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Convincing Evidence to Highly Rate the Sport of Lawn Bowls

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF LAWN BOWLING

While the sport of lawn bowls does not involve body contact or constant running back
and forth, it does require STAMINA. A bowler will stand for most of the day, and may
play in above-average heat and humid conditions, or in rain and cold weather conditions
as well.

Consider:
*An average tournament usually consists of 3 games.
*An average game usually consists of 14 ends (14 x 3 = 42 ends)
*An end usually consists of 3 bowls each (42 x 3 = 126)
*Delivering a bowl usually consists of 2 knee bends: 1 for picking up the bowl, the other
for delivering the bowl (126 x 2 = 252 knee-bends, minimum). In addition, there is
stretching incorporated in the delivery of a bowl.

Then ask how many people would knowingly do 252 knee-bends in a day. The answer
would, no doubt, be … very few.

Consider:
1 A tournament day can run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and occasionally much
later, with a short meal break.
2 A tournament can run from 1 day to 6 days.
3 A bowl weighs about 3.5 pounds (126 x 3 = 441 pounds minimum).

Then ask how many people would knowingly lift a 3.5 lb. weight regularly over the course
of 7 or more hours. Again … very few!

Consider:
An average green is 125 feet or more long. Multiply the number of ends by the length of
the green, double it (at least) for idle walking back and forth, inspecting the head, going
for a drink of water, etc. and the bowler will probably have walked 2 to 4 miles.

THEN, ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD KNOWINGLY, OVER THE COURSE OF 7
STRAIGHT HOURS, WALK 2 TO 4 MILES, DO 250 OR MORE KNEE-BENDS, AND LIFT A 3.5
LB. WEIGHT (441 OR MORE TOTAL LBS.) ON A REGULAR BASIS

THE ANSWER … ALMOST EVERY BOWLER!!!

A bit of History

Although lawn bowling is thought of today as a somewhat quiet and reserved sport, the history of the game is actually somewhat controversial and actually at one time, set certain classes apart from others. The game can actually be traced as far back as Ancient Egypt but history and research shows that the game was nothing more of a sport and a pastime for the early civilization and that they played a game of skittles using round stones.

It wasn’t until the time of King Henry VIII that the game was used as a sort of class distinction. It was he who banned the game from those who were not rich or well-to-do because the commoners were beginning to spend far too much time enjoying the pastime instead of labouring at the work they were meant to do. King Henry also ordered that anyone who wished to play the game could only do so on their own private property, after building a private green. In addition to this expense, any person wishing to do this also had to pay the King a fee of £100.

It was during the time of King James I that this King wrote a book entitled The Book of Sports. In this book, he had harsh words for sports such as football and soccer but greatly encouraged the sport of bowls. In 1845, the game of lawn bowling was once again made available to anyone who wished to play the game.

IMPORTANT

Subject: Bowls Canada Boulingrin - Jack Length Clarification

Rule 23.5.1 of the new Laws of the Sport of Bowls, Crystal Mark 2nd Edition, 2011 gives National Authorities the discretion to change the minimum jack length from 23 m to 21 m.

After careful consideration, Bowls Canada Boulingrin, the National Authority for Canada, has decided to change the minimum jack length from 23 m to 21 m for all play in Canada.  This decision leads to a number of other changes to distances set out in the Laws, as further detailed in rules 23.5.1 to 23.5.3, and will necessitate changes to the positioning of "hog line markers" at clubs across the country.

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Go Team Canada

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A Trip Down Memory Lane

Many thanks to
Janet Hilliker
Archivist
Norwich and District Archives

Click here to watch a slide show of the pictures she gave us

Thanks Janet!

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