Rain and Wind Bowls Play 2/2 (NMem)

Updated March 14,2026 

As mention in the first of these two blogs, the  similarity between condition of play for rain and for days of a strong wind address the same problems a Lawn Bowls athletic must work to overcome.  As often said in these blogs. There are three aspects of Lawn Bowls perfection. Delivery development ( Line, Weight and Bowls), Mental Development (Focus, Muscle Memory and Game strategy) and last  Condition of Play (what nature give us as a new day)

Condition of play involves the speed of the green, the equipment used (type of bowls) and the difficulty which the environment offers. All of these will influence the game as we develop our perfect delivery, choose the various type of bowls and equipment and build through practice an instinctive performance. But what we can not control is  the weather unless we decide to alway do indoor bowls. 

 We would all love to go to the club on a nice sunny day and roll bowls, but when a competition of major level of players is scheduled; we often find the conditions of play very demanding as we can not order the weather as we would like for that important game.

As  I would like to finish an important aspect of Bowls in the rain by bring forward a previous August 2012 blog and  for a bit discuss some problems or nightmare of Lawn Bowls in the Rain. Before Covid (2020 to 2022) most Canadian club executives and green keepers were concern for the large size debits made in the greens by new members learning to bowl, but in money competitions players bowled an open green.

2024 photo of Club practice

The blog  was written 6 years before the Covid, and at a time when we saw "Protective Screens"being only used in Club games for Coaching. But with COVID and clubs losing volunteer, their Green Committees in trying to keep clubs with playable greens, continued to use the screens during major money competition.

 Even today in some parts of Canada, (Here in Montreal Quebec) ; the "Protective screens are still used. In the blog we see a reference to "Lonnie" size debits and suggestion that during rain condition of play; one should be concern for their best delivery style.  (Lonnie is the name of the Canadian dollar coin because the image a Canadian bird, called a Loon, on the coin face and "Lonnie Size Debits" is still a expression hear at clubs and competitions).

Updated Blog of August 2012 "Rain and Green Debits" deeply editted.

The nightmare of Lawn Bowls in the Rain is not the wet clothes but the wet greens and the "Lonnie" size Debits.  
There are two basic debits types   Those caused by the dropping of the bowl at the front of the mat, and those caused by not bending low enough and thus having a long throwing bounce at about 3 feet from the mat..  Both cause damage to the green because the bowl is not rolling as it hits the green and then the surface of the green is use to begin the bowl's rolling movement.

   A good delivery will have a finger flick or the bowl will roll of the finger. This  type delivery will make the bowl roll before it  hits the green.  Otherwise, the soft wet green will be one debit for each bowl delivered. (With 100 rolls per team even 20% bad delivery mean 20 or 30 debits at both end of the rink)

 On rainy days, the player's thought is, "I am short because of the rain" so we throw the bowl (not roll it) harder and  hear someone say "oh a debit" and we think "Oh  that happens because of the wet green". 

And because we know why, we easily forget that last bowl and it debit, as others are rolled and new debits made. Immediately instruct your self of the  need for a smooth rolling delivery, and be concern for the green.  Remember, when you need to catch your balance after a heavy delivery and a  "long stride" delivery that the side of your footwear may causes quite ugly debits. 

Henselite #5

WHAT CAN YOU DO ??  

 First, if you have more than one set of bowls, use the smaller bowls as you will find  a better grip and delivery easier when your hands are wet. If you Bowls  have "grips" it may help you to grip better, but also it may cause bad debits when you have one of those off-bias rolls because of forcing your delivery. (Update added) The photo right is a #5 by Henselite from the 1960's and the bowl's grip is less than you will find today on 2025 bowls (end)   

Use a different type of Gripoo.. (there is a sticky wet weather type)  If Gloves are allowed... try those Kitchen rubber gloves with grip ridges.  Maybe even change your grip... The Claw grip requires your finger grip the bowl where cradle grip requires a  rolling bowl movement.

Second, Move the mat a lot. It does not need to be always at the same placement. When the mat stays at the 2 meter mark and end after end replaced to the same spot it can cause damage.  A lead, when laying down the mat, should look at the delivery area of the green where the bowls will be deposited.  Remember, you may have left handed team member.

 And Third, although, we do not want to tell an opponent that they have made a bad debit; we can still before rolling our bowl, walk forward and repair that last debit. (Just a light foot push back of that crescent moon shape grass rolled out) This will show the player their debit and eventually the repaired debits will recover.  Rather than close our eyes to opponents marking debits, if we repairs that last debit made by the opponent; it shows and tell them to be careful. 

  Strange, in Petanque, the french sport of throwing and rolling the metal balls to the jack, rules prevent a player from arranging the receiving area of their delivery but a players is allowed to fixing the last debit made. (The game is play in sand or gravel so the full moon indent is best fixed before your ball rolls over it).

 Interesting fact of Boccie, the Italian bowls game now being played in the 2012 London Paralympics games  this week.(August 2012) Players can have different hardness of balls in their six balls team group. Soft balls for hard to remove when hit and once at the jack and hard balls for those throwing shots which will be a slam takeouts. That year British boccia player David Smith took Gold I believe.

(End of 2012 Blog)..

Returning to Bowls and condition of play with Wind.  The last month blog  Analysis 2026 Australia Classic Singles (Info)  has a good video commentator about the choice of Bowls for windy conditions of play. The final is played by two of the best (World bowls Ranking ) players and Irish Gary Kelly as tech commentator is # 6 WB ranking. At the video 7-7 Gary explains why the choice of the narrow bias bowl by Corey Wedlock (# 2 ranking WB) is an advantage where there is such a heavy cross wind.

Bowls with wind behind mat

In the Atlantic International Challenge which happen last summer in Windsor Canada and brought together Scotland, England, United States and Canada we see a strong wind behind the mat and bowlers bowling into that wind. The photo right show the  bowls placement in the head when the wind was face on or east to west (see the flags behind the players) and the photo below show the bowls in the head when the wind was  west to east (behind the bowlers)  A  completely different collection of bowls in the head at these two back to back ends. The players found with the wind behind them that the bowls were blown off line more than the bowling heavier bowls (into the wind) which stopped quickly without much bias.

A May 2, 2021 blog titled "Bowls in New Zealand Wind (AMem) has a good insight into how the wind can change the bowl's bias. But as noted by the (AMem) classification this blog was intended for Advance players who have a good Muscle Memory and are still developing advance aspects of it  Some of my ideas are so badly expressed the an un experience bowler might see them in a manner as too much detail for a beginning lawn bowler.

Bowls with Wind behind Lawn Bowler's Mat

 From this point on this blog touches on more advance information as in the following paragraph I will discuss how the wind affect the bowl's bias. Discussing how a Bowl is today constructed and depending upon the curvature of the running surface, how the bowl's bias  will  defines the bowl's "finish" bending; is too detail for the beginning years of Lawn Bowls.

Another Lawn Bowls Blogger "The Greens Bowler" who as a retired scientist does a mathematical description of a Bowl's Bias with diagrams and mathematical equations. His blog objective is to explain why the bowl keeps the same bias as the mat is moved forward. The reason is your delivery weight. So if the mat moved up making a shorter jack, and therefore forces you to delivery with less weight; then the bias which starts to be performed at it normal Bias starting speed;  as the bowl is rolling slower it starts it bias sooner with the less weight and will perform the same as the longer distance.

However, this also explains what makes a bowl as a narrow bias. If the bowl has narrow running surface, like a car tire or a disk, when it become slow enough to begins to fall to its side, it will drop without rolling any farther. But because on either side of the running surface of the bowl there is another curved surface to catch the green and continue it to roll, the bowl does a "Finish" bend. How wide is this 2nd surface is what makes a bias narrow or wide. The closer this 2nd surface is to the running surface the bias will begin at a faster speed. And if the 2nd surface is wide it becomes an extension of the running surface and prevents the bowl from  falling and is a bowl with a narrow bias." As more material is build on the Bias side of the bowl it will begin it bias fall sooner and thus a wider bias curve.

 I once had an old set of "woods" which has such a wide bias and finish curve that it seem to hock like a walking cane handle. Actually place your bowl on a hardwood or tile floor with a very small movement and you will find it actually doing a complete circle before it fall to its side.

In the photo above, I have marked the bowls of the "Lead" (L), 2nd, and Skip and there is an interesting study of the photograph's bowls. The Skip's forehand delivery we see the bowl keeping its bias (and standing still) while the Skip's Backhand (near the Jack) has almost fallen over. (because of the wind and slow green 12.8 seconds). The same with the two bowls of the third (in the square box) the bowl have a different stopped standing bias because of the player's forehand/backhand  delivery.

Let now understand this as to how the wind affect the bowl during it's roll. A fellow bowler said to me "Don't tell me that with the weight of the bowl, the wind is going to push the bowl over and off line". No, the bowl is not pushed over. but on a narrow running surface it is pushed enough to actually go to the 2nd curve surface and that start of the bias will pull the bowl off it's delivery line. On a wide running surface or narrow bias the 1st and 2nd surfaces are almost as if only one running surface; (the bowl is like a car tire with the running surfaces together wide and flat like) and will roll straight until the last minute before falling.

 Like Clark, In the blog of the mathematical study (above link) the author, if he had continued his study he would have found that for each 2nd running surface of a lesser distance from the main running surface you would have a quicker change in the bowl's Bias. (start to change it's direction of roll).  If a wide bias bowl (narrow running surface) is pushed a bit by the wind its small main running surface shifts to the 2nd surface as the wind  push the bowl to start its Bias sooneer then with no wind .

 In the above photo there is a small cross wind although  the wind is basicly from behind, you see how the bowl has a completely different curve finish for each delivery hand.   You can almost tell if the bowls are wide or narrow bias by how the bowl stopped or fell over (came to rest on the slow green). Compare this to a strong cross wind like the  suggested viewing Video of the New Zealand game in a strong wind.  A lot to think about, maybe too detail. Certainly not the detail for a beginning lawn bowler and maybe even not a subject for an elite who simply thinks. "Play into the wind push with wide bias" to push the bowl back straight and "Play with the wind's assistance to increase the bias of the bowl."

Because we must change the "Delivery Line" to allow the wind to change the bowl's bias, (more or less) I have over the years developed a "Oof-bias Draw" delivery for the wind. Normally "Off-bias" grip on the bowl is used in "Runner" deliveries, but with practice you can take a lot of speed of a "Draw" Delivery.

 The advantage is that with the extra delivery speed needed on the "Off-Bias" Draw one finds that  the Bowl's Straight Line part of the Bias is extended beyond where the bias starts (its "Belly") and allows for getting around blocks or pass "Falls" in the Green. 

Interesting week of Stats on my blogs.  0ver 4000 read visit a week.

Stats of 2 week period March 2026

Update March 20, 2026  -  Of interest on World Bowls participation of Blog readers is this following Blog Stat of 2018. When Blogger started by Google it was concern to supply the blog creator the knowledge of what blogs were of interest and the country from where the visitor came.  Also in the graph of usage it does for each viewer an indication of how many blogs that visitor/reader visited during that visit.

End of March Stats

 (Finish Cleanup and Update. except to date the above blogs.. March 14/2026)

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Blog Stats in April 2018 (good detail)

Rain and Wind - Bowls Play 1/2 (NMem)

This blog is a redo of starting to blog in August 2012, wanting to help on knowing how to judge the Green's speed in "Rainy" play condition.

The best of Canada and United States with windy conditions

I  It can be difficult to know what effect rain, whether heavy rain or light drizzle; has on our Delivery..  But there are tricks which used wisely will allow your first bowl as lead, to be on or near the jack. I have combined this blog with another on Windy conditions of play because if the video  of the last blog was watched; we see those Australian elite players doing many of the same things suggested in this blog. Wind and Rain conditions of play require the same delivery calculation and mental discipline.

First, if you are rolling  the jack to start the end of play, you have a sort of "Green Testing" opportunity. Certainly,  the skip's requested distance is your objective, your efforts and how they are affected by the rain or water on the green; can tell you a lot of how the speed of the green has changed.

Normally. as a lead with a good ability to roll to the skip's  foot, your "Jack roll" should not be modified for the conditions of the rain. Thinking of a heavier roll because it is in the rain, is a "Buzz kill", If you want to know the speed of a car you compare it to something going at a speed you know. Your own speed as it passes you. Likewise, rather than change the "Jack Roll" for the rain, do a normal effort to deliver it to the skip's foot. If the jack has stops 3 to 4 meters short this is a gauge of how much the conditions of play affect your roll. Not just your "Jack Roll" but also your "Bowl Roll".

First, your subconscious mind knows that the conditions of play will slow the "Jack roll" and when you attempted to roll to the skip's foot, it will instinctively made an adjustment. But this lost of distance which happens is the "Error of Subconscious correction" which occurs even after your subconscious mind has done a heavier "Jack Roll". 

BumBum, a friends pet

Unless all the spectators are in the clubhouse, there are others sharing the rain with you. Find things to relax your mind between your deliveries.  Do not rush your game because of the conditions of play which may only mean a lost in "Focus". Keep your mind on the game. Sometimes a thought of something funny like this photo will bring a bright focus into your delivery.

The 3 or 4 meters short of the jack that happen with the "Jack Roll", now allows you to make an adjustment of your Bowl Delivery. Very often we think of an addition and the Muscle Memory of the "Jack Roll" adds something more. Other than thinking where you want your bowl to finish, don't see these calculation as added delivery weight. (think "more weight" is a conscious thought which destroys Muscle Memory performance) The jack may not have lost it distance because of "green speed" but maybe a lost of speed due to other conditions. (wet hands, slippery footing or maybe just discomfort due to the rain).

 
  -  Learn by watching the jack roll each time, whether you are lead, second or mate, because the collective information will be used for all your bowls in this end of play.  Read the "Cock Tail" or standing spray of water behind the jack as it rolls. It will indicate areas of your green which have more water than other areas.

An Australian Finals

The higher spray of water behind the jack is because it is passing through deeper water. The photo (right) is from New Zealand Championship final and within 15 or 20 minutes players were on the green starting their morning game. Good drainage is a major part of a good construction of our playing greens.

The green speed may have changed by what you believe is your bowls "Rain Resistance". Because you have practice in these rain conditions and have build your knowledge of how certain rain conditions will change your "Bowls Speed", Of course your club's green conditions during your practice have given a value. My term for this calculation and measure is "Green Quarter" because I use a thought (image or word) to tell Muscle Memory my expected resistance that the rain causes to my bowl roll.

  If you have not rolled previously in the rain you may have to calculate that a wet green requires a certain distance increase in your delivery weight. However, if you have build a "Condition of Play" knowledge base, from information collected from a rainy day "Cock Tail" study: you can  now added to this knowledge your known "Water Resistance" distance increase. 

Pointe Claire LBC after downpour

The photo (right) is the water map of my club last year after a heavy rain fall. It is in my Log Book to remind me of where the green is high and low (now dark area or water soak green)

My calculation adjustment term of "Green Quarter"  is based upon the legal 10 meter distance that a jack can be played. (21m to 33m) Dividing the Hogline Jack to the Max Distance Jack into 4 areas of play. The 1st Quarter (hogline to 23 or 25 meters), Halfway. (26 meters). 3rd Quarter(28, 29 meters) and Full Length (from respot to the Ditch). Also, since we all have weak delivery distances, if you play a "redefined Jack" for a jack distance then add that too to your "over delivery" jack decision.. (redefined jack is playing a visual jack behind or in front of actual jack position because of a condition of play)

The idea of changing your "Jack Distance" is similar to the skip asking for a bowl 1 meter behind the jack. If you need 2 "Green Quarters" adjustment than you are bowling as if the skip is asking for a bowl 2 meters behind the jack. This mental calculation is a "Focus" point because you accept the ability to play to a requested position by the skip and as your accept the skip's knowledge you also accept your success or failure of delivery. When your adjustment of weight results in your bowl being on or near the jack; you accept your focus was not lost by questioning the reason for the extra delivery weight.

This stats photo shows how sudden a volume of readers might decide to search or seek out a type of blog information.

Blog Stats days later

Sometime, such volume occurs because at the beginning of a bowl's season a coach suggest a subject and discussion which send students to this blog.

Also sometimes it might be because of the use of a particular word. With Trump again in the news and countries like Russia searching the WWnet for that name; it will result in an increase in blog reader volume stats. Where my blogs are not short, to have over 2000 read/visit in a week may mean hours of bowls knowledge being distributed.

Also, as I have done here by insert photo and stats; sometimes the change of subject is a pause of reader attention and only relax the mind. (take a break). Such pause or break prepares readers to better understand the following text.

If you watch the video suggested in the previous blog on the  2026 Australian Classics Singles game; you will have seen several times Barrie Lester often waiting for the wind to decrease before playing. You can also pause yourself during an increase in the rain volume.  Often we take a pause in play to improve our clothing or get a drink. If you are in a pause it is important you do it by leaving the mat so as not  to affect our delivery or Pre-mat decisions. Standing on the mat drops us out of our "Focus" zone.  In doing a pause, if your Delivery routine had a decision making aspects, then it is necessary to restart your Delivery Routine from the "going to the Mat" step so everything involved, from "Focus" to the instinctive rolling of your bowl can be finished in one complete "Delivery" and you can get out of the rain.

 If you feel guilty doing a pause in your delivery, I suggest you look toward the officials as if to be asking "Are you going to pause the game". The reason for this pause is that prior to coming to the mat (Pre-Mat Routine) you did your calculations and now you are ready to do your delivery to that spot.  Your change in "Focus" by the distraction of the sudden down pour of rain; does not now need you to decide to make an adjustment in the middle of your delivery.

      Under rainy conditions, there are many things that will slow your bowl.  Many new bowlers think that these conditions of play problems  is a "Trail and Error" part of the game of Lawn Bowls.  (Roll the first bowl and see where it goes.. then adjust your delivery  to get closer with idea that by the third bowl you should be on the jack). 

 Can you afford to waste 2 bowls (or 3 in singles) to get one bowl close to the jack.  A  "Trial and Error" approach to your delivery is wrong and you are better to go work in the kitchen or be on the club's Social Committee than be in a Lawn Bowls Competition. Your bowls' "Rule one" is "Every bowl counts" and  your thinking is "My Post Delivery analysis where I am in preparation for the next bowl is where I do thinking and analysis. Like the "Skips Expectation", your expectation of your self and your delivery should be at a high standard.

  Other helpful hints.

  -  Know what effect your raingear has on your delivery. Do you hear the movement of your raingear during your bowl delivery. Does it restrict your movement, balance or even destroy your "Focus".

    - Watch and learn from your opponent. If he/she is has difficulty doing a good  roll to the jack, and their bowl is 3 meters short then you know to add 3 meters for  the jack when you bowl. (Of course, have they that "Trial and Error" attitude ?) If yes, then make no adjustment because the only bowl which matters is their last bowl.  Every bowl you roll matters and your focus and calculation are all good.

 -  Virgin Greens are worst with Rain. A "Virgin Green" is an area of play where no bowl has yet rolled. Often in the first few ends of play or when the jack has been moved away from center line. In rainy conditions your new "Line of Delivery" following a movement of the jack may require a delivery when you do not have the information on the amount of water at various parts of that green on your that line.

 On a "Moved Jack", where possible, change your hand of delivery (forehand/Backhand) so you roll using more of the center of your rink where you have  knowledge of the conditions of play. Remember that previous delivery line have had the water removed from the grass leaves (laid down like which happens with morning dew). If you took an approach line, you can after your opponent has wasted a bowl and shown  the conditions; expect a fruitful delivery. Your "Focus" after "Calculation" in the Pre-Mat Routine is of major important, as to a quick to the mat and bowl because of the disconfort of the rain.

  -  Bias is depend on the speed of the bowl... Faster roll gives less bias,  and be aware that the quick stop of your bowl in rain may mean your bowl has little or no final bend (finish). Your bowls will only swing in the last few meters when it has slowed to  a normal Bias speed.   Even with wide Bias bowls do a narrow line draw for those heavy delivery on rainy greens.

   -  Watch the water spray behind your bowls..  This "Cock tail" will indicate low green areas with more water and if you can avoid them. Decide on your "Point Radius" (how far from the jack and still be a point) which might allow you to change the delivery line or even the Delivery hand (forehand/backhand).

   - Roll the same bias each time.. using the previous line now showing in the wet green. By using the same delivery line your expectation of your delivery will offer more confidence and success.

   - Fast delivery bias (with a finish type bias) greens are found when  the jack is placed around where the mat was previously placed several times; the traffic of  the bowlers as they stood waiting their turn on the mat. (usually behind the mat) packs the green. If your bowl has a wide bias then this trick might mean a proper bias finish.

   -  Listen to your skip.. He may be adjusting for the weight ( by asking for a back bowl) or giving a narrow line (accepting the frontal bowl being a good block on a dangerous "Runner line").