In 2026, you will find blogs for three groups, New Members (NMem), Advance Members (AMem) and General Information (Info), which I hope will allow readers to choose the topics and information according to their experience. Certainly, if reader are not prepared in years of experience, some blogs may only confuses them.. This blog will suggest methods of calculating the jack distance so that when you relax and do a "no-effort" delivery, (your "Natural Distance" Delivery); you can add-on or remove "Delivery Weight" to your Natural Distance performance for that "Jack Distance"
The second part of this blog will be (AMem) for Advance players as that information maybe a bit too detail for a new lawn bowler. In that section "Muscle Memory" communication is shown for a Petanque player's (video) and then a Lawn Bowler World Bowls competition Finals. (Video). If a bowler on the mat know the distance to the jack and compares it to their "Natural Distance", they should be able to make a "Delivery Weight" adjustment.
Always happy to have new readers and I suggest that new lawn bowlers with only a few years experience, not fight to chase or to understand all this information. It will come in time and practice. Something that information will one day in "Game Play" (or your practices) will begin to make sense.
The photo (right) show a jack on the "Respot" and the lead bowler drew to the jack. The "Respot" mark is at 30 meters (on some indoor rinks) so if the player throwing of the jack want to play "25 meter Jacks" they just bring the mat up 4 or 5 meters from the mat line.(21 meters plus 4 meters). In the jack roll, if it does not go into the ditch it can be up to 2 meters pass the "Re-spot" mark and will still be brought back to the "Re-spot" point (as per the rule of setting the jack). An example of putting the jack where you want it.
Today's Blog. "Jack Distance" suggests the need to know a method to evaluate the distance of the jack. Some of the tricks are.
- Notice objects or land markers around the green and their distance in relationship to your "Center Line" as you walk up the green during those first few end of play.
- Count the steps of the skip as they walk to receive the rolled jack to know where they are standing and expecting the jack roll by the lead. (Both your skip and the opponent skip).
- Remember that the distance from Hog Line" to the "Respot" is only 10 meters and divide that distance in half and quarters to know the 21, 24, 26, 27 and 29 meter distance when the mat is at the mat line.
- Identify unique marking on the rink surface and/or areas of the green with dis-coloration to their actual distance.
- Listen to communication of your skip or opponent skip to their leads.
- As you identify the skips request for your delivery also include the distance in your self-talk and preparation for delivery. Remember, when you are doing your Delivery which is and instinctive action or a performance of "Muscle Memory", your only thought is to do a perfect delivery. The subconscious mind will use your distance and perform a good delivery.
Coaches always wanting to develop new club member as quality athletics with a taste for competition level performance; but a problem with many clubs is that beyond the "New Member" first year coaching, , very few club members get any secondary coaching other than answer to questions. Clubs without certified coaches whom can work with 2nd or 3rd year members whom wish to improve their delivery; must be able to introduce skills which will help the member understand their weakness. Such extra coaching will bring the game to a different levels in members and develop a love of the sport.
Often I hear a coach or quality competition player say "Be patience, you will feel the Jack Distance".This is a mistake.. Feeling a distance may take many years of play and practice, as does "Muscle Memory" of a Delivery style or "Line of Delivery". Experience players are aware that many objects around the green will cause the mind to feel the wrong distance. We must always be aware of these deceptions and include them in our preparation to deliver our Bowl.
Or when I am talking about "Muscle Memory", there is often a comment of "Children do very well to throw a baseball without knowing the distance it has to be thrown". Yes, but as they learn to throw that baseball, they accept the other player to run and get the ball or the ball is high or low. In Lawn Bowls the "Jack" seldom move so it is important to bowl to the proper distance".
It is true that children discover that their "Muscle Memory" develops faster than older individuals, who may be coming to a new sport later in life and have experienced several other sports over those years. The club coach will probably explain that "Muscle Memory" is one's ability to practice and in time prefect their delivery to the point where it has become an instinctive performance.
Breathing is a "Muscle Memory" as is walking, coughing and may sudden health recovery actions. The quick foot to the brake to stop the car when a child or animal runs out in front of your driving is another such instinctive action. In our first year's of learning our lawn bowl's delivery, the coach and students are concentrating on instructs to different muscles on the correct physical actions needed. Some of these movements may be new muscle usages.
In these first years, the student's thinking, as they learn and develop their Bowl delivery, is to be continually checking that certain muscles are doing as instructed. We are aware that other muscles which were previously developed in another sports may be attempting to change our delivery. Eventually, these new movements become our actual "Muscle Memory" controlling the quick and precise performing the delivery.
Why so much important on the "Delivery"?, Very often when the bowl does not roll to the jack we blame our delivery when in reality it is our judgement of the distance to the jack. As our "Muscle Memory" is perfected we have the proper weight for the distance we feel the jack is sitting at. But this is the big mistake. We begin to fight with the "Muscle Memory" performance and by so questioning our weight, we add more weight. In reality, my opinion, we should be thinking of what caused us to misjudge the distance and by finding the reason do a "Fine Turning"our Delivery. As we understand the "Why" we keep our confidence in our "Muscle Memory" and in our Pre-Mat routine calculate the proper jack distance.
The unique aspect of Lawn Bowls which separates the game and the delivery performance from other similar sports where a "Ball is Rolled to a Target" is the extreme distance of the target (or jack). Other sports like Bocci, Petanque, and Curling, all have closer distances of play and some like Curling has it at a fixed distance. Where the Petanque (French bowls) and a maximun distance of 10 meters during the start of play; we can easily judge that distance. But in Lawn Bowls where the closest distance is 21 meters and the farthest distance is 10 more meters or just over 30 meters there are a lot of different things which cause us to error in our judgement of the "Jack Distance".
In Curling the "house" or target, to which the "Stones" are delivered, is always the same distance. (I believe a distance of 21 meters from the "Release Line" to the center of the curling target "House") For this reason, some say that Curling as a Canadian sport was developed from Lawn Bowls on the frozen Canadian lakes.
Although "History Extra" writing about the history of curling places the origin in Scotland and writes "The earliest surviving reference to curling, written in Latin, dates from 1541, “when notary John McQuin recorded a challenge that occurred in Paisley, Scotland, between John Sclater, a monk from the local abbey, and one Gavin Hamilton,” writes Jeff Wallenfeldt for Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Apparently Sclater took three practices throws with a stone on the ice, and then the contest was on.'
In Curling, "Muscle Memory" develops quickly, where in Lawn Bowls, unless the jack is always placed at the same distance, as suggested for practice by beginners. the new 1st year Lawn Bowls student is always modifying their delivery weight for a different distance. And if you check out a Youtube instruction video of Curling you will find reference to "Muscle Memory" early in the instructions.
With the different distance at which the "Jack" can stop when rolled, with each new end of play or practice, a player in return back up the greens, is forced to change direction which might mean different performance of the playing surface. This new "Jack Distance" may now require modifications to the delivery because of problems created by the environment (wind, direction of the sun) giving more difficulty in judging the distance. (Also, a large tree behind the green or club house will force the player to feel as if the jack is closer).
In another similar sport, Petanque, the french "bowls" game; the "Cochon" or target (an opponents ball to be knocked out of play) is between 6 meters and 10 meters. (Rules place the playing surface boundries or up to 20 meters if during the game the "Cochon" has been moved when a petanque ball had been played).
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| Petanque Take-out |
This short distance of 4 meters different distance during the start of play, after the "cochon" is thrown; is a lot easlier than the 30 meters of Lawn Bowls's jack being rolled to it legal distance.
And where the Lawn Bowl is rolled your bowl up the green, in the Petanque game, we often see the players throwing their metal ball of 3" or more at the opponents balls in what is called a "Takeout" shot. To roll to the target or throw for a "Takeout" the distance is likewise important in Petanque.
Also, where in the other sports, the teams play in consective order, in Petanque the order of play depends upon the team thatdoes not have the closest ball to the "cochon", Actually the team could waste all their balls trying to get the closest.
The above screen capture of a youtube video of a Petanque "Takeout" shot shows what will be discussed in part 2 of this blog. A mental "Distance Viewing" Muscle Memory development of which the athlete is passing instructions to the subconscious mind prior to the "Muscle Memory engagement. Later in part two a Lawn bowls video shows the same mental distance evaluation being performed by World class athletes in a Final Pairs game of Lawn Bowls. A skill developed after many years to instruct the mind of the actual distance to the jack.
Of course, "Muscle Memory" in Lawn Bowls is always being modified for each new "Jack Distance" between the short (21 meter) jack and the longest possible "Legal" Distance of a full rink length of 33 meters (to the edge of the Back Ditch). And the new Lawn Bowls student should be instructed on the mental evaluation of distance. Which is seldom the case as bowl after bowl of a Coaching session is rolled without reference or instruction to the mind of the Jack distance.
Every new Lawn Bowler has what is call their "Natural Distance". This distance, which with the same movements and effort of a "Delivery Routine", a players can expect all their bowls (three or four) will arrive at the same distance. A "Natural Distance" for those Deliverywith a perfected actions. A bad delivery will give a different distance as the change will add or decrease the delivery weight.
Because, a new "Jack Distance" may need an "Add-on" actions for that extra distance the coach suggest modified actions such as a longer step or a increase in Delivery weight, but the first instruction to the body's muscles should be distance. Simple word "25 meters". Then a decision how that applies to their "Natural Distance" which may be a different distance. Problem is how do you know the actual distance.
These differences are important to understand because a Lawn Bowls athletic who can draws to within inches of the "Jack", which may be at any distance, up to 31 meters; must be always making many fine adjustments to their bowl's "Delivery Routine"
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| Blind Distance Markers |
A coach who knows how important it is to know the actual distance to the Jack, will suggest methods to judge the Jack's Distance and you will see very precise delivery to different "Jack Length". Even in social games you will see the skips telling new bowlers their distance to the jack either verbal or with a signal. I use my 10 fingers as a visual signal since the jack distance is always between 21 meters and 30 meters. I use the fingers (1 to 10) only as I straighten up after placing the jack.
However, in teaching new club members, the coach should be using the same distance for the first few lessons of the new club member and as close to their natural distance as can be seen. The learning to roll the bowl by a newbie is first learning a delivery line and not distance. Later, the coach will teach different distances of the Jack, and instruct the new lawn Bowler how to make adjustments on their delivery weight for a different jack distance other then their Natural distance.
Since in a game the jack distance is usually only indicated once by the skip as he centers the jack, all players should be listening or watching this indicated distance given to the "Lead" player's first bowl. (or maybe distance signal or action).
As should be explained by the coach to new players, after having learned their Delivery line and their Delivery Weight the next to be learned, is preparation before going to the Mat for their delivery. This "Pre-Mat" routine and the"Delivery Routine" is taught so that players make decisions before going to the mat to play their bowl. The lead should after centering the jack take time to calculate the Jack distance and how to play that distance. Otherwise, the lead uses the first bowl like a "Trial End" guessing at the jack distance.
The Pre-mat is for many things like preparation (bias, cleaning bowls) and decision before going to the mat to do their . Sometimes we need to always checks on possible errors we seem to always make in our delivery movements. Some coaches actually indicate the Pre-Mat as various things like bias is explained and tell the student that "Stepping to the Mat" is for the Delivery Routine.
Some athletes seem to not have a Pre-Mat Routine as they step to the mat and do a perfect delivery. However, the delivery is a performance and the Pre-Mat time and routine is the decision and pre-performance actions. When the athlete steps to the mat and then following the instruction of their skip by doing the best delivery they can perform they are in a period of "Muscle Memory" performance.
This routine is one of three parts of a "Delivery Cycle". First a "Pre-Mat", then a "Delivery", and finally a "Post-Mat" as you leave the mat and evaluate your just finished delivery. It is after the delivered bowl has stop that the Post-Mat Routine begins an analysis of the performance, an analysis of any errors, and whether in the calculation of the Jack's distance or the evaluation of the playing surface or conditions there were mistakes.
The Pre-Mat Routine is where decisions on the modification to a delivery for the next bowl occurs, whether a new distance is now to be prepared, before your turn to go to the mat and roll your next bowl. Without the Post-Mat analysis and Pre-Mat preparation, we find new players going to the mat and just doing a Delivery.
Between the Post-Mat analysis and Pre-Mat preparation there should be a period of "Focus" and even "Relaxation". A lawn bowls game is long and unless you forget the previous bad delivery and go to the mat with a clear mind set you will make all the same mistakes again.
The "Lead" player and their first bowl to a just "centered" jack is difference than the delivery actions and changes for the following bowls. The "Lead" has an advantage here on the "Jack Roll" and the "First Bowl Roll" in that it has been said "if a Lead rolls their First bowl within the 15 seconds after the jack was rolled, the mind has a feeling for the Jack distance and they will draw their bowl directly to the jack". A skip, knowing this principle will not waste the time of the Lead with a lot of instructions but allow the Lead to roll their bowl as they wish.
However, with the "Next Bowl" of the Lead, and following decisions of the Pre-Mat about delivery corrections and improvements learned from the last bowl delivery, or even a "Do the same" Pre-Mat decision; the lead should be ready to do a perfect "Delivery Routine".
The exception is when there is a request from the team Skip for a different delivery as he build his game strategy. If this happens and there is a request for a changed delivery listen and understand the new instructions and then step of the mat and redo the "Pre-Mat" routine and verifications before returning and doing the requested delivery.
It is critical in knowing the actual "Jack Distance" when coming to the mat, because we can make adjustment to our delivery weight with this more precise distance, which is the goal. To place our bowl on the "Jack" and this extra information will help "Muscle Memory" do that.
Problem which exist is that if a player is busy thinking of a precise distance during their delivery, like say "25 meters": these words are seen as a conscious mind thought which expects it to be an actual instruction for changing the muscle's performance rather than letting the "Muscle Memory" delivery happen. With practice an athlete can learn to communicate this important information to the subconscious without causing it to see the thought as an instruction to muscle performance.
For this reason, such thoughts during the performance of the delivery destroys "Muscle Memory" if it has been properly developed. Also, when the learning bowler's progress is delayed because the "Muscle Memory" is not allowed to perform the instinctive delivery; it can take a lot of hard work to re-establish the "Muscle Memory" performance.
One must remember that a subconscious or instinctive performance is performed without the interruption by the conscious mind which always wants to give and control instructions to the muscles. We have to train our "Muscle Memory" to use the data collected before coming to the mat for our instinctive delivery and just quickly think of the change before returning to the "Void" of performance. Yes, the subconscious or instinctive action of delivery will use that suggested information, and with practice not be interrupted when it has been give it.
But to suggest the distance during the actual performance of the delivery, is like someone talking to a typist when they are busy working. The interruption, if too long. will stops the actual work from being continued. If quickly suggested and the following thought is toward the delivery results as a "Focus" it will allow "Muscle Memory" returned to it instinctive delivery.
The interruption of "Muscle Memory" by that thought of a distance during the instinctive performance is like the typist hearing an instruction and saying "so what do you want me to do". The Muscle Memory performance which is the boss of this delivery action must be allowed to perform the delivery.
The second part of this blog will attempt to suggest how to introduce this thought, a distance, quickly during your "Muscle Memory" delivery and let it be passed quickly to the subconscious mind. A good example is breaking the car an instinctive action but with the sight of a ball and not a child running into the street; the driver can modifies his braking reaction when not seeing the ball as a danger to life.
You have a "Muscle Memory Delivery" which is a routine of actions and like the driver above, we discover that a quick thought prior to the Muscle Memory delivery will not interrupt the action because the image. or thought was so quick it was like a sound which you simple ignore. But the subconscious mind reacted to the image or word (sound) and makes adjustment before starting the Muscle Memory
The stats (above) of the blog show some similar blogs which might be helpful to thoughts from this blog. Things like "Line of Delivery" and the right Bowl's bias and other Pre-mat actions, are useless if you have been guessing at the distance or feeling that distance
Lawn bowls' student must makes some changes to their delivery for that new jack distance. And I always found that they are thinking on the Delivery Line or (not and) the Delivery Weight. Hard to control and learn both . Best advice is to do one or the other in Practice and apply them as needed when in game play and on the mat..
But, here is the problem. If you are thinking, during your delivery, a number of meters or a distance, which is a conscious thought and you know it will causes the instinctive delivery to be interrupted, then immediately follow it with a "Filler" thought. A thought of a cloud you have just seen, is so meaningless image that does not introduce or suggests a muscle performance instruction.
The reason I explained the other sports above is because the second part of this blog is to help "Advance Members" and then when I explain the problem with "Muscle Memory" interruptions; we will see how depending upon the length of your "Delivery Routine" how hard it is to not interrupt that delivery. Information for the more advance athletes on Jack Distance and Delivery Performance.
What it does do is suggest something but still allows the subconscious (Muscle Memory) to continue it's performance. In time, and with practice, the subconscious will always go and get that image because it has, over time, included it into the other actions of the "Muscle Memory" delivery.
So, in these practice sessions intended to interrupt the Muscle Memory, you do your image (or word if Vocal) and then allow the Muscle Memory to happen. The subconscious will learn through practice, to use that information without you ever thinking about the distance again; because it has always been developed as a part of all the actions. A delivery routine of interrupted "Muscle Memory" is developed during these practice sessions in such a way that the modified delivery routine is reference just prior to active "Muscle Memory" delivery.
In the second part of the Blog, intended for the Advance Players who want their "Muscle Memory" action to collect the Jack distance information; the biggest suggestion is to just do your delivery with a small (microsecond) thought of distance. Not a number or a word just a memory of your calculation from before going to the mat.
If in reading Part 2 it seems complex, just realize that in time and practice that instinctive delivery will happen. You will know when your delivery is at your level of development and to re-visit Part 2 will help make other changes to your delivery without interrupt to the "Muscle Memory".
With hours of practice of inserting a microsecond memory into the delivery performance ("Muscle Memory) the advancing competitive bowler will know that "Feeling" of distance is confidence that Muscle Memory know the distance.
Have tagged as Advance athletic (AMem) that second part of these two blogs because for the athletic with a developed "Muscle Memory" the next step of performance is the most difficult. After long hours of practices to develop the actions of "Muscle Memory", the advance athlete must be able to enter the "void of Thought" needed for the subconscious to perform.
I know that my blog readers who are new to Lawn Bowls and have been seeking several small changes or correction to their Instinctive delivery (Muscle Memory); but to enter this "void of thought" and remain long enough (without conscious thought) also will require practice. (a mental practice) At first the student develop their "Muscle Memory" feels the return from the "void of thought" which is so very short. I expect the new lawn bowls student will find it hard to understand this danger of interrupting your "Muscle Memory" by returning from the "void" too quickly.
In the "shorter distance to target" games like Petanque or Curling the performance is almost immediately followed by seeing the results of your delivery. And all these four games, Lawn Bowls, Bocce, Curling and Petanque have about the same length of time for the delivery. Yes in Bocci the running forward before the delivery is an action but the "Muscle Memory" is the Delivery Performance og which the action is almost the same as Lawn Bowls
The opposite is true for Curling where the Delivery Action of the stone is immediate then the slide to the Release line while waiting for the final movement. The Curling Delivery is almost the same "Muscle Memory" then the player is in what might be call "Finishing Up the Delivery"é But in each delivery (of the 4 sports), the success of "Muscle Memory" depends upon the ability to remain in the "Void" long enough to complete the complete action. In Lawn Bowls, the last part of delivery, the release, has no change on performance if weight and line are correct. While in Petanque the want to see the result of the performance actually forces the athlete to come out of the "Void of Thought" too early.
However, in Petanque with the throwing takeout release any small movement as the athlete comes out of his "void of thought" of his "Muscle Memory" can create a complete miss. The same with curling with the final "Delivery Curl movement" or the Bocci Release after the running delivery.
The difference in Concentration and being in Focus are often confused. Focus is like the focus of a camera for a clear picture and refers to a fine adjustment to better perform. Focus on a small spot or work your mind set (relax or breathing or balance). Concentration is the self-relax peace of mind needed. But it is not the "Void" but knowing the void is important and doing a concentration to accept it is the story.
A complete absence of thought is hard to develop put happens because you are so occupied (concentrating) on your performance or "Muscle Memory". For the duration of the complete delivery cycle you should be in the subconscious mind control. For this raison many Petanque (Curling and Bocci) players work to remain in the "Void" until their release is completed or otherwise see a negative result. The lawn bowler waits for his result as his bowl rolls and being finished of his "void" has no influence over the final result of delivery.
In a youtube video above of the Petanque player doing his takeout, the tell or his toe movement, is showing his thoughts of seeing (or feeling) the distance. This same exercise of pushing the void with a concentration on the vision of the expected shot is a way to extend the length of the void.
In these three sports, the athlete's mind is expecting to see the result immediately and therefore comes out of the "Void" to soon. On the other hand, the long delay between the end of delivery and the final stopping of the Bowl; actually seperates the delivery from the result viewing. In the athletic developing, through practice, a longer "duration of the void", the viewing repeatively of the vision; prevent doing anything in the last microseconds of delivery which influences the finish of the delivery of "takeout" shot.
The newer Lawn Bowler student should read the 2nd part with out expecting it applies to them but as an insight of what the final performance mental development will be after several years... Leave it when finished and return later as experience shows you that you need that advice. Enjoy the blogs and appreciate your club coach who can not always explain these things as they will only confuse your development at the earlier learning stages of development.
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