Crown green bowls
| Highest governing body | British Crown Green Bowling Association (BCGBA) |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Crown green, Crown |
| First played | 1888 (first governing body)[1] |
| Registered players | 200,000 |
| Clubs | 3,000 |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members | Single competitors or pairs. |
| Mixed sex | Yes |
| Type | Outdoor, bowls |
| Equipment | Players use two woods each, a jack, and a portable mat. |
| Venue | Bowling green |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Midlands, North of England, Isle of Man and North Wales. |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
Crown green bowls is a type of bowls. It is played outdoors on grass or artificial turf. It is named crown green because of the raised center of the grass.
Crown green bowls is played in the Midlands, Northern England, and North Wales.[2][3]
History[change | change source]
The game of bowls started in 3200 BC in Ancient Egypt. It was a type of boules.[4][5][6] Crown Green was developed from the 15th to 18th century.[7] Rich players wanted to play bowls in gardens. Poorer players played the game in parks. The less flat surfaces led to Crown Green rules.[7] The British Crown Green Amateur Association was created in 1907. This association created standard rules for the game.[5] Lancashire is the oldest bowling county association in England.[8]
Playing the game[change | change source]
Equipment[change | change source]
The game has very little equipment apart from the playing surface.[9][10] It has a small ball called a "jack". The jack is the target to throw at. The jack can be white or yellow. The players roll larger balls (known as "bowls" or "woods") at the jack. The bowls were historically black or brown. Recently, these can be in any colour. The bowls are heavier on one side. The heavier side is known as the bias. When rolled forward, the bowl will turn left or right towards the bias.[11] At the end of the area where the game is being played is a small channel called the "ditch". There is also a rectangular carpet called a "mat". The person playing has to stand on the mat.[12] Unlike other types of bowls, the playing surface isn't flat.[13]
Rules[change | change source]
The player has to stand on the mat. Teams of up to four players compete. The players are named by what position they are in order. The first player is the "lead". The next two are "second" and "third". The last player being called a "skip". The skip usually starts at the other end of the area until their turn to play.[5] The bowls are heavier on one side. The heavier side is known as the bias. When rolled forward, the bowl will turn left or right towards the bias.[11]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "History of Bowls - Webster - Torfaen's Online Community". Archived from the original on 2020-01-15. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ↑ Clapson, Mark (1992). A bit of a flutter : popular gambling and English society, c.1823-1961. Manchester: Manchester Univ. Press. p. Chapter V. ISBN 9780719034367.
- ↑ Jackson, Brian (1998). Working class community some general notions raised by a series of studies in northern England. London: Routledge. p. 100. ISBN 9781136246340.
- ↑ "The Surprising History of Lawn Bowls | Bowlr". CMS. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Knight, Lindsay (5 September 2013). "Lawn bowls: game, history and organisation". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ↑ "The shady past of the genteel game of bowls". Burnley Express. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "A History Of Crown Green Bowling". Bowls.co.uk. 6 March 2018.
- ↑ "History". 27 April 2019.
- ↑ Tomlinson, Alan (2010). A dictionary of sports studies (1st ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 133. ISBN 9780199213818.
- ↑ Mills, Chris (1983). Winning bowls : an introduction to crown green bowls. London: Foulsham. ISBN 9780572012199.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Lawn Bowling - A Complete Beginners' Guide". Bowls.co.uk. 2017-04-07. Archived from the original on 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ↑ Venkat, Rahul. "Lawn bowls rules: Know how to play the sport". Olympics.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ↑ Barratt, Harry (1989). Crown green bowls : the skills of the game. Marlborough: Crowood. ISBN 1852232986.
