Strategy - Play the Percentage Success Shot

Level 2 Skip Strategy

In the YouTube video of Tayla Bruce interview we hear Tayla say the importance in Singles to play the percentage with the fourth and last bowl of play

Tayla Bruce of the New Zealand "BlackJacks" (Elite Lawn Bowls Team) won the 2023 World Bowls Singles and was later in 2024 declared  as the 2nd ranking World Lawn Bowls athletic.

 To night following a singles game my opponent said, "It is so hard to find information on Strategy" and I took time to explain a "Percentage Strategy" By reproducing the before last end  of play by building the Bowls layout and explaining the actual shot; I express my thoughts on this shot just an end ahead of that last single point end.  At that time of play, the score was 4 points from the end and I had 2 points counting  and with last bowl I could see a possible 4 points. The bowls of the head (as  per the created  photo below) showed my "standing frontal ball" which could be rolled to the head and count.

The seven Bowls setup were as to the bowls in the photo. (those without the "X White mark"), but if missed with a foot or two "Over weight". there was the danger that could result in the lost of the point. 

There are "Shot options" and there are "Shot Percentage". A "Shot option"  is where we see the shot and then go to the mat and do the shot. As with the rolling of the  "Raising the Standing Bowl" was a good option except for the "Missed Shot Danger" of either hitting the Shot Bowl or  "over weight" and the delivered bowl not have time to "Finish" and then raise the opponent's bowl. (Bowl "B"). If the "Bowl Roll" was Bowl #1 or Bowl #2 then that error could lose the game.

 A "Shot Percentage" is where by using a different line or weight there are several good results possible. The photo below shows 4 bowls delivery options (due to error in delivery weight) which will give that 3rd point.  What you should get from this blog beside the proper study of your head; but also to  know what is important ? " To have the line right" or "to have the right delivery weight".

 Always, a "Percentage shots" depends on your choice of how to get the best result by letting the bowls work for you and give the best possible shot. The black arrow in the top of the photo (near the Shot option #2) show the actual Bowl Line for this Percentage shot success. However, the "Shot Option" of contact with the "Standing Bowl (white) would be Shot option #1 which if missed left or right is dangerous and could result in actually removal the shot bowls.

The 4 bowls with "X White mark" bowls are the 4 possible shot which was possible to make 3 points or even a 4th points. Yes, a draw for 3 is the natural play but because a miss is always possible; to use a Percentage play means a less dangerous point. The photo show how, by as much as 3 bowls  left of intended "Shot Option" still gave a successful shot and this setup, known as being  a "400 Percent Success" shot also shows the "Delivery Line" for a good result..

Bowl Shot #4 has 2 possibilities for the 3 points as it can also kiss the opponent's frontal Bowl and then wick to the jack or it could pass opponent's frontal Bowl and remove the opponent's (blue "A") or 3rd shot.  Bowl Shot #3 will pass the frontal bowls and  also remove the opponent's (Blue "A") 3rd shot.  Bowls Shot #2 and Bowl Shot #1 will each hit my standing frontal white (and blue) bowl and hopefully raise it to kiss the Blue "A" (3rd shot) for  a result of 3 points. To collect a 4th point would be depending on how that delivered bowl continues to roll toward the head after contact.

 The space between the Bowl shot #4 and the Bowl shot #3 is the "Failure Percentage";  as a bowl passing there, it would  raise the opponent's frontal bowl (" A ") and maybe knock out my first "shot" bowl. ( This is a 25% failure possibility).

In another blog of March 2021 "Lawn Bowls - Percentage of Success on Bowls", (www  ishi-in-sn.blogspot.com/2021/03/percentage-of-success-on-bowl-delivery.html). I show that a shot with a low percentage of Success can be a good decision to made because of the "High Percentage of Failure". Using the youtube video of the 2016 World Bowls Triples final between England and Australia; Aron Sherriff tries a Runner which had a "High Failure Percentage". There is the possibility of hitting the frontal block which could make the shot a success but any hit other than perfect center on the block would not cause damage and a "Miss shot" had no danger of removal of  his 2nd point bowl. With a miss he is only giving up 1 point.

To understand and develop an eye for reading such a "Percentage Success Shot",  I suggest that you set up during a practice session the 7 bowls as shown. After you have  tried the shot 4 or 5 times (one at a time and go to head) you will see what can actually happens. Not only will you know about "Percentage Success" but also you will have confidence in your viewing of the actual " Percentage Options".

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 Remember that your weight is important as the slower bowlroll (Jack draw weight) will give a proper "Bias finish" to your bowl,  while if the delivery is  too heavy, it will cause a miss or "Pass Through". In viewing the shot without the added Option bowls (x and white bowls) as you stand on the mat; you can see that the  suggest Line of Delivery is not the right (1 o'clock) tap on the White frontal bowl but a delivery line to give a wick (10 or 10:30 o'clock) on the left side of that bowl. (as per the drawn Black arrow near the #2) Very often a Percentage Line of Delivery is in the center of the possible bowl lines.

The question was "What is more important, Line or Weight" In this example, it shows that you have more than 4 bowl width of possibilities as "Success percentage". But if the delivery line is taken toward the Bowl #3, then any extra weight on your bowls will keep the bowl right (as per bowl #1 and Bowl #2). And what happens if your delivery weight is too little weight ? The bowl need sufficent delivery weight to allow it to finish (use it's Bias)  as seen if the option Bowls of  the left happen. (Bowl #3 and Bowl # 4).

If under normal play, you were trying to remove the blue Bowl (the opponent's 3rd shot) instead of  using the percentage Success option, then the shot that you would be required to played a full bowl right.  (The earlier blog of visualization means you would  see the shot) So the line is there at the Bowl #2 position (Black arrow) because depending upon the weight and how your bias runs; you will do one of the four shots and collect the point. 

Yes, we could try the accurate takeout shot to remove the blue 3rd Bowl but if we are not all that accurate then we might want  to use the "Percentage Success" as the better method to remove  the opponent's bowl.  With the "Percentage Success Shot"  we know that a miss on the left of the chosen  line of delivery; will still has 2 possible "Good results". This thought will also give you confidence that you have a really good chance to make the takeout of that third shot. And in bowl study of a shot, we must always realize the danger which exist and how not to try  Bowl #1 shot, as it is the less of a chance of success. 

If the  bowl is too much right on such a shot, or even a whole bowl right; there is the possible shot that it may even raise the opponent's frontal blue bowl "B" to becoming shot. So "Line" is more important if the "Success percentage " is to be 4 bowls widths. Why ? If your delivery is with too much weight (6 to 8 inches) then Shot 1 and Shot 2 happen and if the delivery is too light; then the lack of weight may even result in the bowl finding it's bias and still doing the removal of the opponent's  third point  bowl. 

I live here in Quebec, Canada and every minute of every day we make a decision to talk French or to talk English and after that decision we do it. This is the same with the Percentage Success Shot. You make the decision and then do it. (Don't Second Guess yourself. Doubt will result in not making the shot.

 If one was to try the removal of the opponent's third shot with a well played weighted shot as "Shot Option";  it might happen by a little change in Delivery weight, that you actually did a removal of the actual Point  or "shot Bowl" ("White/Blue" at 9 o'clock to the jack) .

 In using the "Successful Percentage" shot we don't have to worry about the played bowl's weight because if it actually pass the frontal bowls it will give a good result. The "Shot Option" has the danger of not having the exact delivery weight and such an error would mean the lost of the point. (In end game any error can lose you the game)

I played the percentage shot with the line (Bowl option #2) that I knew as important for the best percentage and because I am playing at the end of this game. ( In the last few points of a Singles we must be comfortable with line and weight.) Actual result - I missed a bit left and did a Bowl Option #3 but with the right weight I did tap back the 3rd shot and wicked a bit toward the jack.  

The modified Shot photo shown above was created with bowls from the first or 2nd end of play of 2025 Australian Open Men's Single which is still available on Youtube. A very good video to learn and see Singles strategy)

 So what happen ? I was a bit light in weight and the bowl roll therefore ended as  actually being the "Shot 3". Because of  the under weight delivery (by 18 inches) it saw the bias finished a bit more and just tapped (hit) the opponent's Blue 3rd shot. If I had had more weight on the delivery, the bowl it would not have finished so much bias and which only moved their about 2 inches to give me the 3 shots (score was then 11-17 as condition of play was for game to be played to 18 points). What is important is with this shot my trying was rather safe as a miss still gave me the extra point as long as my draw weight was near to perfect.

What is important is that we will often miss a little and if you play a large percentage shot it will still be successful even with the miss. What is important in reading "Percentage Shots" is to decide if "Weight" is important or if "Line" is more important and making that decision apply the importance to your decision.

Visualization As Creative and Instructive Part 3

Under Development, patience Please - Sept 5th

Level 3 

In Sport Psychology, we find the science of psychology used to help athletics with their performance However, in medicine, the psychologist is busy, helping individual to understand what a subconscious mind has recorded and for them to remember. A victim of violence or having been in an accident often need a psychiatrist to interpret what they actually remember as to what had happen.

In the first Blog, I suggested a link to a psychiatrist researcher, Jennifer Cumming,  who has studied and researched visualization as it applies to helping individuals adapt to mental problems like  anxiety; but also has written on Sport Imaginy.

www.checkup.com/Blog

Because an athletic's goals and business executive's goals are each moving toward their successful achievement, we see  many new websites on how to use Visualization  for success. Almost, as if there is a new science of  Business called "Visualization". Of all the web search results that you will find on these searches; those on Sports development, like that suggested in part 1, by Jennifer Cumming on Sport Imagery Training should be your choice.  Jennifer in her article (linked) suggest how  " the best athletes use imagery,(and how) imagery is most beneficial when it is

 - Vivid and detailed

 - Incorporates all senses (see, feel, hear, smell, and taste)

 - Occurs in "real-time, 

-  Has positive focus"

Because of my experience and work with the instinctive or Subconscious ability in our Performance, the second blog, showed how I had tricked the subconscious mind into revealing one of the many secret  or methods it has in helping us survive or interpret our memories. Yes, we can force our subconscious to use our memory data in area of precise information. I then mention the reason for this deception was  to show how  the subconscious mind can measure a 1/4 inch at 30 feet, and suggested another blog where in a World Bowls Competition the athletics were using  a developed type of "Projection Visualization" to see the actual jack distance which in Lawn Bowls can be up to 30 meters or almost 100 feet.

In this, the third part of this three part blog, I will mention three advance aspects of visualization, which should always require a Certified and qualified coachs of Level 3 or higher. (1- Club coach, 2- Competition (corrective) Coach, 3- National Team Coach 4- International Coach and 5 - Specificity.Coaches (like Sport Psychologist)). Not all sports have these 5 levels and only a few countries like Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom have most of them. In Canada in past years our National Lawn Bowls Federation has invited Coaches from those countries listed.

 For  "Interruptive Visualization", where working in a Mental Training of our Subconscious;  we interrupt or introduce an instruction to the subconscious mind just prior to its instinctive  performance or 'Muscle Memory'.and the  "Corrective or "Recovery  Visualization",( where for an injury recovery involves  educating the subconscious; ( "Recovery Training" practice and Psychologic Recovery"),

And the  third Visualization type is, "Total Visualization" of our sport. Here we find a Totally "Blind" player who actually sees the complete Lawn Bowls Game and all action as a "Self created Vision".

In the photo above, what you see is a Level 3 or 4 "Lack of Vision" view; which is why we dress in white in Blind Lawn Bowls (BLB) where an individual with Level 1 "Lack of Vision" would hav a Total Lack of Vision and Level 2 and 3 players having a more partial "Lack of Vision". The bottom circular photo is  the delivery style of a Level 1 or Level 2 VI player style of delivery. This totally blind individual will work with their Visual Aid Coach in their delivery, bowl's roll to the head and the final position of their bowl. The Assistance or Coach will also explain all aspects of the athletic's bowl roll and even the opponent's success and bowl position in the head. Of course, this athletic must create a "Total Vision" in their mind as they are seeing an image created from all the verbal description and details of their  Assistant Coach.

Each of these Total blind visualization of the Bowls Head by a blind lawn bowler take a lot of mental training as the subconscious is taught to seek out and use all information which it receive and create a detail image. Some times the mind is using information which one would not normally collect like the opponent assistant Coach information about the head to their athletic. 

In the "Total Visualization", I often use it myself to study my performance errors. More so in Petanque which I play during the winter, than Lawn Bowls because of the delay between delivery action and the result. In petanque  the second or two between action and result is extremely short. In Lawn bowls the 12 or 13 seconds of the bowl roll is a long period of  "Empty Data" when coming out of a closed eyes performance. 

 When I am in training for  doing a Petanque Take-out" Shot;  I will sometimes in studing my performance, create the mental image of the distance to the target as a vision and then closing my eyes do a "Projective Visualization" while then following it with my actual take-out shot and then  only open my eyes after I have released the petanque ball. I can see the raison for missing a shot in my actual take-out shot which now allow me to identify a corrective actions of my performance. So now I am working on an action which is being modified by my subconscious to remove the action and thus the subconscious does not interfere with my "Muscle Memory". 

 Yes, it take a lot of practice to accept this as a training tool and even in a game I will use it in Lawn Bowls to identify the raison for my delivery not being at par to normal..

 When doing a Lawn Bowls delivery, our balance is important and because any balance change our body preforms  as an instinctive actions (or subconsciously modified); can effect our final performance and if I can be aware of this instinctive(subconscious) action: I can make corrections.  Not only must we not allow the subconscious to change things during Muscle Memory, but we must always check  and correct what our body is attempting to correct.if it has done it without us being aware.

For example, if our body is correcting our balance and our delivery is going left because of this correction I may need to do something to not have the balance problem. Like putting my hand on my forward knee and pressing down with a little pressure. This action has two effects, one it is a "Tag" to the subconscious or Muscle Memory and also it is pressure pushed to the opposite side which correct the balance movement which caused the body to correct a lost of balance.

Being diabetic and knowing when my blood sugars are low I experience balance problems I sometime use a "Total Visualization" delivery to see the result of my bowl. Yes, it is not difference than an athletic changing your hand of delivery to study the green and it's effect on your bowl. (usually done in the first few ends of play).

So once I have gone to the mat and got my line and body position,  and after looking carefully at the bowls in the head to create a detail visual image, I simply do a total blind delivery or "Total Visualization" Delivery.

With my eyes closed now, I visualize the head as if I was standing there within a few feet looking at it. I visualize it and then see myself coming back to the mat and seeing myself (feeling myself) on the mat. I then visualize myself doing a perfect delivery as I do my first arm swing of a my regular delivery style and then do a knee bend down low roll to the Jack.Delivery. Because I don't want to see the roll up the green I often just wait (eyes closed) the 10 seconds and open my eyes to see the final 5 seconds of the bowl in the head.

 The running forward of Lawn Bowls athletics which we see with some United Kingdom athletics as they follow their delivery,  is the same sort of Corrective action as they continue their formward movement up the green with their three or four steps.

 During delivery development and training of a new lawn bowl player,  various action are  inserted to counter the changing balance action of the Subconscious or "Muscle Memory". Some coaches suggest a hand on your knee or continue your forward movemnt as you continue up the green a few steps. Here we find the UK athletic has felt a change in their performance  and their "Muscle Memory" instead of shifting left or right (the normal corrective action of walking) they make a correction of this problem it became a part of their delivery and performance. (Run forward when feeling a change in Balance).

 If a  "Interruptive Visualization" was used when the event was to happen our subconscious would be restricted until the bowl is rolling on the green. Likewise,  to increase your body movement speed forward for a long jack; if you  find your body movement being adjusting with an instinctive corrective balance; you would need to introduce a "Tag". A small movement as part of you delivery, ( a "Tag"), which interrupts the subconscious enough to correct the mistake without the need to go back to the conscious mind's learning and Practice stage.  Using  a "Tag" means that eventually when the Subconscious "Muscle Memory" has been modified,  to activate with a   trigger action and after the bowl is rolling; the use of the "Tag" is lost from your performance routine or "Muscle Memory". 

To often an athletics will  return to Conscious Practice Training to fix such a problem action  which could have been done by mental training and then return to their natural delivery. This causes a lost of Visualization Recovery because now subconscious freedom has becomes distracted by the Conscious instructions and the subconscious drops it instinctive performance of your delivery.

What has happen here, is you were  introducing a small thought (if vocal individual) or small muscle movement with a vision (if visual); well prior to the "Performance Visualization". The subconscious would be interrupted enough to allow you to make that correction as a thought. For example, take the basketball player that has a habit of a missed shot because of a side step movement of his body step; might think (Centre Basket" just prior to his visualization of his shot (if a vocal individual)., The visual individual may actually see the image of the welding of the metal rim at the centre of the basket for the subconscious to correct that mistake in his shot. Likewise, eventually, the "Tag" would no longer be needed after the Subconscious Mental Training period.

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In "Ccorrective Visualization", there are various aspects of psychology involved. If we were like a gymnast doing a routine and made a mistake and caused an injury. We would, of course be afraid to make the same mistake and caused another injury. Psychologically we would be hesitant to do that movement again. This corrective recovery would require a psychiatrist who would not only understand the mental burdon but also know the medical work the athletic needed to perform to return to the previous "High Performance" level of their performance.

At this point I wish to identify the level of Coaching which exist in Sports to show the reader and develop a respect for the quality of Coaches and blog opinions. Here in Canada we have an federal organization called Coach Canada and it website of Coach.ca. With various programs and their continual reconstruct of the standards of Coaching in Canada they reconiize, I believe 5 levels of coaches.  These coaches are certified as to Coach Canada teaching and are: 

Level 1 - Club Coach teaching the basic of the sport to Club members, As in Lawn bowls, especially in Quebec and Eastern Canada there are few coaches above this level of development; Lawn Bowls beginners find a large range of club members which act as coaches.  A Club Ambassador is usually club members or an executive who welcome new members or the public to the sport and the club. Introduction to Bowls Trainers are usually club members who will take individuals to the green and roll bowls to introduce the sport with the hope of recruiting a new member. Sometimes there are Game Coaches which during club games attempt to introduce the rules and finer points like measuring the shot or even suggestion technique errors to be corrected.  And finally there are the Certified Club Coaches or the Coaching Committee Instructors. A good club will offer a new member a 10 session training with a qualified coach and the new member will slowly over a period of several week gain the necessary instructions toward developing a good delivery.

Level 2 - Coaches are usually more directed toward Competition Coaching and developing the individuals performance into a good delivery, game attitude and understanding of game play and strategy. 

Level 3 - Coaches are more toward the International Competition preparation of athletics and in Quebec, in the past, if provincial (or Federal) moneys were available to sport Clubs that club had to have a qualified "Level 3 " coach working in developing and had successful participating at National and interprovincial competition. These "Club Elite" would probably participate at the National Competitions and even International with the hope of making the Canadian National Team.

Level 4 and Level 5 coaches are seen more in sports with large participation and even International participation like Commonwealth Games or the Olympics.

Recently when our Quebec Petanque Team was preparing for their World Competition I gathered from Coach.ca the e-teaching for an International Coach as there was in that sport only athletics who had participate but no Certificated coaches.  The e-sesson was given by a Soccer Level 4 or 5 coach and I discovered that Soccer even had enough of this level of coaches to classificate them into "A", "B" and "C" coaches due to their experence and National Participation of their teams.

 

Visualization As Creative and Instructive Part 2

 Level 3 - Mental Perfection

The difference between Conscious and Subconscious mind activities is about instruction to the muscles and instinctive muscle action as a performance.. When we are learning the basis of Lawn Bowling, and developing the muscle movements we are instructing our muscles with conscious thoughts.

 The first "Image Visualization" a new Lawn Bowler develops is his "Bowl Bias Image". In the first year of training he is using some object (foot of  his skip or mark on back ditch) for his delivery line. But by the end of his first season, he begins to see a image of the actual path the bowl will take to the jack because of the delivery weight he has chosen and the bowl's Bias. (If he has not changed his bowl and it's bias several times)

A blog written in December 2012 about "Three Subconscious mind Eercises" is a good step into the working toward Visualization. Although the blog is long you can learn to have confidence in your Subconscious mind's ability and your Cognitive ability to control it.

 The more you work your ability to use the subconscious without it doing actions you don't have control over; the  developing a Visualization will become easlier each new time you exercise it. 

To tell a story as you remember the event is to relive the actual event memory and describe it to the listener. You see it. That is Visualization.  You do visualization several time a day from remembering where you left an object to remember something you say or read. Now your next step is to be passive about your action of using those memory (or visions) and develop the mental muscle to exercise your cognitive ability to build them into "Muscle Memory" in your sport action or performance.

What Are Cognitive Abilities? - HappyNeuron Pro

 However, many of our body actions during an average day are not Conscious actions but Instinctive actions. Beside these brain actions we have cognitive abilities which are a major part we used in our sports as we grow our performance. Walking did not occur in a few seconds. It involved many instinctive actions which we developed as "Muscle Memories" so as to keep our balance while lifting the foot and moving our balance forward. Body functions like breathing and coughing or chocking reactions are also Suvival instinctive actions. Yes, we can force a cough when asked by the doctor which is a conscious instruction but when a cough is needed it is instinctive. 

Also we work to develop "Instinctive" action as we grow our "Danger Reactions" subconscious mind muscle (thinking), Like putting on the brakes of the car, that seem to happen before we realized the danger arrived; and yet there are still many tricks our Mind performs to give us the information we need to survive. For example, we have heard of having extreme power in time of danger or need or quick reactions to prevent damage during a fall.

In the comments of the above mention blog we find the following question comment and reply. A suggestion of Visualization all the time from the pickup your bowl until several seconds later when you leave the mat.

Anonymous Febuary 11, 2023 10:45 am

"From now on I am going to ask question comments as they arise.. What do you think about turning around and picking up your bowl as soon as you know.. often as soon as your bowl leaves your hands."

Love BowlsFebruary 12, 2023 at 1:46 AM

A good club coach will have told you early in your bowls that to each sport (bowls including) there are three activites to be completed before the action is finished. "Preparation", "Action" and "Results" (feedback) Preparation starts the first day as your coaching and training which introduce you to what you can do. Even years later the "Pre-delivery routine" is always a routine being modified to give a better bowl and result. The "Action" is the delivery both physical and mental of which this blog speaks about the final mental control. This mental control is as difficult as weight control or line and as your "Pre-delivery routine" continues to improve so also does all aspects of that "Action" (physical and Mental) The third, I would say is the most important because to improve the other two you must see, analysis and understand all the information that is returned to you as the bowl rolls up the green, stops and tells you the secrets of your greens, opponent, yourself as well as errors, needs and expectation.
So to ask about picking up the bowl as if everything is done when only one third is done means you will grow an old man on club social greens rolling for the fun. To be a good bowler means every bowl must be a teacher in all three areas of bowls. Don't hurry as there is a lot between picking up a bowl and returning from the mat. Even learning from others mistakes or successes

All athletics from Golf to Table Tennis have Muscle Memory performance because we eventually stop instructing the muscles what to do and allow the muscles which  now has an instinctive ability of how  to perform that action.

When we stop thinking (conscious thought) and give control to the Subconscious mind; we often speak of being in a "void of thought" because the conscious mind was shut off as instructions by our "Muscle memory" was performs. In the above mention Blog we see reference to  a Tiger Wood Youtube video  and his explaining the experience with his "Void of Thought" 

In reading the very long blog of October 2024 called "Talking to the subconscious Mind 2/3) we see at the end of this blog  that  Alex, who was preparing for his International Competition in Europe go looking for his  petanque "cochon" which the mind had showed him as having been hit by his takeout shot and had send it flying. The blog reads "The reason that Alex went off to the left to locate his "cochon" which he saw fly after his shot was that the subconscious had seen the take-out shot would had hit the "cochon" and needed data to give Alex " 

In 2006 in a Petanque training session for Alex in preparing to go international, I show him that the subconscious mind had collected many memories of  "Result Vision" (mention in part 1): and the subconscious mind may at times  actually show us  these "Results of a previous good shot"which replaces what we did not actually see. This is because the eye in capturing images at 1/60 of a second and may not be able to show the actual "Result Vision". 

 Because of the short time between a Petanque  take-out" shot being thrown and the shooter seeing the result (which is less than a second), the subconscious mind  may sometimes shows us a memory from a previous practice it has stored. This is what happen in Alex's "Result Visualization" or image of his Take-out shot having hit a hidden "Cochon".

 The subconscious had shown Alex where his "cochon" had gone had it actually been there. I had tricked his mind by removing the "Cochon" when Alex was not looking. Imagine how you would feel and the problem which we experience  if the mind had not shown an image of the flying "cochon or something similar to Alex.

As for Lawn Bowls (the reader's real interest) in the blog of the  photo left, from the 2016 World Bowls Pairs Finals we have both of the female leads ( Angela Boyd and Laura Daniel) each have different methods of using a type of Visualization which is a "Distance Projection  or "Projection Visualization". We see in them as many Lawn Bowls athletics an arm movement which indicates they are viewing a memory of a previous delivery. Also we see how once they have the proper feeling of distance they then allow their communication with the subconscious to switch into the "Zone" and let "Muscle Memory" roll their bowl to the jack. Because they are in this "Void" and  they seem to look away while doing their delivery and then quickly look back, they are in that "Void".

As mention, we see Angela Boyd and Laura Daniel in their Lawn Bowl Final of a International competition use a "Projection Visualization" to know the distance to the "Jack".    The same would be for the baseball player throwing to home plate in an attempt to catch a runner going home; or a table tennis player putting spin on a slam shot.  Just happens because they allowed their "Muscle Memory to do it.  Or, as you say, "you visualized it happening".

Like with your computer or Iphone where you have a collection of photo in memory, the athletic also has a collection of memories of previous successful performances. As you would choose the photo to be seen on the screen with a simple touch; we, the athletic, can also can choose the memory of previous deliveries to be remembered and use it to evaluate our jack distance before we do our bowl roll and "Muscle Memory" performance.

Projection Visualization is seeing a memory of a previous bowl roll to the jack and using it for your delivery. Why use this memory? First, Result Visualization is seeing the result of this memory and allowing it to happen. But the calculation of distance is difficult for our eyes. As an athletic perfects his delivery he began having a feeling for his distance which can vary by 10 meters (about 100 feet) in Lawn Bowls. (21 meter to 31 meters). 

This is the same "Next step in learned performance" where the Bowls athletic  in getting his delivery line has now stopped taking a point of reference and simply now see his delivery line of the bowl's roll to the jack. Likewise, the "Delivery Weight" feeling of distance is the eye trying to "Guess" the distance but also the athletic is wasting a bowl or two to delivery and be wrong about the distance and perform a better bowl roll.

Projection Visualization is seeing the remembered video action of a memory and watching it to the end. If it was a memory of a previous roll to a jack at 25 meters your view of that memory would stop at 25 meters ; it wouldn"t  feel right as you were  playing a jack of 27 meters. Projection Visualization  starts with knowing it did not arrive in your image memory.

 Yes, with practice you can feel the memory have ended and your action does not see the bowl as yet arriving at the jack. So you teach yourself and the Conscious mind  to get another memory of a longer distance and do another "Projection visualization". When you feel and see the image all the ways to the jack you let your "Muscle Memory" do the bowl roll.

This is usually on the first bowl to a jack instead of wasting a bad distance roll and correcting that next delivery. In some of the other blogs you will see reference to a "tool box" of tricks to allow you to put a little distance  on a bowl roll. This  "Projection Visualization" is a faster way toward feeling the distance. Yes, after a while it becomes part of your delivery routine because it is the "you see it" before the "you do it" part of your Muscle Memory.

 

You have certainly told someone about a car accident you had  or seen and in great detail from memory. And you actually see the memory in great detail and explain in words everything you see in that memory as you explain what happen. In the same manner you can see the bowl roll of a memory up the green toward the jack and feel a feeling of that memory not being far enough. (because it is not the right memory)

 Remember the eye can not judge distance accurately because of false reference it receives. A big building or club house behind the jack makes it seem closer and an open field of 2nd bowling green behind the jack will make it seem farther. Projection of memory and feeling the wrong distance is a skilll developed with practice. You will feel the distance is right and switch to "Muscle Memory".

  If you see that a bowl is blocking and that your bowl roll will not get around that bowl your "Muscle Memory may even "Walk the mat" to get you into a better position for your bowl to get around it. 'Result Visualization" is to see how close you must pass that bowl which was discussed in the previous blog. You see your bowl with a space between it and the block and feeling all is ok you are now telling the Subconscious mind forgot about it. (If you were doing conscious adjustment you would lift your foot as you moved on the mat and would go back to changing your line of delivery that little bit)

In the same way, a basketball player may think about his common error of hitting the left of the rim of the basket because he is moving to his right as he shoots, the thought is only a "Result Visualization" of what to do or not to do.  The actual shot is done in a void of though. In the video of Tiger Wood, he says his void or Muscle Memory occur when he swings. "Between my back swing and seeing the ball in flight up the fairway, I have no idea or thought what happen" (Check out the Video on youtube of Tiger's Mental game ) I  put it here a 2 nd time because you probably passed over it earlier. It is important and from the best athletic who would  tell you.. learn to be in the "Zen Moment" of your performance.

Above, I tricked the Subconscious to reveal it's ability to retreive memories and present them as real "Result Visualization". Another blog of interest is the March 2025 blog of "Communication with the Subconscious 3/3" which shows "Tags" and "Tells" which are tools of showing the subconscious and how various athletics are communicating with the subconscious. 

Of interest is this blog and similar blogs which showed an high volume of reads immediately when posted.

Visualization As Creative and Instructive Part 1

Level 3 - Mental Development 

In asking Google "what is visualization in sports psychology" we get the following answer of " In sports psychology, visualization is a mental technique, also known as imagery or mental rehearsal, where athletes mentally rehearse a performance using all their senses to create a vivid and detailed mental picture of themselves succeeding."  Of course, AI collected this quote of information from PeakSports.com.  and the article on the Important of Visualization in Sports where they also write, 

"Athletes use visualization to improve confidence, sharpen skills, enhance focus, and prepare for high-pressure situations by programming their minds and bodies for success."  Because I write about Lawn Bowls which does not have the level of coaching of Swimming or other Olympic sports; my readers may find this level of Sport Psychology a far reach from our club house or the club coaching. But my blog is always intended to invite discussions between club members and their coaches on such topic of interest in our quest and goal of success.

Interesting enough, I was stunned when a first year bowler in a qualification game to be on the Provincial National team did an amazing draw to within inches of the jack while going around a frontal opponent's bowl .  I later talked to this individual and discover that he was an International Swimming Athletic and had simple brought his ability of Visualization to Lawn Bowls, his new interest. (Yes, he had been introduced to the sport less than a few month earlier at my old Club)

In blogging about "Muscle Memory" and the Instinctive Abilities of the athletic allowing the Subconscious mind to take charge of their performance; this performance had puzzled me because I could not understand how a sport like swimming could offer such an influence to a Lawn Bowl Delivery. Questioning his "Muscle Memory", which had not had sufficient practice time to be developed,  and not seeing any similar muscle performance between these two sports; this feat seem impossible. In the act of drawing his bowl around a frontal bowl (guard) and doing such a shot on his first delivery, certainly seem impossible.

 As we all learn in our sports, nothing is impossible if you work hard to development of our skills and believe in our abilities.

Over the last few weeks, after a couple of short conversation with this new Lawn Bowler, I discovered that he had simply "Visualized" his bowl's action and  has used a previous perfected skill of entering his "Muscle Memory Zone". He believed in his ability and allow his small amount of training in delivery of a bowl, to achieve what he visualized as happening.  (By the way, later in the month, he and his Skip won first place at the 2025 Canadian National Championship).

 

This was a great achievement for Quebec, as our province never had a level of coaching or athletic development since Mr Larue many years earlier. Always the better athletics have been  developed in our western provinces or Ontario. Of course, it helped that his skip had been a member of a United Kingdom National team prior to coming to Canada. And in a "Lawn Bowls Pairs" team, both players must perform at an extremely high level, if Gold is to be won.

Under the Association for Applied Sport Psychology we find a detail explanation of research into Visualization. Jennifer Cumming has been working for more than 20 years, and with 181 publications on her research; she is a leader in this field,  For the reader who has a further interest in this area; I leave her work as another source of reading. I will attempt in the next three blogs, to join the dot in this area of Sport Psychology and how it applies to Lawn Bowls and  "Muscle Memory".      ( Now back to the blog)

How he achieved such a quick and unique switch to Lawn Bowls  involved his Visualization Mental Development from his years of International competition and training.

The above PeakSports.com article reads " Elite athletes utilize the power of guided imagery or visualization. Imagery has long been a part of elite sports and many Olympic athletes have mastered the skill with the help of Sport Psychologists and Mental Game Coaches.

Guided visualization or imagery for athletes is consciously controlling the images or directing an athletic script in your head. One example of guided imagery that you having unknowingly used is when your coach was teaching you a new skill. You created an image in your mind of how the skill should look or the successful execution of the skill."

So the athletic "Creating an image of their expectation and with this mental training, creats the proper instructions and direction toward their performance.  a "Mental Development" and  an aspect of training which international athletics work to develop.

In a previous blog I explained how in my Archery perfection I had developed such a strong mental image of guiding my competition "arrow shot" to the 10 spot (target center); that I had actually experienced  a "Mental image" of seeing myself at the shooting line from above. My memory of this event and visualization was so detailed that as an experience of a "out-of-body" imaget that to this day, I can even recall that memory of that shot being seen from above. I am sure many athletics see themself doing their performance as if watching from a distance.

Visualization is not unique to Sports.  Another similar visualization is probably best called "Perfection Visualization" because the individual know what the result will be and works toward creating it. An artist in wood, stone or even furniture has an idea (view) of what the finish product will be and progress slowly toward that point of perfection.  However, unlike in sports, where the delivery or performance of the athletic is completed and they (the athletic) then waits for the result; the artist continues their action until they are satified with the result.

A photographer wanting to get that "Perfect Sunset" or the Painter wanting to get that "Perfect expression" or "feeling", must visualize the image they are to create. The photographer waits and waits as the sunset become more and more beautiful. However, his visualize image is his patience as he compares what he see with what he has just seen. If he was to wait too long as the sun sets, the maximum beauty of the moment will have passed. It is lost.

 Of course, I did news photography in the 1960s when the camera was the 4x5 Graphic with a 4x5 inch sheet of film in a removeable film holder.  So when I took a picture it took minutes to change the film cassette and be ready for the next picture with a new film cassette.Yes many years ago.  In the sunset image example, if you were to miss that exact moment of perfection; you knew it was quits for  the day as you hoped for the next sunset if it came. Or standing all night in the rain to get a perfect Lightning shot or two or three flashes.

 As a News Photographer in my youth I had some of those perfect shots. My wife, who is a professional painter often produce very unique painted images which create emotions in the viewer, but also she often scraps her work because as she added more and more paint to the image, she has also passes that "Point of Prefection" and missed her perfect sunset.

In Lawn Bowls this "Result Visualization" can be simply seeing the image of your bowl in the head and believing in your ability to allow the "Muscle Memory" to create that performance. But what athletics develop through Visualization is more complete than a "Result Image" or vision. To maintain Focus which involves concentration and a discipline of thought is more about pushing distractions aside and only having the actual performance occuring as expected.

In "Result Visualization", I can imagine the Lawn Bowl skip or single player projecting his view of the score as he decides his path to catching up in the score. (two points here, a long jack and two ends of 2 points). 

Much like a Soccer player seeing his path of running up the field as he goes  toward his goal making shot. I would assume a swimmer wanting to close a lead that the opponent beside him has gained, would see his advance location at each turn of his swim with the object or "Result Vision or Image"  being that of the opponent being behind him. Even if just a few strokes but still an image of winning.

Last Months Blog Stats show over 126,000 readers over the last 10 years and I am showing the most popular blogs. Listed with their total views on that day of taking the stats and the date when created. 

With 3256 readers this month, which is half of July; it is because the bowl season is ending  in Australia and  in the North I get readers who are starting their season of Bowls and  search out blogs.

In the second part of this blog I will move into "Projection Visualization" where having a memory of the actual bowl rolling to the jack in another previous time you use that visualize bowl roll from your memory.  Because it is hard for new and experience lawn bowl athletics to read their distances to the Jack and everyone is trying to simply to feel that distance; this  use of an image of memories of previous jack distances and to be able to project it  and change that image until you have the correct  distance requires a lot of mental teaching. But Mental practice for "Projection Visualization" is like physical practice for "Muscle Memory"; where the memory you view is changed until you have chosen the memory image of the correct distance of the jack you are preparing to roll.

Our Lawn Bowls Fours - Little changed

 This Blog was written  10 years ago, in , August 2015, and now  I am adding to it and updated it for today, 2025. Yesterday I watched our Interprovincial Men's and Women"s competition between Quebec and Ontario (Governor General and Rose Bowl (women)); and following the original reposting of this blog, I will extend my opinions on the changes which did nor didnot happen over the last 10 years.

Original Blog -  Every club which  has works hard to promote Lawn Bowls has eventually developed an athletic whom made the Canadian National Team.

We are so proud of them as fellow club members, but if we have coached them a  bit it is an even greater satisfaction. If not, we wait, hopefully for that one day when they will ask us  to bowl with them, so we can learn from them.

 
      The last Canadian Nationals I watched, in 2011, a  young lawn bowls student of mine was playing at the Canadian Nationals on our Provincial Fours team. I was proud to have worked with him and even more proud of our team who started him as lead and developed his knowledge of how to be a member of the Provincial "Fours" .  He had gone many times to the Nationals on "fours", since that first time as a 18 year old junior, where he played with a club's National Team athletic.  As a new bowler, he was given the chance to play  and although he lacked experience, After his team won the provincial Roll-off and qualified he was excited to have gone to Western Canada for the Canadian Nationals.

     In Lawn bowls we make the Skip a "god" and let him play his game.  { I used a small "g"in "god" because many skips take too much  importance in being Boss and not enough in  their leadership role.  In the rest of this Blog I will attempt to show how a skip can delegate responsibility, especially in the Bowl's Game of "Fours"; and develop a great team and still play his greatest game.

    On the mat, where performance counts, we have to do our best and the skip is probably the most skilled bowler of the team. But strategy is also playing a great game "off-the mat" and most skips only analysis the Bowls game from the "Head"  A good skip develops his team with all team members having a part in the " Game strategy".

    On the front end, as we sometimes call the Lead and Second, (if given the responsibility by the Skip), these two players with their four bowls should  be working together, as they analysis the opponent front end. These two members of the team would be expected to provide the same controlling head as the "lead" in a Pairs competition would be expected to create. Some of the possible tasks assign are:
   -  Analysis the preference of the opponent and discuss with the 3rd, their views of the opponent's frontend skills and weakness.
   - Provide Bowl placement which may control the opponent's access while also offering that important counting shot that is point, or that  short blocks which is requested by the skip.
   -  Close the short or straight side of the green as requested by the 3rd ( given to the front end from the skip instruction) unless the opponent's weak fore hand is also  your teams preference to use that side of the green as it's draw side

A Canada Social Bowls (Usually Fours)

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  -  Move the mat (within a few feet) to give their team members the best Bowl's receiving area. This requires knowing your team member's delivery style and their  actual delivery's receiving area. (on center line, or along a side of  the mat, or even if a member is lefthanded). Looking at the delivery style in the photo (right) we see how the front foot placement and  bowler's weight distribution can easily create damage to the green and make for a hard to play "receiving Area" and offer a very bumply receiving area for the bowl. (Receiving Area is that area where the bowls is put to green during a delivery) 

 -  Know the opponent's most advantage  delivery hand (forehand or backhand)  which is the first bowldelivered and thus destroy their lead's confidence.

   -  Follow the Skips request as he attempts to balance the head with matching bowls and remember, if not asked, to leave one in the back or as a "Jack Catch Line" bowl if the opponent has a 'Toucher".
   -  Analysis the weakness of the opponent's "Front End"  and communicate it to the Third, permitting the skip and Mate to make  decisions and strategy changes.  (in Jack distance, gsme play and even watch and called faults)
   - Show the maximum sportsmanship and team spirit at all times.   Most important, save time on a time game by being quick with next end setup. Also remember that when the mate (3rd) comes to the mat to bowl that your team has possission and it is the best time to go to the head. Also allows an Skip's player exchange.

    The Back end of "Fours", which consists of both the Mate and Skip, should know the forces and weakness of all their team players.  Personnally, I believe the best Fours Team has a skip with unbelievable draw ability, with nerves of steel and a 3rd with good complex skills set. (Complex shots like tap-back, jack roll , blocks or even tight draws passes done regularly).

The 3rd, or Mate on a Fours Team is the moving team's communication and is responsible to keeps the team finely tuned.  He can be playing from either end the green, as he is with the "Lead End" in a 3x1 distribution or be in a 2x2 as the Skip and Mate are in the Head (helping the skip in strategy)/ Believe me, in the "fours", a 3rd makes or loses the game by his ability to keep the team working together as a team.  As the Skip stands alone in the head, he know his 3rd or Mate is working with the Front End, When the three players are all in the head as the skip bowls.  it is important to be one behind the other without any movement. 

A look at Team Spirit (Red Team) and
High 5's to Skip (winners)

The 3rd, should be insisting that the lead and second are in the head with the skip during his time on the mat and his delivery. A good 3rd will be asking the opinion and reason that the lead is making certain decisions of shots or bowls as their understanding of the Skips request for their draws.  If the 3rd is really busy in his act of communicating, the team will usually always win as a team.  There are a lot of facts that can be analysis and seen by all four players and these tasks done by the lead, 2nd or 3rd can although the skip some freedom. But in the end  the final decision in a good "fours" belongs to the skip who will use the gathered information.

    I remember in a national competition, the Second told the Third that on two previous occasions that the mat was short of the Mat line.  Third told the skip and two end away from the game end, the skip read the sign of the 2nd for a short mat and called the official on it.  The umpire gave the position of the mat to us, as a  illegal  delivered jack (strange call),  and our skip, redefined the jack distance and picked up an advantage.  (yes it was a physiological point, and not very sportmanlike, you say, but it teached the  2nd to know and  correct these sort of problem)
    Actions of the Third in helping the skip.
   -  Reading the head, seeing the balance of bowls,  knowing the weakness of opponents and balancing the  strength and weakness of each position.  Does the opponent lead (or second) out bowl the team's player ?
   -  Suggestion of Offensive or Defensive actions to build and win the game.
   -  Keep the three pats of gameplay together (first 4 ends to analysis, next 4 to build lead, and last four should be such perfection of play that it means a win.)  A third becomes a third because he now everything.
   -  Take of the shoulder of the skip the pressure of a great shot by decreasing the lost to one point.
   -  Communicating the wishes of the skip to the Lead/Second in a manner which keeps team harmony.
   -  Building support for the skip when that great shot did not happen.  Keeping the team spirit.high.
  
"Fours" are the most team spirit game I know and it can be a very strong game.  Four minds each respected for their ability to see and analysis aspects of the game which is best suited to their position.

Comments today - First photo from Internet (thanks to all players shown). Of the three photo, this is probably a local Quebec game photo and one would be thinking it is a Pairs or Triples game as we see only one skip in the head. Yesterday, the Ontario Fours arrived here in Quebec to play the interprovincial competition of Governor Generals and started their first game with a 2x2 division of players. (The skip and mate in the Head andLead and Second on the mat). Quebec has for many years, and yesterday was no different, always played three at the mat and the Skip alone in the head.  One Skip of a team I coach suggested it was too complex to think of  the 2x2 division. I even placed a question on the Ontario Bowls Chat Forum asking if over the past years the distribution of players had changed because of new rules.

This is what Lawn Bowls fours was in the early 21 century. Players all in white and bowls all black and 2x2 division. (count the men and there are only 8 on the two greens next to the women's game) Also, yesterday it was a rainy day and so the protective screens were down. However, since CoVid in 2020 the protective screens have always been used in Quebec.

Prior to 2020 and in most major competition; it  was  the Greens Keeper or Greens Committee of the Host Club with the refere's ear for the controlling decision to place a protective screen. If a player was doing debits on their delivery it was sure their Skip would be warned and with the next debit the protective screens would be brought out. It is time we all return to the pass and do our bowls on open greens. If you're good enough to qualify for the National team or playing Interprovincal Competition you should not be using Screens.

It is hard to lose but this photo shows a lack of good sportsmanship as the losing team are together  and winners over excited. I am sure minutes after this photo the teams came together for the end-game handshake.

The last fours which I played at the Interprovincial level, I was upset with our skip for his attitude. The total points was how the 2 game competition was decided and we were well ahead in our 2nd game and had also won our first game with a large win. My skip in "Showmanship" decided in the last end that instead of leaving the losers a 3 or 4 point head; that he would throw a runner. It was not necessary for the final win but more reflect on him and his ability.But this decision reflected on the whole team and even a attitude of our Provincal Sport. I never played with him again.

 Be proud to win but let the opponents lose with grace is a sportsman's way of playing Bowls. 

Lets looks at Yestereday's Governor General Game of Fours. Above I talk about the division of Players and when Ontario's Fours went to the green they had a 2x2 division while the Quebec's Fours had a 3x1 division with the skip alone in the head.  In sportsmanship and probably to save time which was wasted on the removal and placement of protective screens; the Ontario team changed to a 3x1 division of players.

Where the first game saw our Men's Team win by a big lead of points; the 2nd game saw our Men's Team fall apart. Above I talk about the work of the Mate or 3rd in keeping the team together; with the 3x1 disvision of players, the 3rd did not have the ability to re-organize or fix the broken team. The 2nd game was a bad lost in points and the Ontario team won with a total points difference of a couple points and competition and trophy.

There was no reason why the 3rd did not switch from the 3x1 division to the 2x2 and went to the Head with the skip during each new end of play and  Jack roll. If the two teams were broken (a 3x1 team and a 2x2 team) it only meant that the Mate or 3rd went to the mat when it was their turn to bowl.  It should be always considered that the skip can be helped by the 3rd in the head as he is receiving and centering the Jack. Even receiving the bowls of the front end if the 3rd had been working with them (in a 3x1 division) to improve a broken game play..

If the 3rd was communicating with the front end as to the discussion in the above reprinted blog; he had. with the skip been working  to build a good head for the strategy of the Skip or game pkay.  As the first ends progressed  he was able to be at the mat with the lead and 2nd player. If he was in the head with the skip he should have receive the bowls of the Front-end and allow the skip to take some time to relax.

 I believe a skip knowing his three team members and their ability should relax during these last four ends of play. Why ?? If when during the first half of the game the skip is deciding on each player's strength and weakness; then he is very busy with all three types of play of his team mates and their performance. As the last 4 ends of play arrive he should see this as a period of  assistance by the 3rd. With time to evaluate and plan a recovery Action or Defensive strategy if leading in points; he also has time for to Focus or Concentration.  I believe it is important that a Skip can take these few minutes in each end of play to relax.

Not to comment as to a critizism as the games were really good game and with a 12 ends of play and scores of 10-11 it means there were no big ends of points. But in Fours the game is a team playing as a single unit of 4 elements.