The Game

Lawn Bowling Basics

• Two teams consisting of 4 players compete against each other.
• Each team rolls 4 bowls per end towards an object ball (the jack); bowls are rolled alternately by the teams.
• The team with the closest bowl to the jack scores 1 point. If their next nearest bowl is closer to the jack than their opponent’s best bowl then they score 2 points and so on. Therefore, the maximum points from one end is 4 points and the minimum is one point.
• Remember! The lawn needs a lot of care and attention – no running, no jumping and NO TOSSERS!

Brit’s Lawn Bowling Club (“BBC”) 2024 League Rules

1. Teams wearing “all-whites” (white shirt with white or light khaki pants/skirt/shorts) will be provided the following scoring bonus at the beginning of each match (in a multiple-game format, this bonus applies to the first game only):
   a. All players conform – 1 point
   b. Zero – three players conform – 0 points
2. A coin toss will determine the team who is to roll the jack first
3. A match will terminate upon the completion of 12 ends or the designated one-hour of rink time, whichever occurs first. However, if an end has commenced prior to the lapse of the one-hour time limit, that end will be completed.
4. Notwithstanding Rule #3, a match will be deemed incomplete unless a minimum of 6 ends is completed.
5. The League Commissioner (or his/her deputy) may request a delay in a regular season or tournament match due to inclement weather if fewer than 6 ends have been completed. If such a request is made prior to the completion of an end, that end will continue if the match is resumed during the originally scheduled rink time. In the event the match may not be resumed and completed prior to the one-hour time limit, the match will recommence on a make-up date replaying any uncompleted ends (previously scored ends will carry over to the make-up date) and continuing to the conclusion of 12 ends. The match must be completed on the appointed rain date or both teams will be assessed a loss.(REMINDER – As per rule #4, if 6 or more ends have been finished before bad weather prevents the game continuing that evening, then the game is deemed complete.)
6. Two players from each team will alternate rolling two bowls each from the same end bowling in the same order each end as they did in the first, unless mutually accepted by both captains that the order may change. These pairs will remain at those ends throughout the match.
7. Unless waived in advance by the opposing captain, a team must have the same four players to commence and finish a match. The first end of a match must commence no later than fifteen minutes after the scheduled starting time. If a team is not fielded, the match is defaulted. If both teams default, each will be assessed a loss. For calculating point differentials, a defaulting team will receive 0 points scored in their favor and assessed the maximum points scored against them by the highest scoring team within their division that week. The opposing team is awarded the defaulting team’s reciprocal scores.
8. Substitutions – Regular Season
   A player from Team A may play for another team outside of Team A’s division prior to the League Championship. Once a player has played within a division, that player may not play for another team within that division unless the opposing captain approves of such substitution in advance.
   Substitutions – Guinness Cup and League Championship
   Substitute players for Team A need not have played for Team A during the regular season however they must not have played for any other team in the BBC that season either.
9. In case of a divisional tie, point differential followed by head to head results will serve as tiebreakers for advancing to the League Championship as well as relegation. Point differentials will be used in all tournament seeding.
10. After one warning, any bowl delivered without an appropriate roll (e.g. creating a depression) will be removed from the green and if any bowls or the jack is affected by the offending bowl, they will be replaced to the prior position.
11. American Lawn Bowling Association Rules (2011 Edition) shall govern except as modified herein.
12. Any questions or disputes must be directed to the League Commissioner or his/her deputy. Their determinations and interpretations of these and the ALBA Rules will be final.
13. The Captain or Alternate from each team must complete the match roster with each team member’s full name and sign the scorecard prior to submitting to the green supervisor at the end of each match. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of the match.