Bowls Glossary

Where a player or team is unable to contest a pre-arranged game, either through non arrival, late arrival, or not having sufficient players to constitute a team, a win is awarded to the opposition. Rules governing walkovers are usually defined by the competition, and vary across county, state, national, and international competitions.

See chock

(Bowl) the physical weight of the bowl. (Delivery) the relative effort required to ensure a bowls, when delivered, reaches its intended target.

When a bowl is deflected during its progress after delivery. In most cases, this will be from contacting a bowl or jack. After the “wick”, the direction of the bowl is altered away from its regular arc implied by the bias.

(Bowl) if a bowl is delivered and finishes to the outer side of the intended target, it is said to have been a “wide bowl”. (Hand) a comparative assessment between the two sides of a bowl rink, either side of the bowl center line. If due to prevailing weather or green conditions (usually wind) a bowler must aim their bowl further away from the target (jack, bowl or other position on the green), on a particular side of the rink, it is known as the “wide hand”.

Alternative name for a bowl derived from the fact that bowls were once made using a dense hardwood, Lignum Vitae.

A bowl delivered where the biased side of the bowl has been placed opposite to the desired position for a given delivery. If a right-handed player plays a forehand delivery but has the biased side of the bowl on the right, the bowls bias will take an arc away from the intended target, and in most cases, outside the rink boundary. As well as becoming a dead bowl, the person delivering the bowl is sometimes subjected to gentle “ridicule”. Clubs may also have a “house rule” with a penalty for a witnessed “wrong bias” such as a fine into a charity jar or buying a drink for your opponents.