AVON BOWLING CLUB: COMPETITION RULES
- A competitor shall be:
a) A playing member of the Club and only members who have paid their annual subscription by the published date shall be eligible for any Competition.
b) 14 years of age on the 1st May in the year in which he/she competes.
- All Competitions shall be played in accordance with the laws of the game, as prescribed by Bowls England.
- The Competitions Committee, comprising the Secretary, Club Captain, Ladies Captain, shall make the draw for the Competitions.
- Any individual Competition will only be run if there are enough players to ensure that at least one round is played before the Finals. If there are not enough entrants for a Competition, that individual Competition will not be run that season. Members must not enter any Competition if they know they are unavailable for the Finals.
- The Novice Cup Competition is open to fully paid-up playing members who:
a) Have not won a singles or pairs Club Competition at Avon Bowling Club.
b) Have not played at County level.
- Each round of each Competition shall be played on or before the date as listed on the Competition sheets.
- Competitors who have entered any Competition and subsequently realise they cannot play in the final must withdraw from the Competition.
- Pairs:
a) The pairs will be drawn for each of the pair’s Competitions with one experienced player to be drawn with one less experienced player (the Competitions Committee to decide on the experience).
b) In the event of one member of a pair not being able to play by the closing date of any round, a substitute may be allowed. If there is no substitute the pair will be eliminated, and their opponents go through. A substitute will be allowed in any round including the final, but he/she must be eligible and not have entered the pair’s Competition in that year. Any substitution must be approved by the Competitions Committee.
- The Competitions’ finals shall be played on the allocated days shown in the Fixture Card. All finalists will play on the day allocated by the Competitions Committee, having regard to any individual being in more than one final. The Competition Committee will identify the markers and umpire for the Finals.
- Both players are responsible for arranging their match in any round.
a) The player first drawn in any pairing is the Challenger for the Singles competition rounds, the Challenger is responsible for providing a marker, who must be approved by both players.
b) As early as possible, the players should discuss match dates. When a date has been agreed it is requested that this is noted on the draw sheet so that the Competitions Committee can see that they do not need to ‘chase it up’.
c) Competitors who have failed to finalise an agreed date and play off a tie by the required date will be automatically disqualified from that particular competition unless the Competitions Committee agree to extend the date – extenuating circumstances only.
- Rinks shall be drawn for all stages of the Competition. On a match day, no competitor shall play on the selected rink before the match.
- Trial ends should be played before the first end is played.
- If any competitor fails to appear within 30 minutes after the fixed/agreed time, their opponent may claim the match.
- Inclement weather: If the match cannot start or has to be abandoned due to bad weather (not just a break to allow the weather to improve) then:
a) If at least 12 ends have been completed, the score stands and the match is complete.
b) If 7 to 11 ends have been completed, the match continues from that point at a rearranged date. On resumption on another day trial ends may be played.
c) If less than 7 ends have been completed, the match restarts from 0 on a rearranged date.
- The Competitions Committee will have the final say on any issues or appeals arising. Where a Competition Committee member is not independent of any individual appeal, the Club Chairman will be involved in the appeal decision.
- Dress for the initial rounds is smart casual, with the Finals to be played in Whites. The Competitions will be (number of entrants permitting):
- Men’s’ singles - 4 woods 21 shots
- Ladies’ singles - 4 woods 21 shots
- Men’s 2 woods - 18 ends
- Ladies’ 2 woods - 18 ends
- Men’s Pairs - 18 ends
- Ladies Pairs - 18 ends
- Mixed Pairs - 18 ends
- Novice cup - 4 woods singles 21 shots
These rules were agreed by the Club Committee in September 2023. The rules for entry into the Novice Cup were amended in May 2025.