Competitions and rules

Outlined below are the basic rules for organising matches across all competitions and also the rules for each format of competition. Best wishes to all the competitors who enter this year!

Rules for organising matches across all Club competitions

  • The first name in each round of the draw is the challenger.
  • The challenger should offer his/her opponent 2 dates, giving at least 48 hours notice.
  • The challenger is responsible for obtaining a marker – a marker is required in all competitions except for the Open Championship and 3 wood yardstick.
  • If a date cannot be agreed please contact the Competition Secretary, Richard F.
  • Players failing to play their match by the due date and who have not contacted the Competition Secretary risk being eliminated from the competition.
  • In the event of a tie break being played, players should toss a coin – the winner having the right to choose whether or not to have the mat.

Best wishes to all competitors – enjoy! 

Ladies’ Singles/Men’s Singles/Robert Faulds Singles Competition

  • Each player shall play with 4 bowls.
  • The winner is the first player to reach 21 shots.
  • The competition will be played on a knockout basis during the season, with the finals being played on Finals weekend.

Open Singles Competition

  • Each player shall play with 4 bowls.
  • The Open Singles shall consist of 3 sets of 7 ends, at the end of each set the score is returned to 0 – 0, before the next set begins. The winner of the last end in each set bowls the Jack to start the next set.
  • The first player to get to two points is the winner (one point is awarded for a set win, half a point for a tied set).
  • If the game is tied at the end of the third set, an extra end is played with the player holding shot wood becoming the match winner. A coin is tossed to decide who has the Jack for the extra end.
  • The competition will be played on a knockout basis during the season, with the finals being played on Finals weekend.
  • The competition is played with a non-centred ‘wild’ jack, there is no need for a marker.

 Handicap Competitions

  • Each player shall play with 4 bowls.
  • Each player’s handicap is entered on the scorecard before play begins.
  • The winner is the first player to reach 21 shots.
  • The competition will be played on a knockout basis during the season, with the finals being played on Finals weekend.

Handicap Pairs Competition

  • Each player shall play with 2 bowls.
  • The early rounds of the Handicap Pairs competition will be played on one day on a round robin basis.
  • Each pair’s handicap is totalled, quartered and entered on the board (halves are rounded up to the next whole number).
  • The specific details for the early rounds will be made available once the entries have been submitted.
  • The final will be played on Finals Weekend; handicaps will be halved and entered as before, the winning pair will be the pair with the highest score after 21 ends.
  • In the event of a tie, the winners of an extra end will be declared the champions.

 2 Woods Competitions

  • Each player shall play with 2 bowls.
  • The early rounds of the 2 woods competition will be played on one day on a round robin basis.
  • The specific details for the early rounds will be made available once the entries have been submitted.
  • The final will be played on Finals Weekend; the winner of the final will be the player with the greater score after 21 ends or the player who is too far ahead to be caught by his/her opponent.

3 Wood Yardstick Competition

  • Each player shall play with 3 bowls.
  • The 3 Woods Competition shall be played as a ‘yardstick’ competition.
  • Only bowls within a yard of the jack will score.
  • Shot bowl will score two points; all other bowls within a yard (from either player) will score one point.
  • The winner is the player with the highest score after 18 ends have been played or the player who is too far ahead to be caught by his/her opponent.
  • If scores are level after 18 ends the player with shot bowl on the 19th end is the winner.
  • The competition is played with a non-centred ‘wild’ jack, there is no need for a marker.

 4 Wood Points Competition

  • Each players shall play with 4 bowls.
  • Points are awarded for the nearest four bowls to the jack.
  • 4 points are awarded for shot bowl, 3 for second, 2 for third and 1 for fourth. Whoever has the 4 point (shot bowl) in any end, bowls first in the following end.
  • In the event of two bowls being equi-distant from the jack both bowls score the higher value.
  • The winner is the player with the highest score after 15 ends or the first to reach 76 points.
  • If after 15 ends the scores are level 75 – 75 an extra end shall be played, the winner being the player to take the four points (shot bowl) on the extra end. A coin is tossed to decide who has the Jack in the extra end.

Ladies’ 3 -2- 1 Competition

  • Each player shall play with 3 bowls.
  • Points are awarded for the nearest 3 bowls to the jack.
  • 3 points are awarded for shot bowl, 2 for second and 1 for third. Whoever has the 3 point (shot bowl) in any end, bowls first in the following end.
  • In the event of two bowls being equi-distant from the jack both bowls score the higher value.
  • The winner is the first to reach 60 points.
  • The competition will be played on a knockout basis during the season, with the finals being played on Finals weekend.

Ladies’ Jubilee Round Robin Competition

  • The Round Robin Competition will take place on one day on a round Robin basis.
  • The specific details will be made available once the entries have been submitted.
  • Scores from each game are recorded – the winner being the competitor who has the greatest number of points scored.
  • In the event of a tie, the winner will be the player with the greatest shots difference (points for, minus points against).

Joan White Memorial Competition

  • Each player shall play with 4 bowls.
  • The Joan White Memorial Competition shall consist of 3 sets of 7 ends. At the end of each set the score is returned to 0 – 0, before the next set begins. The winner of the last end in each set bowls the Jack to start the next set.
  • The first player to get to two points is the winner (one point is awarded for a set win, half a point for a tied set).
  • If the game is tied at the end of the third set, an extra end is played with the player holding shot wood becoming the match winner.
  • The competition will be played on a knockout basis during the season, with the finals being played on Finals weekend.
  • The competition is played with a non-centred ‘wild’ jack, there is no need for a marker.