something prosaic like "Manufacture"? It's the right word! This is a story along classical lines-a story of triumph, of initiative, persistence and skill, of devotion to a cause. This is a story with no ending, but one that without an ending has brought happiness, enjoyment and relaxation to hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world. Unless this story could be written, the magnificent game of bowls, despite its rich tradition in history, would without doubt still be outside the grasp of the greater proportion of those to whom it has come to mean so much. This is a "Romance" right enough, a story of a success that has earned the gratitude of the whole international bowling fraternity.

Nobody knows when the era of wooden (lignum-vitae) bowls began in England, but it goes back many centuries. The island of San Domingo in the West Indies (where lignum-vitae comes from) was discovered by Columbus on December 3rd, 1492, so it is definite that the timber was unknown in England at that time. Lignum-vitae was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards in 1508, and it was probably brought to England by Sir Francis Drake either from the West Indies direct, or after being taken from the cargo of Spanish ships captured by him. Drake had equipped his ship, "The Pasha", with bowls and quoits for the recreation of his crew whilst resting on an island in the Gulf of Darien. Most probably the bowls were of lignum-vitae, and made by his ship's carpenters whilst waiting in the harbour at Plymouth during preparation for the voyage.

However, lignum-vitae became the popular timber for bowls manufacture in England and Scotland, by such makers as John Jacques & Son (established 1795), Thomas Taylor (1796), Peter Boardman & Sons (1850), William Lindop (1855), R. G. Lawrie Ltd., F. H. Ayres Ltd., Bussey & Co. Ltd., the Taylor-Rolph Co., Slazengers Ltd., and others. Several of these firms still produce wooden bowls, although in recent years there has been a change in manufacture to composition bowls. The conversion of players in the British Isles from wooden bowls to composition bowls is a gradual but inevitable process. It has been recently estimated by a leading authority in England that the majority of wooden bowls will disappear from the greens in the next decade.

Bowling was first introduced in Australia when the early colonists, who had learn the art of bowling in England brought bowls with them. They played on a green built alongside the Beach Tavern at Sandy Bay, Hobart, in 1844. Perhaps there was something wrong with the concept of making a bowling green an adjunct to a bar, rather than a bar an adjunct to a green, because hotel greens which were equipped with imported wooden bowls appeared and disappeared in some numbers between 1844 and 1864. It might be said that bowling as an established sport really commenced in Australia when, in 1864, Alcock & Co., Russell Street, Melbourne, turned several sets of lawn bowls from lignum-vitae skittle bowls for the newly formed Melbourne Bowling Club.

In 1867, at Parramatta, New South Wales, Thomas Eddes turned for Alexander Johnstone the first set of bowls used in New South Wales. In 1869 David Johnston was in business as a bowls manufacturer at 29 Latrobe Street, Melbourne, and on the opposite side, at 34 Latrobe Street, E. C. Johnston, a billiard table maker, included bowl manufacturing as one of his activities.

English and Scottish makes of lignum-vitae bowls continued to be used in Australia until the first decade of this century, when a few sets of composition bowls, imported from England, appeared on the greens. The material and shape of the bowl was unsatisfactory, and consequently they were not popular on the Australian greens. About this time the sport began to feel the impact of a man destined to radically revolutionise the game of bowls-the man who, without doubt, Sir Francis Drake would select from everybody associated with the game as his First Mate- William David Hensell. He was to be associated with the development work in bowls manufacture for a brilliant 61 years -the period during which bowls became a fully matured internationally accepted sport.

William David Hensell was born in Richmond, Victoria, on January 2nd, 1882, and was educated at the Albert Park Stat School. At the age of 16 he was apprenticed to the wood-turning trade, but two years later (in 1900 to be exact) he transferred to Alcock & Co., billiard table manufacturers, then located in Russell Street, Melbourne. There he was taught the art

turning billiard balls, his tutor being Mr. W. J. Wood, who was a bowler and later on, the official bowls tester under Alcock & Co., who had been appointed by the Victorian Bowling Association on August 21st, 1901. Young Hensell was diligent and eager to learn, and his skill in turning the billiard ball was to help him later on when the turning and re-shaping of wooden bowls came into his hands. The game of bowls was making headway in Australia, but the wooden bowls then used were not stable, and they frequently required re-testing and re-biasing, particularly as a minimum bias bowl had been adopted by the Victorian Bowling Association.

Alcock & Co., of Melbourne, were appointed official testers to the Western Australian Bowling Association in 1902, and young Hensell was sent to Perth to do the testing, and there he remained for nearly seven years. It was during this formative period, without doubt, that his plans, later to revolutionise bowls production and the game itself, took their embryonic form.

Testing in those days was very primitive when the methods and equipment used today are considered. The equipment consisted of an ordinary billiard table, twelve feet long, with a wooden chute about two feet in length, with sufficient elevation to propel the bowl nine feet along the testing table, the slate bed of which was covered with billiard cloth only. The table gave only a crude indication of the bias of the bowl; and this caused quite a lot of concern because some bowls drew well on the green, but failed to pass the test for bias on the table, and vice versa.

In 1908 Alcock & Co., who were also the official testers for the New South Wales Bowling Association, lost the services of their tester, and the company transferred W. D. Hensell from Perth to Sydney. There he developed the first 36-foot testing-table, which was a big improvement on the 12-foot table, but it was still not perfect. Because of climatic conditions the wooden bowls shrunk out of their round shape, causing them to wobble, and to run very inconsistently when played on the green and when tested on the table. Realizing that the obvious way to correct these bowls was to re-shape them, W. D. Hensell designed and perfected the first Australian machine to successfully re-shape shrunken and badly shaped bowls.

With this achievement, table testing became more of a success, but the technique of biasing and defective bowl correcting had still not been mastered, although considerable progress had been made in that direction. Bowlers could not appreciate the difficulties that at that time militated against good bowling. There, certainly, was the incentive and the opportunity for William Hensell to do something positive and constructive.

The battle against inaccuracy hadn't yet been won, but W.D. Hensell had started the long struggle destined to ultimately produce today's modern accurate, precision-built Henselite bowl.

At this time many new composition materials were being tried; they were relatively stable and free from many of the disadvantages of lignum-vitae. W. D. Hensell spent most of his spare time studying literature in connection with compositions. Eventually he came to the conclusion that vulcanite (hard rubber) was the most suitable composition available at that time for bowl manufacture.

Returning to Melbourne in 1918, W. D. Hensell was fortunate to meet Mr. Roberts, Works Manager of Dunlop Rubber Co., a keen bowler, who had brought his wooden bowls along for re-testing. This was a grand opportunity to exploit the ideas he had conceived, and after he explained the many advantages a hard rubber bowl would have over wood, and the potential demand for such a bowl, Mr. Roberts became impressed and responsive to Mr. Hensell's enthusiasm. As a result, after many experiments a round Ebonite ball approximately 5" diameter was produced, turned and made into a bowl.

When tested on the table, however, it was found to have an eccentric action, being heavier on one side, which caused it to be out of balance. Further experiments and more care produced twelve consistent rubber balls. They were turned into bowls - the twelve tested perfectly - AND RUBBER, BOWLS, THE FIRST IN THE WORLD, WERE BORN. It was obvious that the concept of a hard rubber bowl had become a reality and that sufficient progress had been made to justify the making of moulds and equipment for the manufacture of these new bowls.

In June, 1918, Mr. Hensell terminated employment with Alcock & Co., to start a business of his own at 386 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, where he had fitted up the latest and most reliable testing-table and turning plant. Little did he imagine when he was so busy building his testing-table and acquiring plant, that he was on the threshold of a business career during which he would achieve his ultimate ambition -that of making the best bowl in the world, "Henselite", and being the largest manufacturer of lawn bowls.

The Dunlop Rubber Co. made arrangements with Mr. W. D. Hensell to turn, bias, and finish all their rubber bowls, after the company had moulded them. Before the end of 1918 the first vulcanite or ebonite bowls in the world were being used -and with success-on Victorian greens. Their advent created considerable interest and started a controversy as to the merits of the two types of bowl-the wooden and the composition. However, bowlers soon realized the many advantages of the composition bowl, and a change-over took place almost immediately, many leading players seeing fit to discard their old woods for the new rubbers. During the period from 1918 to 1924 the rubber bowl became so popular that the importation into Australia of lignum-vitae (wooden) bowls completely ceased, and Australia became an exporter of bowls.

In the early days of rubber bowls many problems had to be solved. Causing major concern was internal variation in the specific gravity of the rubber compound. This made it difficult to obtain the exact required weight for each size of bowl. The solution to the problem was to "load" the core of each bowl to the required weight and then cover it with a high quality ebonite.

As the game grew in popularity so did W. D. Hensell's business, and larger premises were necessary. Moves were made first to 347 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, then to 9 Cobden Street, North Melbourne, and in 1937 to the present location at 16-22 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne. These premises have since been enlarged, more adjacent properties bought, and in 1960 an additional storey was built on to the original building to provide a large modern suite of offices as well as to expand production area.

Further properties were bought and new showrooms, offices and warehouses built in 1979 which allowed for further expansion of the production area and the Australian distribution of other sporting goods.

To achieve greater accuracy in the biasing of rubber bowls, it became necessary to revise many of the table-testing ideas. Improvements were made to the testing chutes, and the bed of the table was covered with a special billiard rubber, and a canvas, to give the same speed as that of a good running bowling green. With these improvements bowls could now be tested for both bias and balance (a new development which proved to be the most revolutionary innovation ever adopted for table testing). For the first time bowls could be accurately tested on the table under conditions similar to playing conditions on a green, whether fast or slow.

Contrary to the belief of many bowlers-and particularly those of the younger generation-the bias of a bowl is not brought about by extra weight on one side of the bowl, but by the shape of the crown or running surface, which is slightly higher on the non-bias side.

The faster a bowl is delivered the straighter it will run. As a bowl loses momentum, because of the shape of its crown, the bowl gradually changes its running surface, and the bias takes effect. Eventually it reaches its maximum draw as the bowl slows down and comes to rest.

Many modifications to the shape and crown of the bowl were made until it was improved to such an extent that it was more comfortable to hold than the old-fashioned wooden bowl. With these improvements the death knell of the old wooden bowl was sounded in Australia, as the performance of the new bowl was far superior.

The Australian Bowling Council's Laws of the Game then in force, permitted a maximum weight of (3 Ibs. 8 ozs.) (1.6kg) irrespective of the size of the bowl. Bowlers were quick to take advantage of the improvement in bowls and soon realized they could successfully use a much smaller bowl of heavier weight. With the old wooden bowl, if a reasonable weight were required, bowlers had to procure a large "pudding shape" set, which were too big for comfortable delivery or for reasonable control.

The Australian Bowling Council acted quickly and in 1922 appointed a bowls testing committee of four (Messrs. E. W. Walker, J. B. Grut, W. Barr of Victoria, and A. Moore, of Queensland), with Mr. W. D. Hensell as Technical Adviser, to thoroughly investigate this matter along with other problems. After months of experiments and tests carried out under various conditions on both tables and greens of all speeds, the committee made recommendations to the Council specifying bowls of standard shape, and a scale of maximum weights for each size. They also determined the minimum bias suitable for Australian conditions.

The Council approved, and the new scale of weights and measures came into operation on January 3rd,1926. Although the reforms seemed very drastic, a standard had been set, which was adopted by the New Zealand Bowling Association in 1938, and by the International Bowling Board in 1946 in a modified form to suit climatic conditions. It is obvious now that these reforms were based on broad understanding and vision; they were exactly what were required to stabilise the situation.

(In 1962, the International Bowling Board specified that the maximum weight of a bowl shall be 31b. 8OZ. (1.6kg.) and the A.B.C. amended its laws accordingly-reverting to the original weight specified in force before 1926. The "maximum weight -per size" laws were eventually dispensed with in all countries, thus permitting the maximum weight of any size bowl to be 31b. 8OZ. (1.6kg.).)

By 1930 very few wooden bowls were seen on the greens in Australia, as rubber bowls, which were being constantly improved, had superseded them. They were being extensively used overseas, too, particularly in New Zealand and South Africa. At this time the Dunlop Rubber Co. made a decision that was indirectly and unintentionally designed to usher in a new era of bowls development. They decided to turn and finish, as well as mould, these rubber bowls in their own factory at Montague, Victoria. In all W. D. Hensell had turned and finished for them 13,750 sets of Dunlop bowls, and in addition many thousands of sets of all makes had been re-tested, re-conditioned, etc.

Consequently his arrangements with the Dunlop Co. were terminated. His reaction was to conceive the idea of developing and making an entirely new bowl, ultimately to be named "HENSELITE" .

For ten years, W. D. Hensell had been training his son, Ray, in the skilled art of bowl manufacturing, and it says a great deal for the courage and determination of father and son that the name of Hensell didn't become bowls history at this time.

They immediately became a two-man research team, working with the objective of producing a new bowl, incorporating improvements in design and performance, made of a composition superior to rubber, less affected by heat and climatic conditions. Ever foremost in their minds was the ambition that the new bowl must be solid throughout, without any core, wear-resistant, tough and durable. This was quite an objective- but the Hensells, it transpires, were capable of the task.

About this time the "Plastics Age" was gathering momentum, and the Hensells quickly learnt of a Sydney firm that had just started to manufacture a plastic material with the frightening name of Phenol formaldehyde moulding compound. Its properties were outstanding, and it promised to be the ideal material for which they were searching.

Initial inquiries were disappointing, as this material could only be moulded to a thickness of l/2'', whereas a solid moulding at least 5" in diameter and weighing 31/21bs (1.56kg) was required. Surely, they said, there must be some way to mould this material into bowls. Nobody could stop them that way! Someone had said much the same thing about rubber once.

Undaunted by early failures, they decided to continue experiments with the technical assistance of Dr. Lang, an authority on this type of plastic. New formulae and sample batches of material were made, different techniques tried and discarded. Eventually Dr. Lang perfected a special moulding compound, and from it the first solid one-piece plastic bowl was made-THE "HENSELITE" BOWL.

A new bowling era had commenced. History was made, not only in bowls manufacturing, but in the plastics industry, as manufacturers all over the world were astounded when the "Henselite" achievement became known. Even today it is believed that the plastic bowl is the largest solid mass of phenol formaldehyde compound moulded.

Plans were then prepared for the making of the intricate moulds and the installation of the necessary moulding plant to make the new bowls. Many difficulties and problems were encountered before it was possible to start manufacturing on a production basis. Perfection was eventually achieved, and in April, 1931, the first set of Henselite bowls was produced. When used on the green, they were acclaimed by everyone who tried them. It was obvious from this moment that the new bowl was outstanding in appearance and performance, and was superior in every respect to any other make of bowl.

At this time Australia was in the throes of a depression, and the name "Henselite" was new and almost unknown. Despite this, there was an immediate demand for these new bowls. They were available in black, mahogany and chocolate, with discs of several colours, making them most attractive.

The fame of "Henselite" rapidly grew. Top-line bowlers changed to "Henselite", and demonstrated their superiority by winning most of the important championships. Sales increased to such an extent that plant and production had to be enlarged to supply the demand.

Trial orders were sent to South Africa and the immediate reaction was astounding. Repeat orders soon followed. The demand for "Henselite" soon spread to the British Isles, New Zealand, Canada, U.S.A. and other countries. Regular shipments are now exported to the British Isles, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Japan, Fiji, Malaya, Kenya, New Guinea, Norfolk Island, South America, Israel and Holland. HENSELITE BOWLS PREDOMINATE IN EVERY COUNTRY WHERE BOWLS IS PLAYED.

More developments followed. Previously all bowls had inserted discs; these were liable to become loose, crack and fall out. In 1937 the "Henselite" Uni-Disc Bowl was introduced. This incorporated the discs as an integral part of the bowl. Engravings of initials or distinctive designs are engraved on the bowl and filled with lacquer of various colours. It was not long before this innovation was copied by other manufacturers.

In the same year the first "Henselite" all-white plastic jack was produced. Centreless ground to high precision, these jacks are perfectly round and have superseded the old china jack, which was irregular in shape, chipped easily and was generally unsatisfactory. The moulding of these jacks from Urea Formaldehyde moulding powder was in itself an outstanding achievement.

After having spent 45 years perfecting the art of bowl testing, and pioneering the manufacture of bowls, W. D. Hensell retired from active business in 1944. The responsibility of management and the designing of new plant and equipment of sufficient capacity to cope with the postwar demand for bowls fell heavily on the shoulders of R. W. Hensell. He had made and installed an entirely new moulding plant to be used in conjunction with a new process of electronic pre-heating requiring elaborate and complex equipment- and capable of high production.

A series of automatic high precision turning and biasing machines were also designed. When they were completed and installed, the production of bowls was resumed after the war years, on the 6th February, 1946. This new plant proved so successful that for the first time in the world it enabled the mass production of bowls more accurate than was ever before thought possible.

Mr. W. D. Hensell passed away at the age of 77 in August, 1959. The bowling world thus lost the services of a man responsible to a great degree for its growth and development. Prior to this R. W. Hensell's two sons became associated in the business, and the company of R. W. Hensell & Sons Pty. Ltd., was established.

In 1959 Ray Hensell again surprised the bowling fraternity by announcing a new "Henselite" Super Grip model. This was re-designed for improved performance, and as the result of new formulas, developed after extensive research, the moulding compound was impregnated with special additives to greatly improve the "grip", giving it a velvety "feel", particularly under wet and cold conditions. It also removes the necessity of frequent polishing. Now proved, this new model has been acclaimed as a further step forward in bowl perfection.

Constantly it has been a continuing story of more research, more plant, more production and more world-wide acclaim for a bowl that has given the game and its players such pleasure and satisfaction. Climatic conditions, types of grass and green surfaces vary considerably in different countries. Consequently, special models of bowls are made to suit these conditions. In New Zealand, for instance, the greens are undoubtedly the fastest in the world, and windy conditions are common. As a result, the New Zealand model bowls have a flatter crown, with slightly less bias than Australian bowls. South African greens were usually hard and bumpy, and a special heavyweight bowl is used to suit these conditions. In the British Isles, greens are invariably wet, soft and heavy. To get the best results a lightweight model bowl is used. All models comply with the respective regulations of each bowling country.

This study of overseas bowling conditions is a constant one, and many overseas trips have been made to study bowling conditions in different countries and to ensure maximum performances of every "Henselite" model.

Most bowlers will be staggered to learn that, in order to supply bowls suitable for the different conditions existing in various countries, a total of 678 models of "Henselites" are made in numerous sizes, bias, shapes, weights and colours- excluding the several thousand different engravings covering a multitude of categories and colourings.

Over recent years the game of Indoor Bowls, in various forms, has met with increasing popularity, and "Henselite" Indoor Bowls are again foremost in demand for playing this rapidly growing game. The range of bowls manufactured has been extended to provide miniature carpet bowls, round indoor bowls, biased indoor bowls, as well as the bowl jacks to suit each type of game.

The sales story has been a spectacular one. When World WarII started in 1939, annual sales had topped 4,000 sets. From 1942 to 1945 the whole plant was devoted to the war effort, and there was no production of bowls. After the war, new staff had to be completely trained, new modern plant was installed to allow potential production of 10,000 sets per annum. In 1946, 9,500 sets were produced. This production figure was well behind demand. With steady increase of plant and factory space, 15,000 sets were produced in 1947, and 20,000 in 1948. The story continues, with constant growth of the game itself, and expansion by R. W. Hensell & Sons Pty. Ltd. At the end of 1960, the production for the year exceeded 33,000 sets per annum. This, of course, is in lawn bowls only, and excluded the many thousands of sets of indoor types and jacks. More than 1,000,000 sets of "Henselite" bowls have now been produced using more than 6,500 tons of moulding compound, specially processed for the requirements of the various models of bowls.

The production figures are much higher than the output of all other bowl manufacturers in the world put together. To R. W. Hensell & Sons Pty. Ltd., must go the undisputed honour of being not only the largest manufacturer of bowls but of achieving the distinction of producing the world's best bowl.

Mr. R. W. Hensell retired from active business in 1976 and passed away at the age of 72 on 6th March, 1979.

A milestone in the history of "Henselite" bowls was celebrated on 13th March, 1980, when the 4,000,000th "Henselite" bowl (1 million sets) came through production. Now suitably mounted and proudly displayed, it perpetuates the hopes and fears, the toil and worry, the brilliance and the determination of the two men. William and Ray Hensell. It symbolises a game started by Sir Francis Drake or his contemporaries-something that has grown to be more than a game, more than a means of relaxation and pleasure. It represents a pursuit that has become a cement in the mixture of man and man-an influence towards peaceful co-existence between nations.

Australian industry regards "Henselite" with pride . . . they are setting a valuable example in exporting more than 50% of their production to 24 overseas countries-truly an excellent contribution to Australia's export trade for which the company received Australian Government "Awards for Outstanding Export Achievement" in 1963, 1972 and 1982.

An era was ushered in by William David Hensell and developed in the true Hensell fashion by Raymond William Hensell who brought precision into bowl manufacture to the ultimate of perfection.

There are two more Hensells, Bruce Raymond (Managing Director) and Graeme Westcott (Director) actively engaged in the business, now operating as Henselite (Australia) Pty. Ltd., and already in this "computer age", have brought automation and computerisation to bowls production and time will, no doubt, show us further new ideas they will develop. The Company expanded into the distribution of sporting goods in 1977 being exclusive Australian distributors for a wide range of products.

In November 1983 the Company purchased a manufacturing complex in Cumbernauld, Scotland, where it produces the range of Almark Lawn Bowls and Henselite Crown Green Bowls for the U.K. market.

What further contributions the fourth generation of Hensells, Alastair and Mark, who are now working in the company make to our wonderful traditional old game will be watched with interest.

Experimenting with Your On-Shot

 

Several years ago, practicing at James Gardens LBC, I confirmed that if I maintained a consistent ditch weight in my delivery when I cut my aim angle by half I would pass through a head situated halfway between the hog line and the forward T line. Furthermore, if still delivering ditch weight, I cut my normal delivery angle to one-fourth, my bowl would pass across the centerline at around the hog line (as would be required to hit near a short jack).

A concrete example may clarify this. At James Gardens LBC on rink 4, playing in the North/South direction, bowling from a mat position at the two-meter mark, the correct aim line for my Aero 3.5 H Z-Groove Sonic bowls runs straight at the front ditch number on rink 3. This draw shot would return to center rink. If I want to disturb a head situated halfway between the hog line and the forward T, I deliver a ditch-weight (full-length) bowl along an aim line targeting the boundary marker between rinks 4 and 3. This is one-half the normal draw angle.

If instead, I wish to disturb a head located at about the hog line, I would bowl with ditch weight along an aim line targeting a point on the forward bank midway between the aforementioned boundary marker and the rink 4 rink number. This would be just one-quarter of the normal draw angle.

Further testing has shown that this procedure is transferable from one green to another. Of course, on heavy grass greens, the initial aim angle for drawing is much smaller. But note the important thing that does change from one rink to another—the precise weight you must give a bowl to travel from ditch to ditch. 

Remember, however, these rules assume a nearly level green without ruts. I would expect that the rules work better, the slower/heavier the green since the chance for error becomes larger as the aim angle becomes smaller. I would also expect that you will get better results if you drive on the narrower side of the rink.

Note that this approach will more violently disrupt shorter jacks because your weight will be ditch-weight throughout. 

A Different View of Triples can make Better Lawn Bowlers

In lawn bowls, triples is the game between two teams of 3 players each; each with three bowls to deliver. It is this variety of the game that new bowlers most often participate and consequently it is in this game where the largest differences in skill levels occur. This is quickly apparent. Bowls belonging to the leads, from either side, less frequently participate in the scoring at the completion of ends. 

This does not mean that these initial deliveries are less important.  What it does do, is emphasize goals for the ‘front end’ of a team that are happily less demanding, yet the accomplishment of which will dramatically improve their team’s chances to score well.

Perhaps, why these particular strategic objectives are both more realistic and more appropriate for newer bowlers can be made more clear if we look at these games as being most like three-bowl singles between two skips, competing on a sculpted playing field prepared by teammates, two from each side, who shape the field of contest by strategically placing their twelve bowls. This is a realistic way of characterizing the lawn bowls triples at a point when the skips are clearly and consistently better bowlers than the rest of their teams.

Looked at it this way, how many bowls, up or down a skip stands after the leads and vices have finished their deliveries, matters little because according to this perspective only a few of the bowls already on the rink are going to end up in the count. What is crucial for any skip’s competitive success is the disposition of the head in particular:

* how many wasted bowls are there short of the jack blocking entry to the head

* how many team bowls are within the key target area just behind the jack

Now noteworthy between these concerns is that neither is a question of line or bias but both are issues of correct or incorrect weight!  It is understandable that new bowlers' first concern is about line. The aspect of bowls that is most fascinating is that a bowl when delivered follows a beautiful predictable curved path. This is the problem for coaches because the most important element of bowls' performance actually is getting correct ‘weight’. By setting as the primary objective for novice players to get their bowls consistently behind the jack when playing triples we are putting the emphasis where it properly belongs. Choosing the proper line on which to bowl can be pointed out by a teammate. Rolling your bowl along that line is a matter of consistent form and balance.  ‘Feeling’ the proper velocity to push a bowl the correct distance down the rink is the most difficult skill and the one that needs to be most emphasized right from the outset. 

It creates better bowlers and better bowlers are happier bowlers!

‘Hangers’ & ‘Cutters’ at Lawn Bowls

I don’t know whether the terms ‘hangers’ and ‘cutters’ are established parlance among lawn bowlers but certainly no bowlers I have encountered seemed to have any difficulty understanding what I meant. I learned the terms from Bob and Jeanne Christie, who split their residence time between Toronto Canada and Sun City Arizona, and who gave me my first lessons and then my first experiences playing in tournaments.

Neither cutters nor hangers occur on truly flat greens. A hanger is a bowl that does not turn in towards center rink at the end of its travel. It ‘hangs’ out wide. A cutter is a bowl that travels more narrowly than its natural anticipated path. It ‘cuts’ across the rink and crosses the centerline. 

A lawn bowl is deflected most severely from its natural path when it is moving slowly. Thus an unobservable, slight sloping of a lawn bowling green modifies most that portion of the bowl’s travel when it is moving slowest- approaching the jack. Thus a tendency to hang or cut which is pronounced when bowling, say, east to west may be undetectable when bowling back west to east. Similarly, a tendency to hang or cut can disappear when the mat position is changed or when the jack length is altered.

The hand which shows evidence of hangers or cutters is likely to be a difficult hand to play because the extent of the hanging or cutting is likely to be a sensitive function of the precise line of delivery. Put another way; that hand is likely to be ‘unforgiving’. It is likely to magnify your deviations.

How do you distinguish between a hand that exhibits ‘hanging’  or ‘cutting’ and a flat green that demands more or less bias?  Hanging and cutting normally show the greatest amount of deviation from their normal curvature at the end of their travel when your bowl is moving slowest. When you take the wrong line you will instead recognize it almost instantly; certainly before your bowl reaches mid-rink. With a hanger or cutter, you will not realize that your bowl is going to miss its target badly until the bowl has passed its shoulder and starts what should be its normal turn in towards the jack.

Best Delivery Style for New Bowlers

 

After 7 years of playing lawn bowls I am generally happy with my delivery; happy with my weight control, happy with my line control, and happy with my consistency. The way I now bowl is substantially different from what I was originally taught. What introductory coaches teach can only serve as a standard starting point for the evolution of each player’s particular style. 

Nevertheless, it is fair to ask, “Could there be a better single form from which individual players could better evolve?”

I think the answer is yes there is. A better base for beginning bowlers would be the Shooters’ Stance because it is inherently more stable and accommodates more body types. Having the anchor foot angled to the aim line reduces upper body instability during those seconds when the bowler is supported on one leg as the forward step is taken. Angling the anchor foot also moves the bowler’s hips out of the way so the swing of the bowling arm is unimpeded in all cases.

The stepping foot on the other hand should point down the rink along the aim line or point at the stare point 3-5 meters ahead of the mat if you are teaching an aim point on the rink. This is so you can come down with your heel, rock forward onto the ball of your foot, and then walk through as if following your bowl. Walking off the mat is optional but the complete transfer of weight from your anchor foot is essential. 

The degree your stepping foot is initially positioned in advance of your anchor foot will depend upon how you set up your upper body. 

So far I have only spoken about foot orientations. The positions of each foot determine how you will support your body. Grip positions determine how you will hold your bowl. There are all kinds of advice concerning grip on the bowl. What is most comfortable for the individual is best for the individual. If there is any common element it is that the tip of your longest finger should rest on the center line of the running surface of the bowl so the bowl is released without unreproducible wobbling. The position of the thumb will depend upon the characteristics, size, and strength of your hand. Most introductory coaches and most coaching videos teach some variation of a claw grip to the degree that they call for the thumb to be somewhat opposite the fingers where it can squeeze the bowl so that it does not fall even when you turn your hand over so that only your thumb is under the bowl. Such a grip in my opinion is preferred if it can be executed comfortably but it is not mandatory. Some world-class bowlers use a palm grip where the thumb rests on the side of the bowl. Some persons, particularly older players, have arthritic thumbs or other handicaps that make a claw-type grip uncomfortable or impossible.

Even as I make this suggestion, I want to remind everyone that a bowls lesson should not be a person’s first experience with lawn bowling. That first exposure should not be a pedagogic opportunity; rather, it is a marketing opportunity. The goal is to fascinate, not to improve. The most fascinating aspect of bowls is that a bowl follows a beautiful predictable curved path; hence, tyros it is hoped will first pick up how to take grass and draw towards a jack.

This is a problem for actual teaching because the most important element of performance is really getting the correct ‘weight’.

Bowls Tactics: When you are Ahead in the Last End but Have the Mat

Fall 2020 Willowdale LBC

 

Introduction

Lawn bowls is a game where consistency is rewarded. It is not how close a particular single delivery is to the jack; it is how often your bowls finish close to the jack. Throughout most of a match, no-one should fret if an opponent builds up a big lead beating your own close deliveries. So long as your side consistently bowls well, the law of averages should be trusted to even out the difference.

When the final ends come around, however, such faith is no longer warranted. To win the match the team that is behind must act in ways that might be imprudent any other time and the team that is leading must be aware of this and take appropriate counter-measures.

The more shots a side is behind, the sooner these more daring tactics need to be invoked. As the side in the lead, remember that in this situation it is the opponents that must take lower-percentage riskier shots to catch up. 

The Specific Tactical Problem

The specific tactical problem for the side still ahead but with the mat is that your opponent(s) will have the final bowl of this last end. To be secure your side will need to have in the head at least two bowls that will reduce the other side's potential count to less than is necessary to win the match. If you do not have these two bowls, the opposing skip can potentially knock your single protector out of the head and may score enough to gain a multiple and perhaps sufficient to win the match. Furthermore, these two bowls must be disposed far enough apart that they cannot be removed together by this last shot. Moreover, though less dangerous, all your bowls should not be disposed such that this last opposition bowl can trail the jack to a position where your opponent would score sufficient shots to win. In particular, your opponent should be prevented from ditching the jack with that last bowl and scoring sufficient points to win.

Now, trailing the jack is much harder than knocking out a single bowl so getting two bowls into the head is much more important than protecting against a trail. So, when both dangers threaten, protect by placing the two bowls in the head! 

The Psychological Problem

Since your side won the last end (that is why you have the mat) in one way the psychological pressure will not be as severe as in the end just finished. Your side is at least one point further ahead and the opposition has one-half as many ends to catch up. Nevertheless, your advantage may be as narrow as a single point. If you are not playing singles but are the skip of a team, you should meet with your team before the end begins. This is your right— you have possession of the mat—don’t let your opponents rush you.

 

Nervous Inexperienced Lead

If your lead is nervous, inexperienced, or both, encourage him/her to try to deliver a jack of a length that feels most comfortable. This is usually the lead’s natural length. Then, explain that you will help in setting the mat so that when the jack gets delivered about that length it will end up about 1 meter short of the forward T. Then explain that for that first bowl, you will indicate with your shoe a point about 1 meter behind the jack and your lead should visualize getting the bowl as close as possible to your shoe. Without actually warning your lead not to be short you are asking him/her to aim for this shoe target behind the jack.

If you are playing in an intra-club tournament and your lead has hardly ever competed, do none of these things. Rather, with the mat where it is most commonly placed, call for a jack at exactly the same length as in the last end. Be as relaxed and casual as possible.

 

Under all circumstances, no matter how that first delivery goes, you, as skip, should call for the next delivery on the same hand just adjusting weight as necessary and continuing to reach to your shoe. Do not, except for the most extraordinary circumstances, ask your lead to change hands for the second bowl. Also, if your lead delivers a short first bowl do not show any irritation or frustration, just encourage an appropriate adjustment. At this point, your outward demeanor is as important as your lead’s skill.

Influence of the Rules of Play

What to do with mat and jack, when you are ahead in the last end and have the mat, can depend upon the rules in play.

Closed End 

According to the rules that formerly were in force in Ontario Canada, for example, all ends were closed with an allowance that each team could kill one end in the match after which the next dead end caused by that team counted as an end played with one point awarded to the non-offending side. In this situation, it matters strategically whether your opponent(s) have already killed an end before this final end. If they have, you do not need to worry about a kill since it would only increase your lead. On the other hand, if they still retain the right to kill an end, you need to preferably place the jack close to the front ditch making it more difficult for the jack to be driven out of bounds. If your preference is a short or medium jack, this can still be achieved by moving the mat up the rink so that the jack can still be kept near the forward ditch while the jack length is as you prefer.

 
Last End Open

When the last end is open, an opponent can burn ends that are not favorable without limit. Because of this, your side should prefer a long jack in most circumstances.

 The mat should be at the T line and the jack should be rolled full length. This maximizes the difficulty of burning the end. It is harder to strike the jack the further it is along the rink. At the same time, the closer it is to the front ditch the more likely it is to enter the ditch and be still in play rather than to shoot off at an oblique angle and exit the side boundaries.  Since you are defending a lead, keep count of how many points the other side would rack up if they trailed the jack into the ditch. Matching bowls is a good strategy  in this tactical position.

Re-Spotting (No burnt ends)

With re-spotting in effect, it is important to deliver the jack as close as possible to the re-spot location. The more possibilities there are to score, the harder it is to defend. The most common re-spot position is two meters from the ditch on the centerline. The best position for defense is to have the jack centered three meters from the ditch. So that if you can place your first bowl 1 meter behind the jack it will be sitting on the respotting position. This way you combine the merits of finishing behind the jack and covering the respotting position. You arrange for your preferred length by moving the mat up the rink. It should be set to the lead’s natural distance. The lead should try to place his first bowl one meter behind the jack on the re-spot position. It is particularly important not to be short. The more bowls behind the jack, the better the defense prospects. The first person to get a bowl close to the jack will have tremendously improved prospects. 

Bowls Tactics: When you are Behind in the Last End but Have the Mat

 

Introduction

Lawn bowls is a game where consistency is rewarded. It is not how close a particular bowl is to the jack; it is how often your bowls are close to the jack. Throughout most of a match no-one should fret if an opponent builds up a big lead beating your own close deliveries. As long as your side maintains a consistency of excellent bowling, the law of averages can be counted on to even out the difference.

When the final ends come around, however, such complacency is no longer warranted. To win the match the team that is behind must act in ways that would be inadvisable tactics any other time in the match and the team that is leading must be aware of this and take appropriate counter-measures.

The further a side is behind, the sooner these strategies need to be invoked. In a group of blog articles I am considering these last-end situations.

 

You are Behind in the Last End but Have the Mat

You have just won the penultimate end of your match; but, you are still behind. They have the last bowl. Your side gets to place the mat and roll the jack. Very few skips make good use of these choices. It is all you have to work with. You want to choose the conditions that make their side as uncomfortable as possible relative to your side. You need to squeeze out every particle of advantage from the situation.

You have won the end just finished. If it is obvious from the previous ends what to do now, just do it. If it is not obvious how to proceed, choose what is radically different. This may throw off your side even more than your opponents but remember: you want an end that scores a multiple and a mat position and length that makes both sides uncomfortable is most likely to do that. You must just hope that your side is the side least upset!

A theoretically good choice, if you have nothing else to go on is to deliver a medium jack from partway up the green. The logic is this. It will be harder for the other side to properly estimate the jack length but because your side has delivered the jack your lead bowler will have a better initial  ’feel’ for the correct length. You do not want a long jack because you might need to try to ‘kill’ the end (if the rules allow) and the closer the jack is to the front ditch the less likely you can drive it out of bounds rather than just putting it in the ditch. Alternately (If you are playing with re-spotting) you do not want the jack to be on the forward T because you might need the extra choices arising from re-spotting to a distinctly different position that would provide increased possibilities for the multiple you seek.  

As you can see, strategically, it is significant whether the last end is open or closed. That is— whether the end can be killed and replayed, or the jack must instead be re-spotted if it is driven out of bounds. It is advantageous to the trailing team if killing the end is allowed. If your side has delivered a very close bowl that also widens the head, your opponents will be assessing the possible benefit from attempting a ‘kill’. This is what you want them to be forced to attempt because if they miss, that bowl of theirs cannot score. 

Finally, of course, it is important by how many shots are you trailing? To be trailing by even a single shot when the opponents also have last bowl is a considerable disadvantage. No matter how badly the end develops for them, they will have that final chance to turn it around. You can do nothing about their last bowl. There is no rejoinder.

Since they do have last bowl, the best situation you can aim for is to be sitting match in hand when the opposing skip comes to make that final delivery.  This will apply psychological pressure. You need to make him/her choke!  You want to make that shot as difficult as possible.

Bowls Tactics: When You are Behind in the Last End and Don't have the Mat

Fall 2020 Willowdale LBC

 

Introduction

Lawn bowls is a game where consistency is rewarded. It is not like the high jump in track and field where setting records is important. It is not how close one particular bowl is to the jack; it is how often your bowls end up close to the jack. Throughout most of a match, no-one should fret if an opponent builds up a big lead so long as they are beating your own close deliveries. As long as your side maintains a consistency of excellent bowling, the law of averages can be counted on to even out the difference.

When the final ends come around, however, such peace of mind is no longer warranted. To win the match the team that is behind may need to act in a way that would be inadvisable tactics any other time in the match and the team that is leading must be aware of this and take appropriate counter-measures.

The further a side is behind, the sooner these strategies need to be invoked. In a group of blog articles, I will consider these last-end situations. 

You are Behind in the Last End and Don’t Have the Mat

The situation is that you have just lost the penultimate end of your match, and you are behind. There is a bright side- you will have the last bowl in this the last end! This is a very palpable advantage. So much so that you might have considered accepting down 1 in the previous end just to get it! In fact, the team with the last bowl under nearly all circumstances has a significantly better likelihood of scoring at least +1 on the end. 

The opposition has the mat and has the privilege of determining both the mat location and jack length; however, very few skips make good use of these choices. Most likely they will go with whatever length they had when they just scored or the longest jack possible. These are the commonest choices although not necessarily the smartest.

Strategically, whether the last end is open or closed has some importance. That is, whether the end can be killed and replayed, or whether the jack is instead re-spotted if it is driven out of bounds. It is advantageous to you, the trailing team, if killing the end is allowed. If at any point in the end, the opponents deliver a very close bowl that also widens the head, your side should assess its potential usefulness for attempting a ‘kill’.

In the final end, it becomes increasingly important to consider the situation from the perspective of the opposing side. Have they already won the previous round in the tournament? Are their points-for sufficient to keep them in contention to win the tournament? …or to be in-the-money? 

If it is a tournament you may have a better chance to overcome a lead if your opposition has not lost any preceding match. This may be contra-intuitive but when your opponents have a chance to win the entire tournament if they both win all their games and have a large shots-for total they may be even more interested in trying for a big final end themselves than defending against your bowls. You could even comment to their side, in a friendly way, “Yu-know, if you get a multiple in this end you will have a stab at winning the entire tournament.” This gives you in turn a greater chance to score a multiple. Your best chance to score big occurs when they try for a big end! On the other hand, a team that has already lost once in a tournament will be more interested in just defeating you, even if only narrowly. Such a team is more likely to try to match bowls with your side in a last end, blocking a big end for anyone. 

Your opponent(s) must deliver the first bowl of the end and you will get to see that result before you deliver your first bowl. You are unlikely to score more than a single unless your opponents at some point make some sort of mistake. It is your job to apply enough pressure to increase that likelihood. Fortunately, It is much easier to apply pressure in the last end, even while trailing, than at any other time in the match! To illustrate with an example, during most of a match having two of your bowls in the same catching position a meter behind the jack would not much worry an opponent (trailing the jack is a low probability event), but in the last end, the possibility of such a successful low-percentage shot will oppress opponents’ minds. It is not the unlikeliness of your success that dominates their thinking but the clear visualization of its possibility! When an opponent can visualize his own dramatic loss, that opponent will feel pressure.

 

If the opposing side’s first bowl finishes short of the jack, they increase the pressure on themselves. This is a very encouraging outcome for your side. It is even more encouraging if that bowl also finishes blocking their line on that side of the rink. Your opponent can now easily visualize a second bowl of theirs hitting that first one so that both end up short. Thus do such short bowls increase the pressure for that next delivery. “Should I change hands?” is the thought bedeviling their minds. 

When your opponent’s first bowl is short, your side’s first bowl must be behind the jack, even if that means it finishes between 1 and 2 meters behind. Any bowl behind the jack will increase the pressure. Responding with a short bowl will relieve it. When down, all of your bowls need to be up! None of your bowls should be short! Your best chance for a big, winning end occurs when your side’s bowls are all behind the jack and some of the opposition bowls fall short.

No matter where the opponent’s opening bowl finishes you must anticipate that your bowls will need to be grouped together somewhere behind the jack if you are to score a multiple. 

You do not need to protect against the opposition scoring a big end; if they score at all you lose the match. An advantageous head development is one where they group their bowls to one side of the jack and yours are on the other. Then, towards whichever side the jack gets diverted, that side benefits.  If luck favors your side, you could easily score enough to win the match. If not— well, you were heading towards a loss anyway!

The situation you trying to realize is for the other side to have no more than one bowl close in the head when you go to the mat for your last bowl. Then you will at least have the opportunity to remove that single bowl and stay for your multiple.