Enter and leave the green by the banks and footpaths – do not walk across other players’ rinks.
At Bishops Cleeve we are lucky to have such a lovely green! Please don’t drop your bowls onto the green. Also, ensure that your delivery is not causing scuff marks or otherwise damaging the green.
Introduce yourself and shake hands with your opponent(s) both before play commences and after the game is complete.
Do not sit on the bank – it can cause unwanted wear on the edge of the green.
Place litter and cigarette ends in the bins and ashtrays provided for this and do not smoke on the green.
During the game, keep still around the head when your opponent is about to deliver his bowl. Stand well back from the head, keep quiet and do not do anything that would distract your opponent. Wait until the bowl has been delivered before moving.
Observe the rules for possession of the rink on the Bowling Green!
Here is the ruling on this:
“Possession of the rink shall belong to the team whose bowl is being played. The players in possession of the rink for the time being shall not be interfered with, annoyed, or have their attention distracted in any way by their opponents. As soon as each bowl shall have come to rest, possession of the rink shall be transferred to the other team, time being allowed for marking a ‘toucher’. ”
Players at the mat end of the rink who are not delivering a bowl should stand at least 1 metre behind the mat.
After you have delivered a bowl and before it has come to rest you have two options. If you want to track your bowl’s progress you must be behind the head as it stops. In other words you must beat it to the head. If you don’t go to the head you must be behind the mat as your bowl stops. This ruling is quite clear but unfortunately many players, including many of those who should know better, show disrespect for their opponents by failing to observe it.
Bear in mind that some people like to see the rink boundary markers and the centre pin while playing so make sure that you are not obscuring them. On sunny days you must also ensure that your shadow does not fall on the jack.
Similarly, standing directly behind a white jack in white shoes can make the jack difficult to see.
Follow the direction given by the ‘skip’, whether or not you agree. Remember that the directions for the ‘skip’ are only given by the number three in rinks, or the number two in triples. Other players should not interfere, unless asked.
The result of each end (including measuring where required) is determined between the threes (or twos in triples). Other players should not normally interfere.
Do not disturb the head until the result of the end has been agreed.
Encourage, rather than criticize – no one delivers a bad bowl intentionally.
Commend good shots.
Learn to accept lucky shots, both for and against you – they will balance out in the long run.
