To quote Wikipedia, "Crown green bowls (or crown green) is a code of bowls played outdoors on a grass or artificial turf surface known as a bowling green. The sport's name is derived from the intentionally convex or uneven nature of the bowling green which is traditionally formed with a raised centre known as the crown."

The basic equipment is very simple. You need a round mat, sometimes referred to as the footer, a jack (a ball the same shape as a bowl but about 70% the size of a normal bowl) and each player needs two bowls. Practice and most league games have a relaxed dress code. Remember to wear flat-soled shoes or trainers with no open toes or you might not be let on the green and this is certainly the case in league matches. Some teams have matching team shirts and when you hear or read the phrase "dress code applies", this simply means black pants or tailored shorts and a shirt with a collar (typically a polo shirt). Obviously further outer layers are allowed to mitigate our wonderful weather in Greater Manchester. 

The game at it's basic is very simple. One player leads the jack out to a minimum of 19m from the mat and then sends their first bowl. They vacate the mat, the other player sends their first bowl. The first player then sends their second bowl, followed by the second player's second bowl. The end is complete when that final bowl has come to stop. The scoring is equally as simple. You score a point for every bowl you have nearer than your opponent, so players will score 0, 1 or 2 points each end. The game is played to a target score, usually 21 and the first player to score 21 is the winner, there is no need to win by two clear points.

If you want to give bowls a try either on your own or with family or friends, feel free to use the contact form and let us know, or check the calendar for the next social roll-up session to see if it fits your schedule and just turn up! If you'd rather watch a game first, have a look at our fixtures via the League Bowling page and come and introduce yourself. There's nearly always a cup of tea ready and we can have someone watch the game with you to explain what's going on.