Club Competition Rules

General

All Competitions shall be played in accordance with the Bowls England Rules, except where superseded by these rules.

Entries must be made on the Club Competition Entry Form and returned to the relevant Competition Secretary by the stipulated closing date, along with any fees payable.

No bowls stamps are required for Club Competitions.

Any handicaps and seedings required by the rules of the competitions are notified to the Competitions’ Secretaries by the Club Captain, Men’s Captain or Ladies Captain as appropriate.

Those competitions designated as men’s or ladies are for that gender only.

Pairings for the Joan Pont Memorial competition will consist of 1 lady and 1 man.

The Open Pairs Competition teams will consist of 2 men or 2 ladies or one of each gender.

Substitutes/Replacements

After the first match has been played in a particular competition, then that event is deemed to have started.

• Singles Matches – Once the competition has started, if an opponent is unable to play, then their opposition will receive a ‘bye’ into the next round; prior to the competition starting, substitutes can be found for any player dropping out as long as the substitute complies with that particular competition’s rules. The draw will not be re-done.

It is the responsibility of the challenger to ensure that the singles matches have a marker acceptable to both players.

• Pairs, Triples, Rinks – Prior to the competition starting, substitutes can be found for any player dropping out as long as the substitute complies with that particular competition’s rules.

When appropriate, once the competition has started, each pair, triple or rink may use one substitute during the competition. Substitutes can play in any position. The substitute, who must be selected by reference to the Competition Secretary, must not play or have played for any other team in the same competition.

Whenever a substitute is made it is the substitute who must play in the rest of the games and play in the final if applicable.

In the event of a player being unable to continue during a game they will retire and concede the game to their opponents.

Concessions

If a player or pairing (who should both agree) find it necessary to concede a match to their opponents, having advised their opponents, they must either sign a scoresheet stating that they have conceded the match and place it in the Competitions results box or advise the Competition Secretary by email.

Scorecards

A scorecard must be kept for each game. All scorecards must state the name of the competition being played and the names of all participants; it should be signed after the game by the singles marker or both skips in pairs, triples or fours games. The scorecard should be placed in the competition box kept in the clubhouse. The winners should enter their name on the relevant competition’s sheets.

Reduced Ends

In anticipation of adverse weather, or poor light, a reduced number of ends may be played in pairs, triples or rinks with the prior agreement of both skips; a reduced number of ends may also be played in singles competitions with the prior agreement of both parties. When agreeing a reduction of ends in these circumstances, the maximum number of ends that a competition can be reduced by is 3.

If a game has to stop unexpectedly through bad weather the match can be declared as a result with agreement by all parties and once two thirds of the required number of ends have been played. However, this cannot apply to the Singles Handicap, the Singles 100 Up and the Open Pairs competitions.

Dress code

Finals
Players: whites including club shirt and flat-soled shoes.
Markers: Greys (optionally including club blazer) and flat-soled shoes.
Earlier rounds:
Greys with white top (with sleeves) and flat soled shoes.
Triples/Rink competition days:
Whites including club shirt and flat soled shoes.

Play Arrangements

Singles Championship	4 bowls each 21 shots
Singles Handicap	4 bowls each 21 shots, plus Handicap difference
Singles 100 Up	4 bowls each First to 100 Points
Novices Trophy	4 bowls each 21 shots
Singles 2 Wood	2 bowls each 21 ends
Drawn & Ladies’ Pairs and the Joan Pont Trophy	4 bowls each 21 ends
Open Pairs	4 bowls each – Best of 3 Sets of 7 Ends
Triples	3 bowls each 18 ends
Fours	2 bowls each 21 ends

Match Arrangements

The challenger, i.e. the first name on the competition sheet, is responsible for making match arrangements.

The challenger must contact the opponent within one week of the relevant competition start date (as set by the Competition Secretary) for each round.

The challenger submits three dates and times of play (at least 1 of which must be on a weekday at, or after, 6pm) to the opponent.

The opponent should agree a date and time of play as soon as possible thereafter. The date and time can be one of the three dates submitted by the challenger, or a mutually agreed alternative.

If the challenger fails to submit three dates and times of play within a week, the opponent may submit three dates, one of which the challenger must accept within 3 days.

All matches must be completed by the closing date for each round, otherwise the Competition Secretary will decide who will proceed to the next round after hearing from both sides; however, in certain circumstances, an extension may be granted.

Duties of the Challenger

Arrange match date and time with opponent.

Book rink, date and time in the club diary.

Arrange a marker for the singles matches, having confirmed acceptance of the marker by his/her opponent.

Report to the Competition Secretary where a substitute is required in the Pairs, Triples and Rinks competitions.

Competitions

The Competition Secretary is responsible for setting the handicaps and seeding of players for the purpose of the club competitions with assistance where necessary from the Club Captain, Men’s Captain or Ladies Captain.

The draws for the competitions shall be executed by the Competition Secretary with at least one other club officer present.

Men’s & Ladies Singles Club Championship

These competitions will be decided by the first player to reach 21 shots.

Men’s & Ladies Singles 100 UP

Each game shall consist of 100 points with four bowls for each player. The score for each end shall be calculated in this order – 4 points for the bowl nearest to the Jack, 3 points for the next nearest, 2 points for the next and 1 point for the fourth nearest irrespective to which player each bowl belongs. In the event of two bowls ‘touching’, or being equidistant from the Jack, half points shall be awarded.

The player with the bowl nearest to the Jack shall take the mat, and cast the Jack for the next end, irrespective of the score for the previous end. In the event of the end being ‘Made Dead’, the person casting the Jack for that end shall also cast the Jack for the next end.

The winner is the first player to reach 100 points even if that means not counting all the bowls at the final end.

Mixed Handicap Singles

Each player will be given a handicap by the Competition Secretary.

The Competition Secretary may, if they consider it necessary, consult with the Club Captain, Ladies Captain and Men’s Captain with reference to the Handicaps.

The Competition Secretary’s decision is final.

The Game will start with each player given their handicap number as shots on the first end
i.e. if player A has a handicap of 2 and player B has a handicap of 6, the Marker would record that score on end 1 on the scorecard. The players therefore start the game on their handicap, in this case player A 2 shots and Player B 6 shots.

Netting off of handicaps is not allowed.

The game will be played with the winner being the first player to reach 21 Shots.

Mixed Novices Trophy (John Murdoch Memorial)

Entry is limited to players who have never won a singles title at any outdoor bowls club.

The competition will be decided by the first player to reach 21 shots.

Mixed 2 Wood Singles

Each game shall consist of 21 ends. In the event of a tie an extra end must be played with the shots of this end included in the final score. Players will toss again to decide who will cast the jack.

Open Pairs

This competition is entered as a pair and that pair can consist of 2 men, 2 ladies or can be a mixed pair. Players may not change positions once the match has begun.

The game shall consist of 3 sets each of 7 ends; every set must have a winner. In the event of a tie at the end of a set an extra end must be played with the shots of this end included in the score. Players will toss again to decide who will cast the jack.

The winner will be the first to win 2 sets. In the second leg, the jack will go to the pair who did not open with it in the first leg; for the third leg, toss again for the choice of the jack.

Ladies’ Pairs

Each game shall consist of 21 ends. In the event of a tie an extra end must be played with the shots of this end included in the final score. Players will toss again to decide who will cast the jack.

The pairings shall be decided by a draw executed by the Competition Secretary with at least one other club officer present. Pairings will be drawn from two separate hats – one of low handicap and one of high/intermediate handicap players as ranked by the Ladies Captain or Club Captain.