The unspoken rules, it’s all about good manners …..

1. Be on time
   Even consider being early to help set up the equipment.
   (Also consider staying after to help pack equipment away, if there is not another game on after
   yours).

2. Dress Code
   Although no specific dress code applies, please be mindful of the weather conditions. More
   often than not ….hot sun!, so remember your hat and additional screen.
   We strongly advise against the wearing of open toed sandals and flip flops. Bowls are hard and
   heavy and such footwear does not offer much protection. Also flip flops are loose on the foot,
   so there is a risk when moving around the bowls that the sole could clip a bowl or the jack.
   It is your responsibility to wear appropriate footwear.

3. Food, Drink and Smoking

• No glass bottles, or glasses and cups from the café, are permitted within the playing
  area.
• Plastic bottles and the thermos style drinks containers are permitted but restricted to
  being kept on the tables between the rinks.
• Food should be kept to a minimum such like snacks, fruit, chocolate bars, or Richie’s
  muffins from the café as he never has breakfast!
• All rubbish etc. shall be kept on the tables between the rinks, and cleared away at the
  end of the game.
• At the end of each session of bowling there should be no rubbish anywhere within
  the playing area.
• Absolutely no smoking or vaping within the playing area.

4. Stand Still When Someone is About to Bowl
   Bowling is a game of concentration. Distractions are of importance when playing, so you
   should AVOID moving around when someone else is playing.

• If you are at the head, wait until the person playing is done bowling, then move.
• If you are at the same end as the player delivering the bowl, stay away from the mat and
  the player’s line of vision. Preferably stand about a metre behind them.
• On sunny days, ensure your shadow is not cast on the green in the line of vision if
  possible.
• Also, stay silent when a player is bowling, being loud is equally distractive as moving
  around.

5. Be Alert of Adjacent Rinks as You Walk Around.

• Rinks next to you could be involved in a completely different game.
• When walking to a game, or anywhere with the playing area, be alert to what is going on.
• Do not under any circumstance walk onto an adjacent rink when games are under way.
• Do not walk across the end of a rink when a player is at the opposite end about to bowl
  towards the end you are walking past.
• Be alert to what is going on and wait until the player has released the bowl, then walk
  past.
  Once a session has started, it would be better if no one entered the playing area if they are not
  involved.
  Some of our games start at different times, so the above is even more important in these
  cases.
  Good manners and patience please from all involved.

6. Rules Of Possession

• The rink belongs to the team whose bowl is about to be played.
• Once a bowl arrives at the head and stops moving the rink changes to the next team.
• It is irrelevant to you at that time whether you are ‘holding shot or not’ as you opponent
  is about to bowl. So keep out of the way and keep quiet.
• So the team about to play are the only ones who should step onto the rink to see what
  the situation is as it is their turn.

7. Visiting the Head

• Generally you can only visit the head before the last bowl of your team is played. (Some
  singles games it is after the first 2 bowls have been played).
• Players should NOT follow their woods down the playing mat.

8. Winning an End and Scoring

• If you think your team has won the end, DO NOT touch the bowls in the head.
• Declare to your opposition that you think you have ‘X’ shots and wait for them to agree
  and then they remove the bowls.
• If there is a measure between bowls, again they should measure unless they ask you to
  do it.
• Only 1 player from each team should be involved in this process all other players should
  keep off the rink until it has been agreed. In a triples game this would normally be the
  number 2 player in the team.
• If it cannot be agreed the Skips should be called to the head to take over and agree the
  score for that end.
• Ideally 1 person in a game should control the scoreboard to avoid any confusion.

9. Do Not Drop the Bowls
   Bowls are expensive to buy, so please do not drop them, place them on the rink, or in the
   baskets behind the rink.
   This will also avoid any unnecessary damage to the bowls, or the rink surface.

10. Enter and Leave the Mat on the Correct Side
    Once it is your turn to bowl, come onto the mat from the left side, and once you have finished
    step off the mat to the right side.
    This will avoid bumping into other players as you exit the mat.

11. Acknowledgements are in Order

• We all go to bowl to play well and have an enjoyable game, no one goes with the
  intention of playing a bad bowl.
• So please remember to find something positive to say about every bowl.
• Good try, next time, good line, that was close … encouragement is always appreciated.
• On the other hand players who get a lucky wick ….well what can you say … but it needs
  to be acknowledged by the player that it wasn’t the intended shot.
• Bowling is a friendly game and ALL players should show courtesy and good
  sportsmanship. The use of foul or abusive language will not be tolerated.
  Whilst a degree of good humoured banter is acceptable, PLEASE remember that some people’s
  level of understanding and tolerance of this means it could easily become offensive to them.

12. Shake Hands
    It is good sportsmanship to shake hands before and after a game and introduce yourself when
    necessary.
    It is customary in more competitive games for the winner to offer to buy the drinks.

13. Complaints

• Complaints about other players in a game can be handled in game by politely talking to
  that player pointing out the issue, or by talking to the skip of that team.
• If an official complaint is deemed necessary, this should be put in writing to the
  committee, with as much detail as necessary.
• Genuine complaints or concerns about the rinks should be directed to a member of the
  committee, but please bear in mind works to the rinks are on-going and we are aware of
  all the quirky little anomalies, and are working to alleviate these as time and finances
  allow.

14. Spectators
    Spectators are always welcome.
    They must stay out of the bowling area when games are in progress.
    They are encouraged to support all the bowlers in a positive way, commenting on bowls
    delivered, ‘good shot’, ‘unlucky’, ‘good try’ etc, but may not under any circumstances
    comment on shot selection, which would be deemed as coaching from the side.
    They should never comment to the players on any processes of a game. If they have a
    concern they should raise it with a Committee Member, or whoever is running the
    session or the games that are in progress.

Conclusion
We are all volunteers and doing our best to create a happy and safe environment to enjoy the game.
Observing the above guidelines will help with the smooth running of all games taking place.

Club Organised Roll Up Sessions

• Currently club organised roll up sessions are held on Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings.
• Sessions are 9am, 10am, and 11am, and 12 midday is also available if numbers attend.
• There will be a ‘monitor’ in charge of each session.
• It is not the ‘monitors’ responsibility to set up the rinks or clear them away at the start and
  finish of the session so members attending are ask to help by doing this.
• People should arrive at least 15 minutes before each session to register.
• Visitors should be directed to the ‘monitor’ in charge of the session, to pay their session fee
  and receive their name tag for the session.
• Name tags need to be put into the session boards promptly.
• It can be very busy so please help the ‘monitor’, so sessions can be started on time.
• Once the bell rings go to the lucky dip bag …..
• Take 1 rink token only for yourself. Your partner, wife, husband etc. should pick their own token.
• Please do swap rink tokens, and make your way to the respective rink.
• Once on your rink, please use a bit of common sense between you to try to have balanced
  teams.
• Subject to numbers the ‘monitor’ will tell you what games are being played on which rinks,
  (242, 2 bowl triples, 3 bowl triples etc.), do not change these.
• The only exception will be if you have completely new bowlers, and 242 is of no benefit to them
  and a straight 4 bowl pairs game is by far the better option.
• If in doubt check with the ‘monitor’, it’s their session they are in charge.
• Please thank the ‘monitor’ at the end of the session for managing the session.

And before everyone leaves please make sure

• The cupboards are locked up
• There is no rubbish left behind in the match area or in the spectator area