Lawn bowling, or bowls, is a variation of the game of “boules,” which has been played since prehistoric times. Ancient Romans played a version of the game, tossing balls to approach a target as closely as possible. The game spread throughout Roman Gaul, then made its way to England, where its popularity has been established for centuries—even in spite of a temporary ban in the 15thCentury by the English Crown.
The modern version of lawn bowling came about due to the invention of the lawnmower in Britain in 1830. Players could make modern-style greens with the lawn mower, leading to the codification of some of the modern rules of the game. If you’ve never played this classic game before, learning how to play lawn bowling is easy and fun—it might become your new favorite backyard pastime.
The rules of Lawn Bowling
You need two flattened spherical balls called bowls and jacks, a much smaller spherical ball, to play lawn bowling. The object of the game is to roll your bowls as closely to the jack as you can. If one or more of your bowls are closer to the jack than those of your opponent, you win the round.
A coin toss determines which side goes first. It’s often best to go second, since it’s entirely permissible to hit your opponents’ bowls out of the way with your own.
How many players?
There can be up to eight players in a lawn bowling game. While the game is usually played one-on-one, you can also play in pairs (two against two), triples (three pairs of players) or fours (four pairs of players).
Scoring in Lawn Bowling
Players or teams win a game of lawn bowling by reaching a score of 21 points. One point is awarded to the player or team whose bowl is nearest the jack at the end of a round. You can also earn some extra points if you’re skilled. When you or your teammate have more than one bowl closer to the jack than those of your opponents, you earn the corresponding number of points.
Learning how to play lawn bowling is simple, and you don’t need much equipment to enjoy a match. Start by getting out the lawnmower and trimming the grass short, then gather your friends, the bowls and jacks toenjoy this classic game in the comfort of your own backyard!