Lawn Bowls – Laws and Etiquette

Laws of the Game:

Lawn Bowls is currently governed by the Sport of Bowls - Crystal Mark Fourth Edition. These laws should be read in conjunction with the domestic regulations for Bowls New Zealand. It is the responsibility of all players to make themselves aware of the laws.

But please remember, no laws governing a sport can cope with every situation and lawn bowls laws are no exception. They have been drawn up in the spirit of true sportsmanship so if a situation arises that is not covered by the laws, common sense and a spirit of fair play should be used to decide on an appropriate course of action.

Etiquette:

One of the greatest attributes of lawn bowls is the opportunity it gives to foster sociability and camaraderie among fellow bowlers. And as part of this, it is important that some conventional courtesies and standards are observed on and off the green.

1. On tournament and club days, try to arrive early enough to assist with preparation of play (scrims, scoreboards, mats, jacks, etc)

2. Visiting Players should not be left to their own devices – they are our guests for the day and should be made to feel welcome.

3. Hand the jack to the opposing lead when he/she has placed the mat and have their first bowl ready to hand to them. This friendly gesture sets the tone for the game.

4. All players should have their next bowl in their hand by the time the opposing player has delivered their bowl. Scrambling around searching for your bowl is not acceptable, especially in a time limit game.

5. All players should stay stationary and quiet behind the player delivering the bowl so as not to affect their concentration.

6. Do not walk up the rink in front of the player who has just delivered the last bowl to be played. Wait until they start moving up the rink.

7. No bowls should be touched or moved until the end is declared and then help return the bowls to behind the mat.

8. Warn players on adjoining rinks if a drive is about to be played and be ready to try and stop any bowls going into other rinks and disturbing their heads.

9. Possession of the rink and mat passes to your opponent once your bowl comes to rest or becomes dead. If you are on the head, you can only make comments and see what position your bowls are in if you are in possession of the rink.

10. It is unlawful as well as discourteous to encroach on adjoining rinks.

11. It is a courtesy for the “Three” or middle player of the team who has won the previous end to place his skip’s bowl on the mat before joining the other players at change over.

12. Negative or disparaging remarks directed at the opposing team or players is not good sportsmanship.

13. Congratulate an opponent on a well- played bowl and don’t grizzle if they have a lucky shot. You will get your share of rubs and wicks and they generally balance out in a game.

14. Do not forget that Bowls is first and foremost a sport and should be treated as such. Be gracious in defeat.

15. Always avoid unseemly language and behaviour and have consideration for your own players and opponents.

16. Disturbing the head before an opponent has a chance to determine the results is illegal and unacceptable. No bowls should be moved until both teams, or opposing players in singles, agree on the number of shots scored.

17. Leads and twos should remain behind the head or mat when not in possession of the rink and should not crowd the head or offer advice when bowls in contention are being measured – this is the job of the Three (or middle person).

18. The skip should set high standards by being scrupulously fair. They should not belittle team members who are performing indifferently, but instead provide encouragement. Rewarding well played shots with a clap or friendly word of praise does wonders for team morale.

19. Keep general chatter to a minimum and don’t wander from rink to rink.

And above all, Enjoy yourself.

Care of the Greens:​​​​​​​

From our own experience and discussions with Tiger Turf confirm that, while artificial surfaces are quite robust, they are not impervious to damage, and when damage occurs it is more complex and expensive to repair than damage to natural greens. Simple measures such as ensuring that we don’t lay the mat in the same place every time and that the rink boundaries are moved regularly are helpful, but we also need to consider the damage that can be done by improper delivery of the bowl. Testing has shown that bowls delivered from more than 6 inches (15cm) above the surface (defined as "Dumping") cause dents in the surface and substructure of artificial greens and the cumulative damage from repeated events will cause permanent damage, to the extent that playability of the green is affected. 

It is timely that in 2026 our Centre facilitated a meeting of all Clubs in the region to discuss the problem of dumping and to consider a consistent approach between Clubs to help members who are dumping. The resolution of the meeting was “that there are genuine concerns about dumping and that each club make a commitment to addressing this with their members.”

Your Board has considered a number of policies on dumping that already are in force or are being developed by clubs in New Zealand, some of which are quite stringent. We have decided that our approach will be one that strongly assists players who consistently are dumping and that will be aimed at helping them to improve their delivery.   

In the first instance, we would like members who believe that they may have a problem with dumping to approach a member of the Board to discuss how we can work together to remedy the situation. If this does not happen then members who clearly have been identified as dumping will be approached, either by a coach or a Board member.

The Club will undertake (with permission) to video the member’s delivery and to provide coaching sessions to help improve it. Sometimes simply changing the stance so that the bowl is released lower will be successful. However, physical issues may hinder some members in attempts to stop dumping. In such cases the player may be advised to consider the use of an approved bowlers stick to help with balance or to use a bowlers arm. The Club will make every effort to assist the member in the use of these devices.

The intent of our policy is not to be punitive but to improve the play of members who are dumping and to protect our greens. Members will be aware that some regular visitors to our Club do dump their bowls and the approach to this will be to report this to the Board or Coaches of their home Club, so that the player can be helped within the policy of their Club. Similarly, we can expect that other Clubs will report back to us if they believe any of our members are dumping. We should be aware that some clubs may have policies that will deny access to their greens for players who dump and who decline to accept strategies to improve their delivery. 

The information above will be incorporated into a formal policy document to address dumping and we will install signage around the greens to raise awareness of the problem and to indicate to members and visitors that our expectations are that those players who are dumping must take steps to remedy the problem.