Terminology
| Backhand: |
The delivery of a bowl
that travels towards the jack from a left-handed direction; i.e., the bias
is on the right-hand side of the bowl (vice versa for left-handed bowlers).
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| Block: |
A bowl resting in the line of the draw, or in
front of the jack, thus hindering an opponent's shot.
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| Bowl in course: |
The term for a bowl from
the moment of the delivery until it comes to rest.
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| Covered: |
When the jack or a bowl
is guarded by another bowl in front of it.
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| Dead bowl: |
A bowl is dead if:
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| a) |
it comes to
rest in the ditch (unless it is a toucher).
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| b) |
it rebounds
on to the rink after hitting the bank, or striking a toucher or jack in the ditch.
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| c) |
if it comes
to rest within 15 yards (13.71 m) of the front of the mat.
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| d) |
if after
completing its course, or as a result of further play, it comes to rest outside the boundaries of the rink.
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| Dead end: |
An end is deemed to be
dead if the jack is dead. The jack is dead when it has been driven off
the green and comes to rest outside the boundary of the rink. All dead
ends shall be replayed in the same direction (unless both skips agree
otherwise) and the player who initially delivered it retains the delivery of
the jack.
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| Drive: |
A drive is a bowl
delivered with force and with the intention of breaking up the head.
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| End: |
An end comprises the
playing of the jack and all bowls by all players in the same direction of
the rink.
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| Fast green: |
A green may be fast
because it has been cut short or has dried out in sunny conditions. A
bowl will take a WIDER curve and longer course on a fast green.
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| Forehand: |
The delivery of a bowl
that will travel towards the jack from a right-handed direction, with the
bias on the left-handed side of the bowl (vice versa for left-handed
players).
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| Four: |
A team consisting of
four players. In order of play, they are named the lead, second,
third, and skip. Each player delivers two bowls only.
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| Head: |
The head is the name
given to the jack and all bowls that have come to rest on the rink, provided
that they are not dead.
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| Jack high: |
A ball is said to be
jack high when the nearest part of it is equidistant from the mat as the
nearest part of the jack to the mat.
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| Live bowl: |
A bowl that travels at
least 15 yards (13.71 m) from the front edge of the mat and legitimately
comes to rest within the boundaries of the rink, is a live bowl.
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| Mat line: |
The mat line is the edge
of the mat nearest to the front ditch, it is from the center of the mat line
that any necessary measurements are taken.
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| Open hand: |
The side of play, in
relation to the position of the jack, that has no or few bowls on it
compared to the other side.
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| Open jack: |
A jack that is in full
view of the bowler from the mat and not obstructed by a bowl.
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| Pace of the green: | The pace of the green is measured in seconds and is the time a bowls takes from being delivered to coming to rest, approximately 30 yards (27.43 m) from the mat line. |
| Pairs: |
A team consisting of two
players, a lead and a skip.
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| Set of bowls: |
A set of bowls consists
of four bowls, all of the same manufacture, size, weight, color, and serial
number (if applicable).
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| Skip: |
The skip is the person
in charge of the head on behalf of the rest of his team. He assesses
the position of the bowls at the head and advises the next player what shot
he should make. The skip is always the last player to deliver his
bowls.
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| Take out: |
A bowl which takes out
an opponent's scoring bowl and often replaces it as the scoring bowl.
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| Team: |
A team consists of
either two, three, or four players.
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| The shot: |
A shot (or shots) shall
be adjudged at the completion of an end and is the number of bowls nearer to
the jack than any bowl played by an opponent.
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| Toucher: |
Any bowl which, in its
original course on the rink, touches the jack is a toucher. Even if it
touches the jack and then enters the ditch within the confines of the
rink, it is still a toucher and is still alive.
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| Trial end: |
Before the commencement
of, or upon the resumption of a game, the players are allowed to play one
trial end each way up the rink.
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| Triples: |
A team consisting of
three players.
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