Delivery Tool Box Usage

Lawn Bowls Perfection depends upon several controlled variables once you have your delivery Style perfected or "Stable".  To the Social Lawn Bowls player their game is much like "Darts" where they throw and attempt to get close to the center.  Yes, and some players do literally "Throw" their bowls instead of a well placed "Roll".

photosearch photo

    With difficulty in getting the proper weight for the delivery to the jack distance and  the regular missing Line; there are  also the variables of the environment. The Greens can be perfect in maintained but always there will be that  ridges or a small valleys to be avoid. The wind may be consistence however as the day develops and the sun dries out the morning dew, the green will be seen to increase it's speed. Even at the "Mat Line" where several players have  walked to and from the mat, when playing that direction; the green  have now showing a change in speed, if your play is to have  the jack is brought out to the "Spotting Mark". It now  seems impossible to have your bowl stop at the jack as the speed send it now to the ditch.
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Like a child which was given a "Tool Box" for Christmas the novice bowler must learn what the various tools of Lawn Bowls are and how to use them.  For the child , the "Hammer" is for Nails while in bowls, the "Hammer" is having the last bowl and being wise with it use.  The child learns that the square is for measure and angles,  or that the level is for  a good smooth surface, but in Bowls the Angles are more your line of Delivery or knowing what areas of the green are level or with a small fall.

When given the "Delivery Tool Box" of a bowler we discovere some strange and  various tools, which were developed  and only used  for the proper application.  Unlike the child who  attempts to examine the various items and imagine how the can be used, the bowler should know which tools and which conditions require their use.  Yes the hammer can be used to break things for the child, your "Runner" becomes the  force to the strike at the head. Using your Delivery Line Tools requires you understand their use.

Walking the Mat  The first lesson taught to a student is to always place his feet on the mat at the same position and location. This should be your starting point.  Don't change where you place your feet in a normal delivery, but every coach will expect you to understand what happens if you do not place them correctly.. (Body pointing in the direction of Delivery Line)  As a "Hammer" is for "Nails" the Delivery Line Tool of  "Walking the Mat" is often not even seen when used".

Talyor Lawn Bowls

You wanted to do a "Jack Roll"  but you are told that you just missed it by two inches, or a space shown by the skip with his thumb and fore finger. If you moved you feet on the mat the same distance you will have the jack if your line is the same. Several Blogs on this are " Feb 2015 Walking the Mat" and then 4 new blogs in 2017.Walking 1/3 ,2 /3  and 3/3 
 Using the above photo as an example and if you are able to do the same perfect delivery and same line of delivery and you move your "Mat foot" back so the toe is now 2 inches from where you normally place it you should be touching the jack.  Another inches and you are dead on and still another two inches and you will tap the front of the jack. (the jack is 63 to 64 mm or 2.48 to 2.52 inches large) Or in other words. Walking the mat is able to do better than that.

Exercise to learn Walking the mat   First it is important you have the same natural weight and line. Ideally would be a rolling ramp which direct your bowl and with the same weight, but with two pieces of ribbon on the greens separated by the

rolling surface of the bowl (approx 1 inch) and your natural delivery weight you can see what happens.

 As you move around the mat ( walking) from left to right so also move the ribbon the same distance you move you foot. Remember only move one ribbon ( outside now becomes inside edge of BOWL. Lao generally as you move back or forward on the same side if the mat your ribbon can stay the same. Remember the rules required you start with both feet on the mat but once done you can place only one foot ( Mat foot) on the mat as you prepare your delivery.
 The following  two diagrams should also help you understand the changes.
 As per the above chart from Talyor Lawn Bowls we see an example how each manufacturer produces several different bias bowls. You should know your bias. With a subconscious image of your bowl roll (Like the one at right) you can know your roll and the finish of your bowl from the middle of the mat.
  What happens with the same line (between the ribbon markers (diagram right) when you change positions on the mat. Make sure your weight is the same and roll directly between the two ribbons.  You should find that moving left moves your final resting place to the right and vise versa. And the moving back (center mat) moves the resting point further back or ahead of the jack.

Off Step Delivery.  Developing  (as I work from the public library and only have 2 hours on the computer this will be finished tomorrow.

Delivery Line ToolBox

In a previous Blog for the Lead, it was suggested to know the "Receiving Area" of the bowls of your team players and the Opponents.  This is the area of green directly in front of the mat where the player lays down his bowl to begin his delivery. Thank you to Bowls Scotland Facebook Photo for examples of Delivery usage of the mat.

Front of Mat Delivery (Bowls Scotland FB)

Usually a right handed lawn bowler standing on the center of the mat will lay it down 8 to 10 inches from the center or "Jack Line". If the bowl is a "Backhand" Delivery it will cross the center line and arc outward and return to the Jack which if it has not been moved, is on the "Jack Line".

  Because most lawn Bowlers are about two feet wide, and  the left handed Lawn Bowler will place his bowl on the green ("Receiving Area" a foot on the opposite side of the center line; the "Delivery area is about 2 feet wide. From that area of green of the Right handed Bowler to that area of Green of the Left Handed bowler.
  Therefore, with the exception of players who do a high delivery (chuck their bowl) or do off the mat deliveries this "Receiving area is about 18 inches in front of the mat. However, with the use of various tricks of Delivery in your Delivery Line Tool Box you can increase this area to 5 (five) feet on the left or Right side of the Center or "Jack Line".

Bowls Scotland FBook Photo

Walking the Mat   Because the mat is defined in Section 3, Article 7 as 600mm by 360mm (23.622" x 14.173") this small foot wide mat allows for a little bit of "Mat Walking "  With the Section 5 (Game) and Article 21A (Foot Faulting) requiring that the player have one foot on or over the mat at the time of jack or bowl delivery; we have a great deal of place to move around on the mat. Photo shows back of Mat usage for delivery Learn how to use the mat fully and the results it will give you.  Every tool in your tool box will one day be valuable .

Example of Walking Mat applied in Bowls Scotland National Championship 2014 Men's Pairs SF2  on Youtube  shows that because player delivery stance is such that he is off the right corner

Bowls left of jack without possible Mat Walking

of the mat for his "Receiving Area" of his bowl he is missing the Jack on the left and all his bowls are at the same final resting position. He can not move a half foot size left to catch the jack. Watching the delivery shows that Walking the Mat is not a tool in his Delivery Tool Box.

Because your foot is about 4 inches wide and the mat is 14 inches you can place your "Mat foot" at the extreme left or extreme right of the mat for delivery.

Australian's Kalsey Coffreil

Walking the mat is both forward and backward as well as left to right.  In developing your "Delivery Line Toolbox" you should know what result you have when your "Remaining" foot is located on each of the 4 corners of the mat .

  One of the major differences is when  you have done a "Natural Delivery and arrived 16" (inches) behind the jack.  With the same natural delivery and moving from the front of the mat to the back of the mat your bowl will be that 16" closer to you and on the jack. (remember the mat is 24 " long and your foot is probably 12 inches. (excuse the use of Inches as at 70years old and as a Canadian I still think in the British Measure). Photo of Kalsey Coffreil shows how much of the mat is unused when the bowl is placed on the green.at delivery.

Off Step Delivery.  This delivery occurs when the bowler places his "non-delivery arm side foot "on the mat and does a wide side step from the mat.  By standing in this "Spread Stance" and doing a gentle delivery it is possible to move as far as 4 feet off the mat.  Most Blocks do not restrict a bowlers ability to reach a position on the green or the Jack, but a double Block wall will create concern.  By a Off-step Delivery  you will pass those blocks without difficult.(When I find a photo fo Off-Step Delivery I will update this Blog)

Amazing, a Off Step Delivery is not hard to find the line because often the Blocks are at the Shoulder of the Delivery Line and by using these bowls as your line of delivery your bowl will pass just within the bowls. Yes you bowls will arrive at the jack because they have a different line of approach and the Bowl's finish will often be on the jack line.

Inside Step (left) - Outside Step (right

Inside Step Delivery  This delivery is more difficult than expected but can be developed to extend your delivery at least a foot beyond the opposite corner of the mat from your "Delivery Arm Mat side" Because some instructors insist that you place your bowl on the green beside the inside of your Stepping foot, often a new bowler develops this Inside Step Delivery and must be corrected to step into the Jack line and deliver the bowl within a foot of the Jack line..

All the tools in your Delivery Tool Box should apply to an instinctive Bowl Line Delivery. Such a delivery means you see in your mind the three parts of your Delivery Line, (Arc of Delivery, Shoulder, and Finish Curve) and you deliver your bowl to arrive at the expected place after the finish curve has happen.

Sometimes it is simple to improve our Mat Etiquettes as suggested by the Ottawa Club of "Nepean Lawn Bowl Club which suggests " 6. After bowling each bowl, step off the mat to the right. As you approach the mat to bowl, do so from the rear left."

Reading Blog Stats

Blogging is expressing your views and experiences to interested readers.  Knowing what is of interest to the readers and visitors to the site depends upon the analysis of the Blog Stats supplied by blogger sites like www.blogger.com.

Two Basic types of readers are found visiting a site. First, the regular who in discovering a new blog has been posted, or on visiting regularly; is a continual follower.  Second is the visitors who arrive due to some search engine and visit several of the blog posting.  As a Blog writer, both are important and should be included in the development of new Blogs.

Regular Blog Visitors To all of us there are many interesting subjects which we would like to share with the readers, however as a blog author I must respect the content type which has drawn my readers. There are several types of Social Media Formats and I use my Twitter to inform my followers about Bowls and news while FaceBook is a more Personal Cyber life.

My Facebook Account

 Having been a Blind Bowls Instructor and Coach over the past several years, I have build a part of my Facebook as .Blind Lawn Bowls  Of course, few Social Media Formats are user friendly to those with Visual Problems.
   Although I attempt to push news and invite participants as administrator to this Blind Bowls FaceBook page; my major objective is to remind the reader that they must tell the Visual Impaired individuals of what they read because few of the computer aids developed for the Blind allow Text and photos mixed.
On my Facebook I wrote "Ready for something strange!!! "A Feeling". On the last day of my 70th year, I found myself being judged and not wanting. We do not know our life until all our experience are bottled like a fine wine. Aging of the wine is all things seen and judged, and great is knowing "One's Value". If you miss understanding one day you we'll know."" because everyday we learn and see more and more of who we are or have been. None of this is Blog worthy unless that has been the subject for the last 5 years.

Blog Statistic Information  The Blog Stats reveal the new visitors and their subject interest which has brought them to the blog.The regular topic of interest has been "Three Subconscious Mind Exercises" written

This Blog's Stats for last 7 Days.

in December 2012. Of course, I should and will write more of these blogs but also my audience are regular lawn Bowler who are searching for information.  Articles like the e-book of Rob Judson, an Australian coach.who In a February 2003 did a  SCRIBD publication " of Lawn Bowl Coaching. A lot of the opinion and views are from my experience in Lawn Bowls, Petanque (French Bowls) and Archery where being in the zone is a major part of perfection of the sport.

The High Blue Peak of 6 or 8 reads is a new visitor whom as followed several other topics after arriving at the site for the search.  It is with satisfaction that I find a regular blog visit of 15 to 25 hits per day. Yes there has been a lot written over the past 5 or more years but these "Hits" are regular and new visitors.  Often when an interested reader finds my blog interesting they attempt to follow the blog by being a follower of my Twitter account.Here in the attach photo we find a request

Springhiler's Twitter Account

for to follow.  I have kept this account locked to prevent the often advertising and non-lawn bowls visitors.  Everyone is welcome and I often visit their twitter accounts for information on the recent news of Lawn Bowls.
Yes, I know that 126 followers is not many but I am sure they are some of the best Lawn Bowls players in the world. Some of the Twitter following are clubs who are doing great things with the youth and the handicap or Visually Impaired.

 Last summer I was excited to find a heavy following from the far East or South Africa. These countries are strong in Long Bowls and of course the "Bowl's Stats" map show me what countries are following.  Of course, if I am not submitting a blog every week the visitors are usually those English countries which find the blog because of a Search Engine.

Two days Later  Looking back at this blog's stats two days later (updated 24th) I learn at about six (6) readers had accessed my Blog for the Twitter entry and regular follower.

Blog Stats after 2 days

Two Days later I find that only 6 views of this blog. The spike in the stats are new readers who have accessed the blog and then read several of the older entries.
  Word of Advice  If you believe in your sport and want it to grow, you must make it a visual part of your life. Yes do great on the green builds interest in your club and region, but the Internet and Social Media has made the world small and we can all reach out and spread the word on Bowls or Blind Lawn Bowls.