AVON BOWLING CLUB ~ ETIQUETTE WHEN PLAYING BOWLS
Place your bowls on the green. Do not throw them from the bank, because this can damage the green.
Keep quiet and refrain from moving when players are on the mat and about to bowl. If you are at the head, do not wander about, and stand still when a player is about to bowl.
As far as possible, keep your shadow off the jack and away from the bowls in the head.
When changing ends, walk close to the centre line of the rink ~ this will avoid distracting players on adjacent rinks.
At the completion of an end, after the score has been agreed, players at that end of the rink should assist the Lead of the team which has just lost the previous end to collect the bowls in a group, ready for the next end. Bowls Pushers are often available to make this job easier.
Never applaud, or complain about, ‘lucky’ bowls, e.g. ‘wicks’.
Possession of the rink must always be respected ~ as soon as your bowl, or team’s bowl, has come to rest, possession of the rink then passes to your opponent or the opposing team. Stand well behind the mat, or the head, keeping still and quiet when others are delivering their bowls. Do not play your bowl until the previous bowl has come to rest.
Encourage your team, rather than criticise ~ no one delivers a bad bowl intentionally.
The result of each end, including measuring when required, is determined by the Threes (or Twos in Triples). Other players should not normally interfere.
Do not disturb the head until the result of an end has been agreed.
Take care not to obscure the rink boundary markers, or the rink centre marker (which usually has the rink number on it), since this is used to help the Lead to centre the jack at the start of a new end.
Always be a good loser when either you, or your team, suffer defeat. Do not blame your defeat on other people, the green or the weather conditions.
At the end of the game, shake hands and congratulate your opponent(s), and at home matches always buy your equivalent team opponent a drink.
Do nothing in your actions, words or appearance that would reflect badly against your Club.
Let the Avon Bowling Club be known as a friendly and caring Club, and one which shows good manners, not only to the opposition, but also to our own players.