End of 2025 Happy New Years

 Called a Lawn Bowling teammate this pass week, to wish him a Happy New Year and during the call I asked if he had seen any of the World Bowls Finals. His reply was as we hear from many season bowlers, "Oh, went the Bowl Season is finished at the Club, I don't have time for Youtube Video watching as I have started my Winter Sport Activity". (common in Canada and United Kingdom)

This year World Bowls started their new structure of Competitions which some "streaming Announcers" called "World Bowls International Circuit" , but World bowls defines as World Bowls Series. 

With the competitions now at many clubs throughout the world and in several countries; the participants gather points for their final placement score. These points created a end of Season Ranking of which the top best qualify for a 4 day World Bowls  Finals  in mid December. 

Inside Bowls , the  January 2026 edition has several pages about the Player's Success in these Finals which were played in Kula Lumpur, Malaysia.

 I believe World Bowls beside this publication with a gathering of bi-monthly information, has also committed extra time  to having a Youtube Video Channel of Game Streaming of a few of the Major Bowls Competitions. If you are not receiving "Inside Bowls" in your e-mail in box, it can be view online at World Bowls webpage which allows for a lot of International Lawn Bowls coverage. The magazine software is a page flipping publication with great color and advertising.

I will use this blog to explain why I believe if you want to learn and develop your Lawn Bowls ability then a major teaching tool is the Youtube videos which can easily be down loaded and studied in detail. "STUDY ??" you ask.  Yes, nothing these great players are doing that you cannot see and learn from. I appreciate they have allowed me over the years to screen capture their style and comment (whether my opinion is correct or not).

As 2026 starts and probably the Potter Indoor World Bowls are the major Streaming Lawn bowls; very soon we will have the 2026 World bowls Tour announced. Last year,  starting what World Bowls called "World Bowls Series", they  allowed players to qualified in a Ranking system by participating in their  World Bowls (reconized) Competitions. 

The over 2700 Male bowlers listed in the  World Bowls Ranking for 2025  probably including beyond the first 200 players as being local qualification and  have only participated in a few Home country  competitions. As Australia, New Zealand and other countries provide more large money Competition, these top 1000 players are probably  what one could consider as professional Lawn bowlers as they are drawn to the big cash games. 

In viewing the list, there are still  many surprises with placements. both  on and off the List of Male Bowlers. (  'World Bowls Series Rankings" ).  (I was surprise to find Ryan in the top 100 and before our Canadian Ryan Bester by over a 100 players. As a neighbouring club player, Ryan and I  bowled an  Inter Club Singles this past summer, ) Although the listed site shows an October 2025 listing at the time of this blog; the players making it to the Series Finals in December 2025, will probably be posted later in the new year. (A small amount of knowledgeable surfing by the readers will probably find  the Finals Players list or World Bowls'  the end-of-Series Rankings).

The Screen capture of the "Inside Bowls" listing of the final results after 4 days of Series Finals has some old names whom always seem to be listed and also some newer and impressive players.  World bowls in their website of the Series also identify those who out-performed expectations.

From the World Bowls Series website  (October 2025 Update) we get the following News 

"The World Bowls Series ranking list has a new female ranked No 1.

Australia’s Dawn Hayman clinches the top spot as the countdown to the first-ever World Bowls Series grand finals (December 9-13) hots up.

Following her success winning the Australian Open women’s singles backed up finishing runner-up in the Australia Indoor Championships, she claims the coveted position with 674 points."

For each of us as we view the "Rankings" of both Men and Women, we are surprised how and who from our  country are on the list. The almost 2200 women who are listed in the Women's Top Rankings. are probably an indication how this new World Bowls Ranking system has increased the number of reconized competitions in their home countries; and therefore resulted in a larger participation of quality players.

 Certainly, for those players who have been visiting several countries for the most recognized Competition, they build a higher rankings.  With the removing the cost of travel and 3 or 4 days hotel and meals for a out of country competition, this new Series has highlighted many great players who have been recognized only at home.

Learning from these World Bowls Series Videos.  World Bowls Day Finals Video of Australia's Corey Wedlock and England's Sam Tolchard Final, we see amazing played bowls at the 2nd end of play of this Singles Final. Sam Tolchard was trailing 3 points in starting the last end.  He needed 3 points for a 8 - 8 game total. which meant a win (as a tie with a win means). If not the 2nd set game would be lost and goes to a tie-breaker as each player now has a win. Otherwise the game is lost. unless with his fourth bowl Sam can again drew for shot.

Sometime you got the distance and Line of delivery, but most time you have to be able to put just a few inches more distance to keep those tight points in the head. The photo (right) of Sam Tolchard yellow bowls show everything was going right for him and he took his win after Corey's last bowl.

"He is holding the game, He just put three bowls on a, literally on a dime" Says the announcer. The streaming shows Sam's third bowl as it draws in tight for the 3rd point. see frontal view  (photo right). Sam Tolchard of England has his 3 bowls all within less than a few inches from the jack.  Corey Wedlock has had a amazing year and as the top Australian bowler has shown his amazing ability to focus at those time where we all seem to lose it. 

Walking back to the mat after seeing the 3 bowls as 3 points Corey has a determined look of unbelief in that performance of Sam Tolchard (England) and the placement of his first three bowls.

 Although, that image ( of the bowls in the head) is deep in his head, as seen by Corey's body language; as he walks back to bowl his last bowl, he must now collected his focus and believe in his able to do the draw with the needed weight. The video shows that light draw into that tight head as his bowls squeeze into an amazing collection of bowls. It  shows the great athletic he is. (as one must become, to play at this level of Lawn Bowls)

If the Bowl's line of delivery had been just 3 inches more left it would have probably turned over his frontal bowl, which I think was his objective and weight suggest. Successfully done that bowl could have; if not taken shot, would have certainly change the count from 3 to 2 points and required Sam to play his 4th bowl. (I believe Sam would have repeated his previous three draws to the jack.)

 The photo show the feeling of Corey as he walks to the mat. But his bowl and it's weight also show how to have a solid focus and able to remove the visual image of those three yellow bowls; Corey had the focus to remove those doubts and get the exact weight right for that 4th and last bowl.

Last minute edit - Well, this blog has been published and as I sit here watching my movie (Netflix) and I realize that I didn't give you the reader, the link to that wonderful final game play.  So as I put the  link above, I hope you take the time to watch the game.

 However, A tip for the readers, as I promised. How often have you wanted a precision like this sort of three bowl tight performance; and just could not do it. "Weight feeling" explained below, is an idea where if you believe you do  something instinctively and know it influence on you bowl; you let it happen with only the though and watch it will give you  that expected result.

No, I don't know if it is confidence in yourself or a mental performance trick; but "Weight feeling" does  makes it happen. So as my years of bowls and on the green coaching near a close, I can share another one of my  "Toolbox tricks".

First, in viewing the video, I notice what seems like a small heel twist on Sam's deliveries and wonder if this is a "weight feeling tell". (A tell is a sign of something small but unique to the player, that shows his thought, like a Poker tell) "Weight feeling" is not a feeling but thinking you feel something and because you believe that you are feeling that something, it actually modify your delivery weight. 

To attempt to feel something will interrupt your "Muscle Memory" of your delivery. but a though of wanting to feel something allows the void (in the zone) to not be interrupted by a physical muscle instruction. Like a coach will teach the student to place his hand on his stepping knee to maintain balance. .

 A couple of years ago a quality players introduced me to "weight feeling control" and after a whole season of practice and reading the results of thinking on my practice; I found a bit of a unique improvement in expected tight bowls and their placement. This trick can be used for that little 3 or 4 inches add-on that is sometimes needed for the win. Yes 3 or 4 inches, but practice makes it a "Muscle Memory" action. Remember, it is instinctive because you are thinking it and the body is doing it.

  Imagine if you were told to feel your toes in your bowling shoes and learn what it does for your extra delivery weight.

If you push your foot into the green, feeling the pressure of your foot on the green; you are increasing your body movement by a very small degree as you balance forward to feel your foot on the green. During practice, feel it, and practice until you know the result it provides. Repeat it until it is a thought and happens naturally when you decide to use it.

Likewise, if in your forward step, you attempt to feel your trailing foot on the mat you are decreasing your body movement. It is as if by the thought you are keeping the heel longer on the mat and therefore less body movement forward. Does not seem much but during practice you have learned that that feeling of pressure on you toes (or heel) give a very small increase (or decrease) in the delivery weight.

In video studies, I look often for signs of a small change in an athletic performance as they finish their delivery and  their body movement. With the ability of stopping the video, I can even return several times and even go back to different ends of play to fully understand what might be happening.

 Maybe Sam just had the right (natural) distance, But remember that it was Corey who threw the jack after his big end of play. Even the announcers were talking about the last bowls in the next broadcast of the ladies pairs. We all remember and try  to repeat three bowls that were played within inches of each other. It helps  to have confidence of self which is a tighter focus on having the confidence because you have done the shot before. To lose your cool at this point is possible for us the lesser developed players.

Total viewer stats for this blog following 2025 postings.

Delivery Weight with Body Movement.

In the "Part 1" of Neville Rodda video  "Heel Toe Delivery. Neville says "When it comes to the Bio-mechanic of Lawn Bowls, if I can actually start to use my  body as a tool,...  I can use the body weight as a lever to push the bowl, rather than pushing with my shoulder; I would have a weight that I could much more repeatedly control". 

Neville says " If you actually go through the footage of some of the better players in the world right now, you will find that their weight control is quite immaculate. I think I know why it is immaculate ... as I have spotted something in the past which give these players a huge advantage, and it is a new way of playing.. a bit of a revolutionary way of controlling your body weight. 

In the past a club coach would suggest doing a longer step to play a longer jack. But Neville approaches this from the reverse approach as he says "If I was to lower my head (during my delivery) I would be taking weight off my bowl". "So by the method of placing my heel (to the green) I can control the weight of the bowl (delivery) through the rhythm of my body movement".

The photo (right) of  the England Bowler Izzie White is a screen shot of her delivery from the Champions of Champions Women's Single Final on 25 September 2025 as part of the World bowls Series competitions. ( Club Barham, New South Wales, Australia )  As a good example of what Neville  called the "Toe Heel" style of Delivery, we can actually judge from the photo the jack distance as Izzie, low head position, short step would suggest a reduced body movement and also a reduced bowl weight.

Neville says that after studing the delivery of several of the best athletics he saw this common style of delivery.  With the Youtube video "Bowling Deliveries"  by Bowls World, (6 years ago) you can study these great athletics in their delivery as the video creator show the type of delivery of most of the great athletics . As per the photo, below right, you will also see in the video the various method of holding your bowl. Recently on Youtube and World bowls TV, there has been an increase number of "Interview videos" asking winning champions to explain how they hold their bowls. Interesting interviews.

Bowls World Video 

Neville also has a series of videos on Coaching but like any thing that is free be careful as not every thing you see or read is good advice. Why? The information may be good advice but as you  are learn something new, you are using your interperation of the advice. The individual doing the blog or video actually is suggesting something for you to consider. 

 I blog and often say "Discuss it with your coach". So, although you are alone when on your club green for a practice, you are also attempting to remember what the video or blog suggested. Talk with an advance performance coach and let him/her build you a practice list of steps to achieve that point you are working toward.

 Remember, your delivery is now "Muscle Memory" performed and in changing or adding something, you are removing and adding actions to your  establised delivery.  As you now have years of practice finished and you are doing a great delivery performance, please don't try something new without serious or profession advice. Like my ankle problem mention below, it can mean a problem which will take time to correct.

Several years ago when only a few years bowling,  every time I did a couple hours of practice I was leaving the green with an ankle problem and my performance coach (level 2 or level 3) showed me my error was my long forward step for long jacks.  That summer it took me the complete bowls season of work to correct that mistake. When being coached as a beginner or skilled player your coach is expected to watch out for actions in your delivery which later will be serious. Even if the advance coaching advice is not free, the $20 for a profession hour of advice is money well spend.

My problem, at that time was that as I learned my bowls delivery, I believed that we are only allowed that one step forward during delivery. With such a delivery I was doing a "Break Stop" on that forward step ankle. And that "Break Stop" cause such pain I was ready to quit bowls completely. Probably an error in my understanding "Foot Faulting" which now looking back I know that the coach should not have been mentioning it. 

Since then I have moved to larger bowls (5 and 6) for that extra distance and my quick body movement is with in my force  of delivery. Without a coach correcting my error, I would not be now into my more than 20 years of bowls. Today, when the greens are extremely slow, and canadian greens can be at 12 seconds, I do the British Isles double or triple walking delivery step.

 I have always used Body Movement as part of my delivery and yes like Neville said you control your forward movement and you create a consistance weight.However, there is a more important lesson to learn from Neville suggestiion video. He said he studied many of the great athletics which we should all do; and also watch their body language as you can sometimes see the invisible delivery action which they are performing.

For example: If after bowled to inches in front of the jack and asking the 2nd. " how far I am from the jack" and being told "10 inches"; I know to feel my front foot pushed into the green give me that extra10 inches. Find those little mental actions which don't seem like they would make a difference. The feeling of my foot into the green forces my forward movement a small bit faster as I place my body weight over that front step foot.  A small increase in movement is extra delivery weight.

This summer, a local player doing a major competition lost their qualification for a inter provincial competition because she could not bowl to the long jacks. A great bowler, but on in age, it was not for me to tell her to do a big step. Instead I suggested she look toward the British style of delivery and their triple step delivery. Even suggested doing a fourth step if necessary for that extra distance. 

Also it would have been dangerous  to suggest to her to do a longer step as per the style of delivery suggest by Neville's video because in Canada we often find major competition with the use of the "Protective screens". Such a fast step and longer than normal step would cause the screen to slip under foot and certainly create pain .

As the summer season has started in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, my blog readership has now increase over 100 visit/reads each day as per the day before;  and over a 1000 from the previous month. With a total of 137,000 read/visit to date, I am happy to find the interest in blogs as at 80+, my age does not allow me the  time to learn  Video building skills.  (And who would want to see another old man giving advice ha ha). Like in my blog banner title, I suggest that the reader discuss the subject of the blog with other club members and/or their club's advance performance coach.

 Because my blogs sometime are very long, to get 760 views in a single day, would mean several visitors.  Usually, a club discussion or coach  will result in visitors to the site and blog. I appreciate their interest and their searching for information by new bowlers and experience bowlers.

 This winter (in Canada) I will look toward older blogs and do a few re-makes. What has been previously presented on the subject of the Subconscious and Zen Performance will remain the same as I believe that some of my reader are experience players; but most visitors are searching for ideas on improvement to their performance. The topics and these areas of discussion are what will build the reader's experience as their fellow club members and them work on this new idea.  Enjoy .. Wish I could be with you down-under and bowl until the warmer weather arrives in April or May. 

Thankful to World Bowls and its new list of Competitions as the best bowls athletics have now been defined as qualified for the finals. The finals will match up the top 10 men and top 10 women of the World Bowls Series for their final competition which will be in December 2025 . Check out the schedule at World Bowls after the Australian Championship finish  this week to know those who will play;  and  it is sure to this game will be televised on World Bowls TV. 

Note: A Sept 2024 blog called "Good Reading of Old Bowl Books (Clean up) was just improved because of the 290 visit during the last year. This blog  suggests the reader  visiting the internet Archives which has a lot of old Lawn Bowls books. (search found 1,604)

Hong Kong Bowls Classic 2025

With Canadian Outdoor's Lawn Bowls 2025 season finished and still a lot of great International Lawn Bowls Videos, I find this opportunity to analysis two great female bowlers. South Africa's Esme Kruger and Hong Kong's Dorothy Yu start their World Bowls Single finals with bowl per bowl point exchange.

But what is amazing is the quality of shots which often are shots which an inch less precision and the shot would not have been achieved. Lets look at the first end before evaluate the skills of the players.

Jack is thrown by Esme Kruger to about 27 meters as bowlers in the last afternoon sun in their faces bowl back to the Kowloon  Bowling Green Clubhouse. Esme's first bowl, a backhand to a 3o'clock of the  jack and falls back to  within inches of  the jack.

Dorothy's Forehand is a meter heavy arriving at 1 o'clock followed by Esme's 2nd bowl as a block on center line but also a meter short. From this point you have to see it to believe it. And at 27 meters.

Dorothy's 2nd bowl  forehand pass Esme's near toucher and rolls the jack back 12 to 14 inches (@ 11 o'clock) and coming to rest within 2 or 3 inches (@ 5 o'clock).  Esme, now switches to Forehand

(which now has her 1st bowl blocking her line  to the jack). But her light overweight allows a well played tap of her bowl back the 14 inches to within inches of the jack. (@ 1 o'clock). Now with both bowls within inches of the jack the marker checks and give the point to Esme.

One would think one or two great shot in an end is the maximum but not to be as Dorothy rolls a Forehand with a slight rub on Esme previous bowl and then draws to the jack and tap the jack 4 or 5 inches(Photos) behind her bowl. Again point change.  

as the marker gives Dorothy two points.  Now, one would think, "What a shot"and "What could be better." With each player still with their last bowl of the first end to play this is why the best go to finals. 

One must remember that now World Bowls allow only 30 seconds for the delivery of your bowls so Esme steps to the mat and doing a bit over weight backhand attempts to strike the two bowls or roll the jack back. 

Dorothy on her home club green and with last bowl to play, come to the head with her bowl in arm, quickly looks at the head and after a body movement of  suggestion "one or the other" heads back up the green to deliver. Any athletic who has done this trip with the time limit know how hard it is to go back to the mat and make a great shot. (relax, know your weight, etc) Dorothy does a forehand and draws tight to the jack expecting shot except her bowl is a bit heavy and passes the group of three bowls around the jack (@ 11 o'clock).

After Esme does a double finger measure and asks the tape from the marker, the officials arrive and they do a calibator then the tape measire before give the point to Esme.

This is only the first end of play and with the quality of play it seem I will have to watch the game and then study the players and their different skills. Amazing game. A must for Single coaching.

For the new readers these are the stats as of yesterday.

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.