A quick look at the sport of lawn bowls......

The game in theory is a simple one. Get your "bowl" closer to the
'jack' (the small white ball) than your opponent and score points.
The game has a number of different 'formats' singles, pairs, triples,
and fours. In both singles and pairs a player uses all 4 bowls.
In triples a bowler uses 3 and in fours you use 2 bowls.

Lawn bowls is the only sport in the world which gives you the
opportunity to play a game and beat a National or
International title holder, at any of the regular tournaments
that are played on almost a daily basis around the various clubs.
A tournament is generally a 3 game format consisting of a total number
of ends, usually 12 or 14. At the conclusion of each end you write down you score and at the end of the game you hand your score
card to whoever is running the draw.

The bowl has a bias, which 'draws' the bowl toward the jack once
it has been delivered. The skill involved requires the player to
determined the 'line' the bowl needs to travel down the 'rink'
you are playing on, combined with the correct 'weight'you need to
play the bowl at , in order that it arrives as close as possible
to the jack. The term 'weight' simply refers to the fact
that the speed you 'deliver'the bowl,determines how far the
bowl will travel down the rink. Not enough weight, your bowl will
stop 'short of the jack'. Too much weight and your bowl will
travel past the jack, although that can be a good option, as long
as it does not end up in the 'ditch' the small area at the end of the
rink. Any bowl that is delivered and is within a two foot radius of the jack is considered a 'very good bowl' by most 'skips' (the team leader is known as the skip), should a bowl travel past the jack, it may well come into ' the count' at the end of the 'end' if the jack has been 'moved' during the course of the end being played. It is not uncommon for the jack to be moved, either unintentionally or intentionally. Lawn bowls, apart from the fact that it is a fascinating sport has a high social aspect. Lawn Bowls delivers both fun and skill to all participants, regardless of age or gender. The Madoc Lawn Bowling season started May 15. If you are interested in coming to have a try at the sport of lawn bowls please contact Pauline Hill at 1-613-473-4736 or any Madoc Club member. If you are not from the Madoc area but are interested in trying lawn bowls there are clubs at Campbelford, Brighton,Colborne, Trenton, Kenron, Belleville and Kingston who are all part of District 15 and will welcome new members.